Milton Keynes search dog handler receives six-figure compensation after his life was devastated by drink driver

A search dog handler has received compensation after a drink driver caused him to suffer life-changing injuries and killed his two dogs.

David Bentley, 67, from Milton Keynes, suffered a string of broken bones in the head-on collision, where the uninsured driver was speeding and on the wrong side of the road.

Since the incident, which happened in November 2018 in Essex, he has undergone multiple operations with metal plates and screws implanted in his feet and legs, and is still receiving treatment and physiotherapy.

He also developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has been forced to take early retirement from his job.

Sadly, the two dogs travelling in the car with him could not be saved.

In April 2020, the other driver was sentenced to four months in prison and disqualified from driving for five years. The man was uninsured and was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Mr Bentley turned to his wife’s union, the NASUWT, to seek legal support with Thompsons Solicitors through her membership.

Without an insurance company to take action against, Thompsons took the claim to the Motor Insurers Bureau before securing a six-figure compensation settlement. The MIB was established in 1946 and compensates the victims of negligent uninsured and untraced drivers. It is funded by the insurance industry.

Mr Bentley has now secured a six-figure compensation settlement.

He said: “The collision has had a devastating impact on my life. The actions of a drunk driver have not only affected me personally, in terms of my physical and psychological health and well-being but also caused severe distress to my wife, children and grandchildren.

“I can no longer physically do many activities I used to do before the incident. I love doing DIY and gardening, but I’m restricted now as I can’t climb ladders and find kneeling on the ground difficult.

“Thank goodness I could access free legal advice and claim compensation through my wife’s trade union membership. Making a legal claim can be daunting, but my solicitor, Kam Singh, has been fantastic – professional and friendly throughout.”

Kam, who is based at Thompson’s London office, said: “I cannot begin to imagine what Mr Bentley has been through due to one person’s reckless actions.

“He’s been left with life-changing physical injuries and is still dealing with the trauma of losing two much-loved dogs.

“Despite the driver being uninsured, we claimed against the Motors Insurers Bureau and secured a satisfactory compensation settlement, which will hopefully aid Mr Bentley during his rehabilitation and enable him and his family to approach the future with renewed optimism.

“This case highlights the huge benefits of trade union membership and the benefits for family members.”

Thompsons solicitors, founded 100 years ago, is a social justice law firm that fights for the rights of the injured and mistreated.

They ran the case that established the right for injured workers to be compensated in 1937 as well as the first asbestos case that was successful in the House of Lords in 1972. and the first equal pay for equal value claim in the UK in 1988).