On a sunny Saturday afternoon in May last year, Thea Skaanes Thomassen was on her regular jogging trip. A route she has jogged several hundred times before. But this time was not like all the others. When she was about to cross a pedestrian crossing, she was thrown forward and landed in the ditch on the other side of the road. Thea was hit by a car and almost lost her life this Saturday. She suffered fractures to the head, face and arm, bleeding under the meninges and a minor brain injury. – It is very easy to just lie down on the sofa and give thanks. But I have done everything to get back the everyday life I valued before this happened, she says. She also advises others in the same situation to do the same. SEVERE INJURY: Thea has worked hard on herself, both physically and mentally, to get back on her feet after the accident. Photo: private – Forgive for my own part A man in his 50s from Hedmarken has been sentenced to prison for 18 days, and loses the right to drive for six months after the traffic accident. According to the judgment in the Østre Innlandet district court, the man must also pay NOK 130,000 in compensation to Thea. – I have been angry for a very long time. But I forgive for my own part, because the person who does not forgive will spend every day of the rest of his life being bitter and holding a grudge. Believes he is innocent Lawyer Christian Arnkværn says that his client took the sentence seriously. The court assumed that Thea was inside the pedestrian zone long before the defendant approached the same pedestrian zone. The man in his 50s thinks this is wrong. – He didn’t see her until she was right in front of his car. What is to blame is unclear, says Arnkværn and adds: In the judgment it is stated that: “When the victim has stepped out into the crosswalk and almost got past the carriageway of the car before the collision occurred, the defendant has had his attention directed towards something other than the pedestrian crossing or were simply inattentive. This course of action is undoubtedly a marked deviation from normal course of action and therefore grossly negligent”. – He believes that he has not been negligent, and should therefore be acquitted, says Arnkwærn. It is still uncertain whether the man will appeal the sentence. Verdict: 1: The man is sentenced for breaking the rules of – Penal Code § 280 – Road Traffic Act § 31 first paragraph, cf. § 3 – Road Traffic Act § 31 first paragraph, cf. § 4, cf. traffic regulations § no. 2 second paragraph, combined with the Criminal Code 79 letter a, to prison for 18 days. 2: He is further deprived of the right to drive a compulsory motor vehicle for a period of 6 months in accordance with the Road Traffic Act 33 no. 1 third paragraph. Enduring the loss period results in a deduction. 3: He is sentenced to pay compensation to Thea Skaanes Thomassen of NOK 130,000. 4: He is sentenced to pay court costs of NOK 5,000 to the public authorities. Source: Østre Inlandet district court Fears things would not be as before The average number of people seriously injured in traffic in the last five years is 606 people, according to Statistics Norway. – When I woke up in the hospital and my body was like wood, I had a fear that things would not be the same again. I have been told that this is something I will most likely have to live with for the rest of my life. It is a difficult message to receive, says Thea. INJUSTICE: – Even though I have forgiven, I will always feel injustice, says Thea. Nevertheless, she has managed to be happy in life again. But she has fought a hard battle to get there. Photo: private She offers several pieces of advice to people who have been in the same situation as her: Forgive: – In order to get over this, you just have to forgive and move on with life. I forgive for my own part. Be your own biggest cheerleader: – Playing yourself good when you’re down in the basement is the most important job you do. Show up: – I have always thought that the agreements you make with yourself are just as important as the ones you make with others. Do the work and have the courage to make mistakes. Look for flashes of light: – Regardless of the severity, look for flashes of light to cling to them. It takes the time it takes, be patient and use those around you for what it’s worth. Back at work Thea believes the defendant is insinuating that she jumped into the road, by saying that she was not there until just before the collision. – I am happy with life. I don’t think anyone sat in that courtroom with more spark of life than me, she says. FIGHTING: For Thea, it has been important to get back on her feet after the accident in May last year. She is an active woman, who has been involved in sports all her life. – Health is important to me. It’s not like it was before, but I have fought tooth and nail to close the gap from where I was to where I am now, she says. Photo: private Thea still has problems, both psychologically and physically. Every morning she uses a nerve simulator to bring the nerves in her thigh to life. In addition, she is undergoing treatment for the crushing injury she suffered in the thigh. But things are much better. Already, Thea is back in 80 percent work. – Every case is special and of varying degrees of seriousness. But it is a mental strength that needs to be trained every single day – in the same way as any other training you attend, she says.
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