Lm12,280 traffic damages award

A man injured in a traffic accident in 1999 has been awarded Lm12,280 damages by Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia, sitting in the First Hall of the Civil Court.

Anthony Rotin and his wife Maria Dolores had sued Andrew Abela holding him responsible for the damages sustained by Anthony Rotin when Abela's truck had collided with Rotin's car in Tal-Barrani Road, Zejtun.

Plaintiff claimed that Abela had emerged from a side street onto a principal road and had crossed two carriageways and the centre strip and was therefore responsible for the accident.

There was no actual collision between the two vehicles but the back door of Abela's truck had landed on Rotin's car and had caused him to suffer an injury.

Abela claimed that it was Rotin who had crashed into him and that on impact the back door had fallen onto Rotin's car.

Mr Justice Valenzia declared that it resulted from the evidence that the accident was caused by Abela's negligence as he had failed to take the necessary precautions when emerging from a side street onto a principal road.

When calculating the damages, the court noted that Rotin had suffered an eight per cent permanent disability.

Abela was ordered to pay Rotin Lm12,280 damages.