A man who was rendered unemployable following a head-on collision has received R1.8-million in compensation from the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
Represented by de Broglio Inc, Solomon Khanyile* (46) was awarded what attorney Anna Kordas described as “a fantastic settlement” in the North Gauteng High Court in March 2010.
In December 2005, Solomon was involved in a car accident on the R101 near Naboomspruit. His wife and infant child were in the car with him, when a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction collided with his car.
His wife sustained fractures to an arm and a leg, while the baby suffered a fractured collarbone and a head injury. Solomon’s wife’s claim against the RAF has already been successfully settled by de Broglio Inc, and his child’s claim is pending.
Solomon himself sustained a fractured right hip, which has subsequently caused him extreme discomfort when sitting or standing for long periods. He also picked up a head injury in the crash, which could lead to him developing epilepsy down the line.
“Fortunately both Solomon and his wife were wearing their seatbelts, otherwise the accident could have been fatal,” said Kordas.
The combination of his orthopaedic and head injury compromised his ability to work as a supervisor for a pest extermination business, as his driving ability was negatively affected.
He was retrenched in September 2009, and his future employment prospects look bleak, as the nature of his injuries means that both sedentary and manual labour are ruled out.
Despite this, the RAF did not make him an offer and the case eventually went to court, where the presiding judge awarded Solomon R1.794-million, made up of R500 000 general damages and the remainder to compensate for his future and past loss of income.
Having previously lived in Centurion, he has now moved back to Limpopo with his family, where he hopes to make a fresh start following the trauma of the road accident.
*Names have been changed to protect client confidentiality
