7-Figure settlement for our motorcyclist client following an RTA

Lawyer: Chris Harrold and Julia Eyton

Settlement Amount: 7 figure settlement awarded

Below we share our client’s story surrounding his life-changing motorcycle RTA. Our catastrophic personal injury lawyers, Chris Harold and Julia Eyton, secured a 7 figure settlement for our client whose life has been irreversibly altered. Their story illustrates the real, lasting impact an RTA can have on a person’s mental and physical well-being, as well as the impact on their wider family, highlighting the importance of choosing the right legal support and guidance. Our support has allowed our client to move forward with their life, access much-needed rehabilitation, and attain closure on what they went through.

The Day of the Incident:

Our client, a motorcyclist, was involved in a collision with a car travelling in the opposite direction. The driver of the car made a turn across his path, causing a severe impact that led to life changing injuries for our client. This event marked the beginning of a long journey of recovery involving substantial physical and emotional challenges.

The Physical and Psychological Impact of an RTA:

Our client suffered extensive injuries. He also endured significant psychological distress in the aftermath of the incident, which has completely changed his life and continues to affect his well-being on multiple fronts.

Physical Injuries:

• Soft tissue injury to his neck
• Secondary impingement of his left shoulder
• Rib tenderness on both sides
• Injury to his left wrist
• Injury to his lower back
• Exacerbation of a pre-existing injury to his hip requiring steroid injection
• Pre-existing damaged tooth, irretrievably worsened by the accident

Suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):

Our client sustained a serious TBI after suffering from left temple swelling, multiple brain hemorrhages, and an axonal bleed, leaving him with long-term, ongoing cognitive and mental challenges. Our client’s TBI has had a permanent impact on his life, requiring substantial rehabilitation to help manage the ongoing challenges he faces every day.

The lasting effects of our client’s traumatic brain injury include:

• Cognitive difficulties: Our client developed a major neurocognitive disorder, which is the deterioration in cognitive functions such as memory, concentration, information processing, and word finding difficulties. Our Client was reliant on friends and family for prompts and support.
• Physical impairments: Including reduced balance and coordination issues, pain, episodes of dizziness, loss of taste, and visual disturbances.
• Neurological effects: Such as increased bladder frequency, erectile dysfunction, and tinnitus (persistent ringing in both ears).

Psychological Injuries:

The trauma of a road traffic accident of any severity can manifest in various ways, affecting the mental health of those involved long after their physical wounds have healed. Our client experienced severe psychological distress as a result of the accident he was involved in, including:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Adjustment disorder
• Mood disturbance

These injuries led to our client being unable to continue in the job he loved, a skilled engineering role that he had worked hard to qualify for. This unexpected disruption to his career not only affected him professionally but also had long-term financial consequences, as he could no longer support his young family in the same way. Additionally, losing his job meant he could no longer contribute to his defined benefit pension, further jeopardising his future financial stability.

This case clearly demonstrates the lasting impact an RTA can have, beyond the visible injuries and recovery, affecting multiple aspects of a person’s life, and his families lives for years to come. That’s why it’s important to understand that you could be eligible to seek compensation if you’ve been involved in a road traffic accident that wasn’t entirely your fault.

The Legal Proceedings of this Personal Injury Case:

This case was by no means straightforward, and many hurdles were faced and overcome along the way. From initial liability disputes to complex legal negotiations and defendant tactics. Every step required strategic and knowledgeable legal expertise to secure the best outcome for our client.

Liability Refusal:

One of the biggest challenges faced initially, was the defendant’s refusal to accept liability.

Our legal team sought to secure an interim payment for our client. In most cases, compensation is awarded at the conclusion of legal proceedings. However, in certain circumstances, we recognise our client’s urgent need for care and rehabilitation services. In such cases, we push for an interim payment, an early compensation instalment that is later deducted from the final settlement.

Our legal team had to act quickly, as securing an interim payment for our client would significantly aid their immediate rehabilitation. Our personal injury lawyers initiated legal proceedings to be able to make the necessary Application, as the Defence were not willing to release the requested interim payment. Following the Issuing of proceedings, the Defence conceded and released an interim payment so our client’s rehabilitation could commence.

Whilst arranging much needed rehabilitation for our client, our legal turned their attention to the issue of liability and had requested the Court consider proceed to split liability trial, but the court rejected this request.

Resolution proceedings:

Instead, the Court provided directions so liability evidence could be obtained, listing the matter for a Costs and Case Management Conference (CCMC), which is a procedural hearing at a later date.

