COW CRASH PAYOUT
ARETIRED farmer received £8,000 in compensation after sustaining multiple injuries following a collision with an escaped cow.
Margaret Evans, from Machynlleth, was a passenger in the front seat of a Renault Megane when the car collided with a cow on the A49 in Ludlow.
The accident left the car written off and Mrs Evans suffered injuries to both knees, shoulders, neck and a bruised forehead. It was so serious she was treated by paramedics for two hours at the scene.
Retired cattle and sheep farmer, Mrs Evans said: “It was dark, and it seemed like the cow just appeared in the middle of the road out of nowhere.
“My friend slammed the brakes on but there was no way of us stopping in time. The impact was so heavy that it was surprising the cow survived. We were very lucky that we weren’t killed.”
Mrs Evans is calling on livestock owners and drivers to be more aware of the dangers posed by animals on the road after she brought a successful case against a farmer whose cattle had escaped from a field because of a broken fence.
“I’ve never known anyone else experience this type of incident, or of anyone within the farming community allowing their livestock to wander freely onto the road,” said Mrs Evans.
“They are big animals, so it’s not surprising that it caused so much damage.”
Neil Sanders, solicitor at Your Legal Friend who represented Margaret Evans, said: “This was a serious incident and we can see that by the injuries sustained by Mrs Evans.
“Mrs Evans managed to find out who owned the cow that the car struck, and we contacted their representatives.
“It was revealed that the animal had escaped because a fence was damaged. This made it an indefensible position and the farmer admitted liability.”
“Owners of livestock have a duty to keep them under proper control and make sure that their animals cannot escape from their enclosed spaces by keeping fences and gates properly maintained.”