36 yourfamily.co.za
FEATURE: CANDICE CURTIS PHOTOS: DYLAN SWARTthrough the legal matters regarding the
criminal charges against the taxi driver,
and my third party claim against the Road
Accident Fund (RAF). The case with the
taxi driver is still running, over five years
later. A warrant for his arrest was granted
after he failed to show up in court in
December 2015, but when we last spoke
to the prosecutor in May 2016, they still
hadn’t been able to locate him; for all we
know he’s still living his normal life.
A claim against the RAF requires a
great deal of medical support to prove
the alleged damages. Between 2012 and
2013, I underwent extensive tests and
examinations with various specialists
and medical experts to assist with the
medico-legal reports to support my
claim. The RAF also sent me to specialists
and medical experts of their choice to
contend and oppose my claim (this is
standard procedure). I went through
several mental and physical tests and
many questions from both sets of medical
experts, and had to tell and retell my
version of the events numerous times.
After the first trial in April 2014, the
RAF accepted that the taxi driver had
caused the incident and that he was 100%
negligent in that regard. Our second trial
took place in April 2015, and after an
intense battle with the RAF, it was agreed
that I’d be paid a total amount of around
R10.4 million, R2 million of which would
go straight to my medical aid.
Once the RAF trial was over and
I knew I wouldn’t be having any major
operations for a while, it was time for me
to start thinking about what I would do in
terms of my career. Before the incident,
I was practising as a qualified advocate,
but due to my lengthy recovery and the
consequences of the incident, I lost my
practice. I still suffer with chronic painand, as a side effect of the injuries to my
head and the various medications I had
to take, my concentration just isn’t what
it once was. Unfortunately, going back to
practise as an advocate wasn’t practically
possible, but I was determined to make
a success of myself in other areas where
my abilities allowed. In May 2016, I opened
the Lady Grace Nail and Body Boutique in
Northcliff and I thoroughly enjoy running
my own business.
At the time the incident took place, the
story was highly publicised, but it died
down because I declined all interviews
so as not to affect the legal processes.
Once those were mostly taken care of,
I felt like I could speak out and tell my
version of the story, so I got to work on
my book, Scarred: But not for life (Tracey
McDonald). I didn’t find writing the book
to be particularly cathartic. I think it
might’ve been but because I’d spoken
about the incident and relived it so many
times before actually tackling the book,
it wasn’t. My family and I received so
much support from people we didn’t
even know, and I wrote the book to show
all our supporters, and the people who
took an interest in the incident and my
progress, how much I appreciated them.
I also wanted to provide some closure to
people so they would finally know ‘what
happened to that girl’.
My determination throughout my
recovery and the various other challenges
I’ve faced since the incident is something
I’m extremely proud of. Choosing to fight,
never giving up, and focusing on my will
to live kept me going, and I think a big
reason for writing my book and sharing
my story was to share that determination
with others. If even one person learns
from my story or walks away from it with
a positive message, the book will have
served its purpose.I learnt
that
you’re
always
stronger
than you
think
you are