Rail crossing crash victim claims damages

A WOMAN who survived a rail crash at a controversial level crossing which has claimed other lives went to court yesterday to demand damages.

Sarah Jappy, 33, was pregnant when a ScotRail passenger train hit the car she was driving on an errand for her employer.

She told the Court of Session in Edinburgh that she woke up in hospital asking her sister: "Where am I?" But despite suffering extensive injuries, her daughter was born unharmed seven months later.

Ms Jappy, of Thurso, is suing Network Rail Infrastructure, claiming that the flashing lights warning of a train's approach were inadequate in bright sun. If she can convince the court that Network Rail are at fault, lawyers have agreed that Ms Jappy will receive 800,000.

But judge Lord Brailsford has to decide whether that figure should be reduced because she was partly to blame for the accident on 18 October, 2002.