726,000 for crash that destroyed a career
A “WORKING-CLASS boy made good” was awarded 726,390 damages yesterday for a road accident that ended his career as a successful businessman.
Graeme Carling, 53, thought he was going to die when a tractor and trailer pulled out of a farm road in front of his car. He escaped with relatively minor physical injuries, but he developed severe mental problems and began drinking heavily - more in a day than the recommended safe amount for a week - to blot out memories of the crash.
He spent most of his time alone upstairs and neglected washing, shaving and changing his clothes.
A judge heard that Mr Carling, of Blairgowrie, Perthshire, had earned more than 50,000 a year as the chief executive of North East Ice and Cold Storage, but he was unlikely to work again following the accident in 2002.
“There is no prospect of his returning to work, unless in the future some new treatment… is successful,” Lord Macphail said.
“He was a successful businessman who was justly proud of having raised himself from modest beginnings. He left school at 15 without any certificates. He described himself as ‘a working-class boy from Kirkton [Dundee] made good’.
He was married with three children and five grandchildren. He was confident, liked to be in control, and regarded himself as the rock on which his family could depend.”
The judge said that after the accident there had been a dramatic change. “He found he could not concentrate on his work and had to give it up. His family found him difficult to deal with. He became aggressive towards them verbally and, on a few occasions, physically. He was irascible, reclusive and emotionally isolated from them.”
The accident happened on the A94 Forfar-Perth road as Mr Carling drove at about 50mph. A tractor and trailer emerged from a farm road and went straight across the road towards a field. He realised the tractor driver had not seen him, and he thought he was going to be killed. He tried to brake and saw “there was no way round”. He took aim for “the largest shock absorber” and struck the rear wheel of the tractor.
Mr Carling sued the driver’s employer, WP Bruce, of Balmyle Farm, Meigle, Perthshire, which admitted liability but maintained that his claim for up to 900,000 damages was excessive.
It suggested his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was not as bad as he had alleged and that it could be treated if he cut down his drinking.
Lord Macphail said the accident was “clearly a very frightening experience”. The steering column had been pushed into his chest and his head struck the windscreen. He had been trapped and feared there was going to be an explosion. He managed to slide his seat back an inch or two to free his leg, and he pulled himself out of the driver’s window and rolled away from the car.
Mr Carling suffered bruising and a head injury, but was not kept in hospital. After hearing from medical witnesses, the judge concluded that he did suffer from “moderately severe/severe” PTSD.
