Moped wipeout

Greg Ford was riding his moped along Nerang Connection Road in October 2020 when he was wiped out by a Ford Ranger whose driver was attempting a right-hand turn across his path at a Southport intersection.

Ford was left sprawling across the bitumen with multiple fractures and injuries that would lead to years of ongoing treatment—and ultimately, to a lawsuit for moped accident compensation.

He spent four days in hospital and underwent multiple surgeries. His tibial and ankle fractures required open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws. He also underwent surgery to repair a fracture to his finger. Over time, further operations were needed to remove some of the hardware, and to repair ligaments in the ankle.

Ford claimed these injuries left him with significant ongoing disabilities, including pain, limited mobility, instability in his ankle, and restricted function in his little finger.

The at-fault driver’s CTP insurer – Allianz – admitted fault early in the proceedings but engaged in a drawn-out battle over the extent of Ford’s injuries and which of his symptoms were caused by the calamity as opposed to having been pre-existing.

Fast forward to 2025 by which time Ford had sacked his lawyers, choosing to represent himself for a trial in Southport’s District Court.

He had filed reports from treating doctors but called no expert medical witnesses to give evidence as to the extent of ongoing impairment.

On the other hand Allianz presented detailed expert evidence in relation to the moped accident compensation claim from orthopaedist Brett Halliday and occupational therapists, Amy Evans and Courtney White.

Dr Halliday – who had examined the plaintiff in 2022 – agreed that his accident-related injuries were serious but was of the view that many to the disabilities he claimed were ongoing stemmed from extensive pre-existing conditions not the least of which was a degenerative back problem that produced severe long-standing sciatic nerve pain for years before the crash.

The occupational therapists’ reports further undermined his claims in relation to the need for ongoing care, concluding that Ford’s ongoing care needs were not attributable to the accident, but rather to his many unrelated chronic health issues.

Allianz pointed out the many contradictions in Ford’s own evidence about his need for care —at times suggesting he was highly dependent, at other times describing himself as independent in daily tasks.

Ultimately, Judge Deborah moped accident compensation KC found Ford to be an unreliable historian. His inconsistent evidence about both his pre-accident and post-accident condition significantly weakened his case, she ruled.

The court accepted the defence experts’ opinions that the major ongoing issues related to Ford’s pre-existing sciatica and degenerative spinal problems, not the moped crash.

General damages were assessed at $28,700 making up a total award of $33,000.

Ford v Baker & Another [2025] QDC 43 Holliday KC DCJ, 17 April 2025

Categories: Motor Cycle Accident