Millions in compensation obtained for client involved in serious motorcycle accident

At the time of the accident, our client worked as an optometrist. He was married with three young children, and his wife was pregnant with their fourth child.

He was riding his motorcycle when a car pulled out from a lay-by without warning and attempted a U-turn across his path. Despite wearing a helmet, our client sustained a severe closed head injury.

The effects of the accident were profound. Our client was in a coma for five weeks and experienced post-traumatic amnesia for five months.

He underwent intensive rehabilitation and remained in hospital for a year. When he was eventually discharged, he was using a wheelchair and went to live with his parents.

Our client continued to experience impaired memory, changes to his personality, poor speech and restricted mobility.

He retained a good understanding of his disabilities and frequently compared his life after the accident with the person he had been before it. This was difficult for both our client and his family. His injuries and changes in his mental and physical function also affected his marriage, which subsequently broke down.

Our specialists secured an admission of liability from the defendant. This established responsibility for the accident and allowed the claim to progress.

We also obtained an initial interim payment of £175,000 for our client while work continued to understand his future needs and reach a final settlement.

A key part of the case was establishing whether our client would be able to live independently and, if so, the level of support and assistance he would need.

Our specialists obtained reports covering nursing care, occupational therapy, housing needs and psychiatry. We also obtained specialist medico-legal evidence from leading experts. This evidence helped build a clearer picture of our client’s circumstances and the support he would require in the future.

The consequences of our client’s brain injury extended well beyond his initial hospital treatment. His ongoing difficulties with memory, speech and mobility meant his future needs had to be carefully considered as part of the claim.

Alongside progressing the legal case, our specialists assisted with planning for his future care and case management. The evidence gathered addressed important practical questions about his care, housing and ability to live independently.

The case concluded following a round table meeting involving leading counsel and representatives for the defendant. An award of £3.1 million in brain injury compensation was achieved for our client.

The settlement brought the legal claim to a conclusion after an accident that had fundamentally changed our client’s life. It reflected the serious nature of his brain injury and was reached after detailed work to establish his future care and support needs.