Hero who saved dozens in bus crash awarded £265,000 for his injuries

A hero who saved the lives of a bus full of passengers after the driver had a heart attack has been awarded £265,000 for the injuries he sustained.

In August 2008 a man from south Wales was a passenger in a bus when the driver suffered a heart attack.
It was the rush hour. The man leapt forward and took the wheel, managing to avoid collisions with other vehicles and serious injury to passengers by steering the bus into a wall.

As a result, in the ensuing impact he sustained a fractured right shoulder and a crushed left foot, which subsequently had to be partially amputated. He also suffered cuts and bruises and broken glass became embedded in his back.

The bus company's insurers originally offered the man £60,000 for his injuries. But he took his case to law and the figure has been raised to £265,000.

His legal case has been managed by Hilton Obery, a specialist in road accident injuries from Cardiff-based NewLaw.

"My client put his life on the line for the other passengers and had it not been for his unselfish sacrifice other passengers may have been seriously injured," Hilton Obery explains.
"Instead, it was he who was seriously injured. He is truly a remarkable individual and an unsung hero for his community."

In a comment on the service he received from NewLaw, the passenger said:
"An excellent and efficient service from a team who know what they are doing. Most importantly they acted on my behalf with my feelings and thoughts in mind."