A Midland company director left badly injured when he collided with a tractor while on a motorbike holiday in Germany has won more than £6 million compensation.
Shane Booth, aged 39, from Solihull was left needing extensive treatment and care after the horror smash near Baden-Baden which left him with a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures and serious internal injuries.
Since the crash in 2009 Mr Booth, a former sales director at computer firm IBM has undergone four years of operations and other procedures – and will need ongoing care for the rest of his life.
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The incident left him in a coma for weeks, and at Birmingham High Court Mr Booth, represented by city law firm Irwin Mitchell, won £6.1 million from the tractor driver’s insurers – who initially refused to admit liability.
A father of two young girls, Mr Booth, who lives in Shirley, said he was relieved at the decision which meant he was now financially secure as he tried to battle back to health.
He said: “The crash has completely transformed my life. Prior to the accident, I had a successful career at IBM and was a keen sportsman who tried most activities including running the London Marathon.
“This has all changed since what I’ve been through and I’ll never be able to return to work, with the accident leaving me with many permanent reminders of what has happened. While I do get frustrated with needing support to do simple tasks, looking back at pictures of me at the time I also recognise how extremely lucky I am to even be alive. Securing these funds is a massive relief to both me and my family, as it means that I will continue to get the support and rehabilitation I need to hopefully continue to make further improvements.
“I have put a huge amount of determination and willpower into getting this far, but securing justice following the incident has made me keen to now well and truly put the collision behind me and look forward to what the future holds.”
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Lesley Edwards, from Irwin Mitchell, said: “Every aspect of Shane’s life as he knew it was devastated following this terrible accident and, while he has made huge steps forward in his recovery, he still needs around-the-clock support as he continues to come to terms with what he has been through.”
Mr Booth was injured in the collision with the tractor while travelling along the B500 Schwarzwaldhochstrasse near Baden-Baden in Germany during a motor biking holiday with friends in August 2009.
Following detailed investigations, it was established that the driver of the tractor was attempting to turn left across Shane’s path at the time of the incident.
The driver was convicted of causing bodily harm by negligence after the incident.