The family of a motorcyclist's who was killed when his bike skidded on a diesel spill before colliding with a van have been awarded GBP110,000 in compensation.
Father of two, Richard Chris Cooper lost control of his Yamaha Royal Star 1300 after riding through a fuel spill on the B6403 in Lincolnshire.
The 58-year-old former bus driver died in hospital shortly after the accident in March 2006 and his family have urged others to make similar compensation claims.
The payout was made by the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB), which compensates victims of untraced or uninsured drivers.
Mr Cooper's son, Richard Cooper said the family was extremely pleased that their claim had been successful and said he hoped that it will now open doors for other families who have lost loved ones under similar circumstances.
Diesel spills on our roads are responsible for a growing number of injuries and deaths, and the tragedy is that they could so easily have been prevented, he added.
Mr Cooper's family had no way of finding out who was responsible for the deadly spillage but they found they could make a claim for compensation if they could prove his death was a ‘preventable accident'.
With the help of their solicitor they applied to the MIB. Victims of negligent uninsured and untraced motorists have three years from the date of their accident to lodge a claim with the MIB, which is paid for through motor insurance policies.
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