A father of three suffered life-altering brain damage when a steel plate fell from a lorry and smashed through his car's windscreen on the M6 motorway. Anthony Moore, 51, was struck by the 5kg plate, causing his Ford Ranger to crash into the lorry and be dragged for nearly a mile before the driver stopped.
The lorry driver was prosecuted for driving with an unsecured load and received a £100 fine and three penalty points. The regional traffic commissioner also suspended the driver's license for four weeks, but took no action against the company. Moore called the penalty an "insult to every road user."
"My life has been destroyed because somebody failed to do one basic thing - secure a load properly," Moore stated. "I'm lost for words at just how minimal the consequences have been for those involved in causing this near-death incident."
Moore sued the driver's employer and parent company, ultimately securing a six-figure out-of-court settlement. He expressed that no amount of money could replace the years his family has lost and that he would give back the settlement to have his old life back. He emphasized the potential for a fatality, stating, "If that steel plate had struck a motorcyclist or hit a child in another car, someone could very easily have been killed. I don't want sympathy. I want accountability."
Prior to the incident in September 2023, Moore was a senior manager for an events specialist, handling contracts for major clients including Wimbledon, LIV Golf, Google, and the Ministry of Defence. His wife, Rachel, 45, described him as actively involved in family life, organizing outings and making memories with their children.
After the collision, Moore sustained a traumatic brain injury with associated bleeds and fractures to his skull and face, including a fractured eye socket and cheekbone, a fractured right hand, significant dental injuries, and extensive soft tissue damage. He has no recollection of the crash itself. The brain injury led to severe paranoid delusions, causing him to believe hospital staff were attempting to harm him.
Following a two-week hospital stay, Moore was discharged home. His family then secured funding for intensive rehabilitation, including neurorehabilitation, psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and specialist support workers. His wife noted the profound impact on his daily life, including disorientation, sensitivity to light and noise, balance issues, sleep disturbances, and difficulty eating due to his facial injuries. She also mentioned that even the sounds of children laughing or a phone notification could overwhelm him.
Moore stated that he is aware he will never fully recover and misses his former self, his career, and his role as a father. He highlighted the impact on his ability to drive and his cognitive functions, experiencing confusion, loss of concentration, and overwhelming fatigue. "My hope now is that this case forces companies to take load security seriously because the consequences can be catastrophic," he said.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police confirmed that a summons was issued to the driver for the insecure load and that a referral was made to the traffic commissioner regarding the company. The Health and Safety Executive was informed but took no further action as the incident occurred on a public road rather than on business premises. 
