Collision course – First-tier tribunal rules that aggressive driving amounts to deliberate criminal act under Criminal Injuries Scheme

• Publication date: December 2016
• Publication: PI Focus Magazine
• Information type: Article

In this article Liverpool solicitor Richard Edwards revisits a tragic case involving the
death of 20-year-old student Andrew O’Neill, who was killed by a stolen vehicle
driven dangerously through Liverpool city centre. As bereavement damages were
not available under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 due to eligibility restrictions, the
victim’s family pursued a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
The case explores the legal threshold for when a vehicle is used deliberately to inflict
harm, allowing such claims to succeed. Ultimately, the First-Tier Tribunal ruled in
favour of the family, finding that the driver’s conduct amounted to a deliberate
criminal act. The article highlights the legal complexities and wider implications for
victim’s families in similar cases.

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Collision course – PI Focus Magazine December 2016 (PDF: 279 KB)

This article does not represent legal advice. All claimants require specialist bespoke advice about their own individual claims from expert lawyers. If you require advice about any issue covered by this article, please contact our offices and ask to speak to Richard Edwards.