Supreme Court £7836 CLAIMED FOR ACCIDENT INJURIES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30157, 14 June 1963, Page 6

Supreme Court £7836 CLAIMED FOR ACCIDENT INJURIES

General and ' special dam. ages totalling £7836 7s Id ware sought in toe Supreme Court yesterday by Frank Jonathan Bentley, aged 48. a street sweeper, as a result of a motor accident in which he was injured on November 18, 1956.

Mr Justice Macarthur was on the bench. The plaintiff was represented by Mir W F Brown, with him Mr M. D. Hedgers, and the defendant, Reydon O'Leary, was represented by Mr J. G. Leggat. In his opening address to the jury, Mr Brown said the plaintiff suffered personal injury fa the accident and sought general damages of £6OOO and special damages of £1836 7s Id. The special damages included toes of wages of £ 1742 up to the time the plaintiff started work again in October, 1961. The plaintiff was riding his motor-cycle south in Montreal street when he was involved in a collision with the defendant's car, travelling west in Worcester street, and approaching from his left. The plaintiff suffered a dislocated left shoulder, a damaged collar-bone, and lesser injuries to the left shin, left buttock, and elbow. He was treated at the casualty department and Later at the outpatients’ department at the Christchurch Hospital, and in August, 1961, he underwent an operation to remove his left collar-bon'..

From the time of the accident until the operation toe plaintiff's left arm was almost useless, and he did not feel able to work, Mr Brown said. Before the accident, toe plaintiff had been employed at a carpet manufacturing company on a doubling machine. He had to use both airms, and quite a lot of his work was overhead. He now a street cleaner.

The damages were being claimed for toe pain and discomfort toe plaintiff had suffered for toree years and a half and was likely to suffer. The claim was also for the permanent disability of the plaintiff's left arm, and loss of enjoyment of life and future earnings. .“The plaintiff claims toe defendant was solely to blame in that he failed to give way to toe right and failed to keep a proper look-out,” Mr Brown said. "In a statement

to toe police the defendant said he did not see toe motor - cyclist until just before toe accident.**

Evidence was given by Dr. f. F. Boek' that since toe accident toe plaintiff had not been ftt for carpet work. His left arm had decreased in power, and movements above toe heed or even horizontally were difficult.

The hearing will continue today with toe opening address of Mr Leggat.

Decree Granted In Divorce Action

A decree nisi in divorce was granted by Mir Justice Wilson in the Supreme Court yesterday to George Frederick Greatorex on his petition against has wife, Faith Eaton Greatorex. Greatorex, for whom Mr B J. Drake appeared, alleged adultery by his wife and Graeme Henry Frost on several occasions in October and November, 1959. Mrs Greatorex denied toe allegation, and was represented by Mr B. A. Banner. Mr W. A. Wilson appeared for toe corespondent. The hearin g was begun on Tuesday. All parties called witnesses, and gave evidence on their own behalf.