Former soldier from village near Rugby was left with life-changing injuries in crash - now he is suing the man responsible

Jack Childs Watson, 22, needed intensive medical treatment to save his life after being cut from a wreckage of his friend’s Honda Civic after the crash on November 2, 2016.

A car driven by Stefan Gerboc tried to overtake a coach and a lorry approaching the brow of a hill on the A423 near Princethorpe, but drove head on at high speed into the Honda, which was also then immediately hit by another car.

Mr Gerboc and the driver of the other car were both jailed after pleading guilty at Leamington Crown Court on August 30 2017, to offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Now Mr Watson is suing Mr Gerboc for damages, blaming his negligence for the crash.

Solicitors for Mr Gerboc have admitted liability for the accident in October 2017, according to a High Court writ which has recently been made public.

The writ says that Mr Watson suffered a devastating injury to his left eye, leading to complete loss of sight in that eye, as well as serious facial injuries, and a fractured shoulder blade, multiple fractured ribs, internal injuries, fractured right ankle, right wrist, right hip, left foot, and right eye socket.

It says he also suffered a significant brain injury which has left him with an altered personality, fatigue, impaired memory, impaired attention, persistent headaches, and impaired sense of smell.

The accident has additionally led to psychological trauma and distress.

He needed surgery for his injuries, but four months after leaving hospital he tried to return to work as a vehicle engineer for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

However, he ended up being put on sick leave and later underwent rehabilitation at an Army facility in 2017, endured further surgery, but could not carry on with his career and was discharged from the military in June 2018.

The writ states that Mr Watson says he has lost the career he loved, and has been unable to get back to the high level of physical fitness he had before the accident, as an active sportsman.

It adds that he remains on medication, will need long term support, and will remain at a major disadvantage on the open labour market.

The accident has left him with significant difficulties in day to day activities.

The writ says he is also at risk of various conditions including osteoarthritis, sympathetic ophthalmia leading to total loss of vision, dementia, and post traumatic epilepsy.

The claim is for provisional damages, and for an arrangement allowing him to return to court to seek more compensation if his condition deteriorates.