Our legal team then obtained accident reconstruction evidence and recovered helmet camera footage from our client, which was instrumental in securing a 75/25 liability compromise in our client’s favour. The case concluded with our client being awarded a seven-figure settlement.

Defendant’s Use of Surveillance Evidence to Challenge Injury Claims:

During the legal proceedings, the defendant submitted surveillance footage, which had been obtained without our client’s knowledge, attempting to allege that our client was exaggerating the extent of his injuries and that he had, and was capable of returning to employment. In civil cases such as personal injury claims, defendants can use surveillance evidence to try and highlight discrepancies between a claimant’s reported impairments and their actual condition.

In response, we sought witness testimony, to rebut and dispel the allegations made by the defence, showing that our client was not exaggerating. This witness evidence was critical in proving that our client was not being dishonest but was genuinely suffering from the severe consequences of the collision.

How a Road Traffic Accident Disrupts Life, Family, and Recovery:

The repercussions of this accident stretched far beyond the immediate physical injuries that our client sustained.

Prior to the accident, our client had career direction, a partner, and confidence in managing his daily responsibilities, such as caring for his daughter and his mother who suffered from a health condition. All aspects of his life suffered greatly, and of course, came without warning. He lost financial security, faced a long road to physical recovery, and endured tremendous emotional stress. This strain of his mood disturbances and social withdrawal led to the breakdown of his relationship with his girlfriend and disrupted his ability to care for his mother who was living with him.

One of the most emotionally difficult challenges was his relationship with his daughter. Once a regular part of his life, the impact of his physical injuries and the surveillance caused him to withdraw. Unfortunately, he spent less time with her as he felt overwhelmed by the sense that he could no longer be the father he was before his RTA.

Naturally, we needed to inform our client about the defendant’s stance and approach regarding the surveillance. Understandably, this had a significant psychological impact on him, exacerbating his mental struggles post-accident. Understandably, he became anxious about his daily activities, reluctant to leave home and do normal activities that he should be free to enjoy, such as spending time with his daughter, feeling hesitant to even play with her.

This situation further hindered his rehabilitation progress with concerns that recovery steps taken would be misconstrued as false claims of injury. The emotional distress caused by the surveillance created a further hurdle in his recovery journey towards independence and stability.

Such events can leave lasting emotional scars, highlighting the long-term impact of experiencing a road traffic accident and personal injury. However, we were able to support our client through this, quickly putting in place additional help and support around him, to help him to rebuild his confidence. With time and the right support, he began to rebuild his confidence and restore the relationship with is daughter.

Life Moving Forward and Rehabilitation:

Despite the breadth of challenges our client has faced, he has remained focusing on regaining structure, independence, and routine in his life through neuropsychological sessions and occupational therapy. These interventions are part of his tailored treatment plan, coordinated by his case manager who Fletchers Solicitors had put him in touch with.

Given the extent of his injuries, his future work prospects differ significantly from what they were pre-accident, but he remains committed to his recovery and returning to employment, even if this involves reduced levels of responsibility. He is continuing with his rehabilitation and is hopeful that he will one day be able to return to a role that can provide him with some fulfilment and enjoyment.

After our client’s settlement offer was accepted, he commented:

“I would like to say thank you to Chris and the team that handled my case. I cannot put into words how much I appreciate their hard work and patience with me on the case.”

How Fletchers Solicitors Helped:

At Fletchers Solicitors, our commitment goes far beyond seeking compensation. We are compassionate advocates with a strong track record of providing expert legal representation. Our client’s testimonial is a testament to our specialist road traffic accident solicitors, who are committed to delivering expert guidance and tailored support to our clients.

The complex legal challenges faced during this case were navigated under the leadership of Chris Harrold and Julia Eyton, recognised catastrophic personal injury lawyers. Their expertise led to a seven-figure settlement awarded to our client, providing essential physical rehabilitation, mental support, and financial security. We were able to give our client closure after his incident, ensuring he can focus on recovery and rebuilding his life with peace of mind.

At Fletchers Solicitors, we put our clients and their rehabilitation needs at the heart of the personal injury claims process. We understand that compensation alone is not a fix. We know that early intervention and tailored rehabilitation is vital to our clients having the best recovery possible.

Our experienced legal team works closely with trusted case managers and rehabilitation specialists to ensure our clients receive the right support at the right time. We prioritise rehabilitation from the outset, and our goal is to help clients by putting the necessary steps in place to regain independence and rebuild their lives.

Speak to us today for expert guidance on your serious injury claim. Use our online form to see how we can support your journey to recovery and compensation.