Horse Rider Injured When Bus Passed Too Fast and Too Close – £69,000 Settlement

At HorseSolicitor, we specialise in representing horse riders involved in road traffic accidents. This case highlights the dangers riders face from negligent drivers who fail to pass wide and slow and how we fight for justice – even when the at-fault driver’s details are not known.

Accident Circumstances

Ms J was riding her horse alongside her daughter when a bus approached from behind. Both riders moved to the side of the road to allow the bus to pass safely.

However, the bus failed to slow down and passed at approximately 30mph, in dangerously close proximity to the horses.

Ms J’s horse spooked and bolted toward a junction. As the horse turned left, Ms J fell onto the pavement and was knocked unconscious. The emergency services attended, and she was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Injuries Sustained

Ms J’s main injuries were to the pelvis, and affected her for 36 months – after which the orthopaedic surgeon determined that any remaining issues were unrelated or pre-existing.

Liability Challenges

Neither Ms J nor her daughter could record the bus’s registration number as it failed to stop.

Acting on our instructions, a letter of claim was sent to the bus companies operating on that route, alleging negligence for:

Driving without due care and attention;
Failing to reduce speed;
Failing to keep a proper lookout;
Ignoring vulnerable road users;
Passing without adequate clearance.

The bus company’s insurer denied involvement and rejected the claim.

As there was no CCTV available from the bus companies and no other way to identify the driver, we pursued a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

HorseSolicitor were able to obtain interim payments (advances on compensation) and treatment for Ms J as the claim was investigated.

What is the MIB?

The MIB compensates victims of negligent drivers who are uninsured or untraced. They are commonly required to step in for spooking accidents such as this, where the at-fault driver either failed to stop or fled the scene to avoid being identified.

Outcome

Once the claim had been fully investigated, the matter settled for £69,308.33 following negotiations.

Why Choose Horse Solicitor?

If you or someone you know has been injured while riding due to a negligent driver, even if they are untraced, we can help. Contact us today for expert advice.

Ms J advised: “After a fall from my horse due to a bus driver not slowing down I contacted Hanna at Horse Solicitors after reading about another rider who was injured but couldn’t trace the driver. Hanna was very professional and explained the process throughout. It was difficult at times… but Hanna encouraged me to keep going and due to her hard work the MIB awarded me damages. I can’t thank Hanna enough.”