A freedom of information request has revealed that Glasgow City Council paid out £1.4 million in compensation in the last four years for those affected by potholes in the city.
Two-thirds of all payouts were in regards to potholes causing injury or resulting in an accident, leading to a personal injury claim. The council was subjected to, on average, 50 claims per month, with close to £1 million being awarded as a result of personal injury compensation or settlements.
The two biggest cases resulted in £35,000 payouts for those who had suffered injuries as a result of a pothole, with 294 people claiming compensation from the council following an accident. The freedom of information request, which the Glasgow City Council demanded payment for, showed that the council received 33,340 complaints about potholes over the four years, an average of almost 23 a day.
As well as claiming for compensation for injuries, many claimed following damage to their vehicle following an accident. The council agreed to pay compensation in 2,504 of the cases (7.5%) meaning an average of 52 payouts per month for either personal injury claims or damage to vehicles.
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “The council has invested £75m over the last six years repairing the city’s roads network, and this has significantly reduced the number of claims received and the number of claims which are successful.
“The positive trend in the reduction of weekly potholes reported by the public over the last three years is reflected in the number of claims received and the number of payouts over this period.”
Director of Policy and Research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, Neil Greig said: “By allowing its roads to deteriorate to such an extent Glasgow council has ended up paying out even more and it still has to fix the potholes on the network.
“It is only by ring-fencing long term funds for road maintenance that the problem can be solved.
“Engineers know what they have to do they just need long-term commitment so they can plan properly.”
Road Traffic Accidents: Making a Personal Injury Claim
Potholes and uneven road surfaces can play a major part in road traffic accidents with drivers forced to swerve due to potholes or uneven road surfaces. If you were involved in an accident that was not your fault, or if the road surface was a contributory factor in your accident, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim.
To make a personal injury claim following a road traffic accident, it is vital that you provide as much evidence to support your claim as possible. Our team of personal injury lawyers will need to know the basic details such as where, when and how your incident occurred. Further evidence such as who was responsible for your accident and the full extent of your injuries will need to be provided to obtain compensation. A medical report can verify your account and show the full extent of your injuries.
It is important to note that you must take legal action no later than three years after the incident. If you fail to take legal action before the three-year period, you will be unable to make a personal injury claim. You will also not be able to make a personal injury claim if you were responsible for your accident, or if your injury was a result of your negligence.
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If you have been injured in a road traffic accident, in the workplace or in public through no fault of your own, contact our expert team of personal injury solicitors using our online contact form to get the compensation you deserve.