If this story was 20 years ago, I think it’s safe to say all Englishman would be on the edge of their seats right now! According to sources from Sky News, English football legend Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne has been injured in a car accident (source).
It may also come as a bit of a surprise to you that he wasn’t driving; not that I would speak negatively of the ex-England international and Newcastle and Tottenham star, but he has had a fair few run ins in the past with drink driving, amongst the varying off-field incidents Gazza managed to land himself in! According to the source, the 43 year old was a passenger in a car that, according to eye witnesses, appeared to screech around a corner at speed before crashing in to Newcastle city’s historic guildhall, taking out a lamppost and a taxi stand sign in the process. A 36 year old woman has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, and has been released on police bail.
Imagine if it was Rooney in that car! I’d certainly be worried! Luckily, Gazza appears not to be seriously hurt, and is reportedly in Newcastle General Hospital with his condition described as comfortable. He will be kept in for a few more days however. One witness, Joyce Wemyss, manager of the Bob Trollopes and Red House bars at the Quayside, said she heard the tyres of the Vauxhall Astra involved “screeching” as the vehicle came “pelting round the corner“. She went on to say “The driver lost control and went smack into the side of the Guildhall, hitting the taxi rank sign as it went. I had no idea Gazza was a passenger. It had been dead quiet on the Quayside that night and he had not been drinking in here. I hope he’s all right.” If I had witnessed the accident, I would certainly have been shocked to witness an England legend in a car accident!
Gazza himself is due to appear in court in July over a drink driving related offence. The dangers of drink driving are completely foreseeable! I have covered this topic before, and it’s a subject I feel strongly about. It’s a scientific fact that alcohol impairs our judgement and has a detrimental effect on our driving abilities. If a person causes an accident and they are found to be over the legal alcohol limit, they are negligent and liable for any suffering caused to any other parties involved.
So, what could Gazza do? Well, our retired international star is quite within his rights to place a claim for compensation against the driver of the car! In fact, all passengers more than likely have a claim for compensation. The reason for this is that they are, in the vast majority of cases, a completely innocent party. There is normally nothing a passenger can do to contribute or prevent an accident, and are therefore able to place a successful claim for compensation. I’m not entirely sure if it’s a road Gazza mighty like to go down, as I’m sure he still has plenty of money in the bank as an ex- England international with 57 caps behind his back, and a wealth of club experience as a player and a manager; But he certainly is within his rights to do so.
If you have been involved in accident as a passenger, or if you were an innocent party in an accident, it’s more than likely that you have a claim for compensation. Speak to an expert independent firm of personal injury lawyers for the best advice and representation on claiming.
And let’s hope none of our boys in South Africa land themselves in any trouble! After the disappointing draw over the weekend, we could do without any hiccups for the campaign!
