A road rage incident escalated for one man when he got out of his car and the other driver drove straight at him deliberately hitting him breaking both legs.

John had been pulling up to a junction when another car changed lanes in front of him cutting right in. He braked hard but thought that it was and both cars drove on. He parked up on the other side of the junction having got to the shops he was planning to visit, and the other car driver was there shouting something out of his window. The shouting increased and John was out of his car when the other man drove straight at him hitting his knees with the front bumper.

John fell to the ground in pain, later to discover that both his legs were broken. A person who saw it happen called 999 and the police came out as well as an ambulance.

The witness evidence helped the police decide that the driver’s actions were deliberate, and they charged him with assault.

John was able to make a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as the car had been used intentionally as a weapon; it was a clear crime of violence.

He was awarded £11,000 under the Scheme for his injuries, as well as a loss of earnings payment.