‘Simon’ – Getting the right help in place

Simon’s case ultimately secured a multi-million-pound settlement, providing him with long-term financial security and access to specialist care, rehabilitation, and adapted living. With interim payments arranged early, he was able to begin private rehabilitation immediately, alongside tailored physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language support.

His compensation has funded a fully adapted home, specialist equipment, and 24/7 care, giving him the support needed to live as independently as possible. It has also enabled him to access ongoing treatment, maintain an active lifestyle, and spend quality time with family and friends.

While his injuries were life-changing, the outcome has ensured Simon can move forward with stability, dignity and the resources required to continue rebuilding his life.

In this case study you will find out:

• A devastating road traffic accident involving a high-speed overtake and collision with an oncoming vehicle
• The catastrophic injuries sustained, including a complete spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury
• The life-changing impact, leaving the client paralysed from the chest down and requiring lifelong care
• The key legal challenge of establishing who was driving at the time of the accident
• How specialist solicitors used CCTV, witness evidence, and forensic analysis to prove the client was a passenger
• The comprehensive rehabilitation and support package put in place, including therapies, adapted accommodation, and specialist equipment
• The securing of significant interim payments to fund immediate care and recovery needs
• The successful outcome, achieving a multi-million-pound settlement with both a lump sum and ongoing annual payments
• How the compensation has enabled independence, long-term care, and an improved quality of life

What happened in his accident

At the time of the incident, Simon hoped to rise through the ranks in the military.

On the road to realising his dream and over halfway through a training course, Simon returned home on leave and made the most of his time off by socialising with friends and family.

One afternoon, Simon and a friend made their way home from a night out in a car together, and they attempted to overtake at speed, clipping an oncoming vehicle. They careered off the highway and collided with a lamppost. The force of impact flung both men through the passenger-side window.

This major accident left Simon in a critical condition, and an air ambulance flew him to hospital where the extent of his injuries became clear.

He’d suffered several fractures of the spine and ribs on his right hand side; his sternum was shattered; he had a collapsed left lung, and there were numerous wounds and bruises all over his body.

It soon became clear that Simon had suffered from a complete spinal cord injury at T2 level, effectively paralysing him from the chest down, along with a traumatic brain injury known as a ‘diffuse axonal injury’.

Furthermore, three weeks after the accident Simon suffered from a stroke combined with a condition called ‘critical illness polyneuropathy’, causing him substantial weakness in his upper limbs

Simon’s family understood that he would need significant life-long support. It was paramount that they appointed a serious injury lawyer with the appropriate legal expertise to help them to attain the correct level of spinal and brain injury compensation, whilst also coordinating his medical and legal teams.

Fortunately, they contacted our experts to make a serious injury claim and they recognised that we specialise in acting for clients who, like Simon, have catastrophic injuries.

The ways we helped Simon

Our lawyers were galvanised into action. What complicated matters, was the fact that their neither Simon nor his friend were able to remember who was driving the car.

Without this information, it was difficult to assess who was primarily at fault for the accident.

Our serious injury lawyers undertook a detailed investigation into the accident and the period prior to the accident. They looked at CCTV footage, traced witnesses, and analysed forensic evidence to conclude that Simon was indeed the passenger.

This persuaded the other side’s motor insurers that liability belonged to their client, Simon’s friend, and they reached an agreement with our team.

As serious injury lawyers, not only did we manage Simon’s litigation but we also put into place everything possible to improve his life. We helped to appoint a case manager who set up Simon’s a complete care and rehabilitation package.

We sourced an adapted car and customised wheelchairs for him, and helped to arrange his weekly physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy sessions.

With our help, Simon was able to buy a home with many adaptations already installed, such as integrated hoists; a wet room; widened doorways; a therapy room; hydrotherapy pool, plus a rise and fall bath.

The right compensation

As with all of our cases, we pieced together a detailed picture of Simon’s life before the injury so that we could establish the maximum level of spinal and brain injury compensation to support him for the rest of his life.

Discussions with his family (and with Simon himself once he had recovered sufficiently) took into account his background, his working situation, as well as his past, present and future prospects. Whilst his case was ongoing, our lawyers worked diligently to secure interim payments for him, also setting up a personal injury trust to protect his compensation.

By the point of settlement, we had secured a six-figure sum of interim payments for use by Simon on all the essential resources he needed to help him immediately after his injury.

After prolonged negotiation by the legal team, we reached a settlement involving payment of a lump sum to Simon with guaranteed further annual payments, which, when capitalised, amounted to several million pounds.

Simon today

Now living in his fully adapted single-level property, Simon has refined his care regime to suit his needs. Supported by his substantial compensation award, two personal assistants are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

He embraced the private rehabilitation made available to him through our experts, and he’s made real gains in function and independence since the accident through his own hard work and persistence.

Simon enjoys spending time with friends and family, he is able to go on holiday, train at the gym and go to watch rugby.

Our expert team is proud to have represented Simon and made sure he received the correct level of compensation for his very serious injuries. More than this, we’re grateful to witness his commitment to rehabilitation and the progress he continues to make.

If you or someone you care about has experienced a serious injury like Simon, please contact us now to find out how we can help you.