Woman hit by police van settles for £1.3m with Met

A woman who was hit by a Metropolitan Police van when she crossed the road in south London has settled a legal claim against the force for £1.3m.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was hit by the van responding to an emergency call as she crossed a road in Streatham in 2019.

Giles Mooney KC told the High Court on Tuesday his client suffered serious head injuries in the crash.

Approving the settlement, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said the woman spent almost six months in hospital following the crash. She said: "She lives now with her family, but she continues to suffer life-changing, ongoing symptoms as a result of the accident. She will never work or live independently again."

Mooney told the court that in 2024, the two sides agreed the woman partly contributed to the collision and would be awarded 40% of any damages.

He said the woman and her family hoped to use the settlement to buy a property to support her care.

The judge said the settlement was "sensible" and described the family's care as "quite outstanding".

She added: "I recognise that the damages in terms of money will only be a proportion of what is needed, but I very much hope that it means that the family can move forward in the certainty of what funding is available to support her future."

Adam Clemens, for the Met Police, said he wished the woman and her family "the very best of luck going forward".

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