Our client, Ray* was walking down the pavement in a busy area of a big commuter town. He was out on his lunchbreak with a colleague when the driver of a car going above the speed limit lost control of his vehicle, mounting the pavement as a result striking him and collided into him. His colleague who was walking next to him was spared as he managed to jump out of the way on time, but Ray was thrown high into the air and landed meters away suffering life changing injuries.
The driver of the car fled the scene on foot leaving our client lying on the road. An ambulance was called by onlookers, and he was taken to hospital for emergency care.
Whilst Ray was receiving life saving treatment at the hospital the police managed to find the driver who was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The driver was found to be under the influence of both drugs and alcohol and was eventually found guilty of harming our client amongst other offences.
Complex injuries compensation claim
Once Ray started to recover, he decided to appoint solicitors to pursue a personal injury claim. Following speaking to friends and family he called Hambi Charalambou who was recommended to him.
Ray had suffered a series of musculoskeletal injuries including a fractured upper right arm which led to nerve damage affecting movement in their right wrist and fingers, a complex break to the hip socket, a fracture to the top of the shin bone in the knee and damage to his knee ligaments. Considering that Ray worked as a painter and decorator these injuries and the possible permanent damage on his wrist meant there was good reason to worry that he would not be able to return to work for a long time and possibly not at all.
Hambi pursued a claim against the insurer of the driver and managed to settle liability quickly using the damning evidence available to him including dashcam footage of the accident. The next important step was to understand the current and long-term impact the injuries would have on Ray, his career and family life.
A number of medical experts were appointed who reviewed Ray’s medical presentation and progress. Months after the incident he had surgeries to his arm and knee and even though he continued to make progress towards recovery the long term prognosis remained that he would not be able to return to work in the same capacity as he was before. Returning home was also not an option as managing stairs was very challenging so temporary accommodation had to be found whilst he continued attending physio to help with his mobility. Even though he started reclaiming some of his independence it was clear that he would need help around the house as standing for longer than half an hour was very painful. He could no longer do DIY or carry weights including shopping and would be unable to go back to enjoying some of his favourite activities like golfing without significant adaptations to how he performed them. The accident had not just impacted him physically as he had also suffered a significant psychological injury including dissociative amnesia, significantly diminished interest in activities, inability to experience positive emotions, irritable behaviour, problems with concentration and sleep disturbance. He had generalised anxiety and felt more vulnerable, with a significant loss of confidence.
Over the next year Ray continued attending medical appointments arranged for him through the NHS and privately and making a great progress but there remain a number of unresolved issues that had to be accounted for in the claim including the fact that his injuries made him significantly more likely to need a lot more support as he gets older, the fact that he would not be able to return to work in the same capacity as before so would be disadvantaged in the job market, would need care and support around the house as well as more medical interventions that experts advised would likely improve his condition but were not in a position to quantify to what extent and with what possible repercussions.
A number of offers to settle the claim were received throughout this time ranging from £400K to £550K where Hambi advised Ray to persevere, continue gathering needed evidence and not settle until there was a clearer picture of his future needs. Even though these amounts alone can seem life changing we need to remember that the reason the figures were so high is because they were there to meet Ray’s needs resulting from the incident for life.
The case ultimately settled this year for a higher six figure, an amount Hambi and Ray felt would adequately cover the medical expenses Ray had already incurred, make up for his past and future loss of earnings and help him continue rebuilding his life following his injury.
Hambi who represented Ray said “Ray was walking safely on the pavement when the car that hit him came at him out of nowhere turning his life upside down. The settlement we secured was the result of months of work to be able to fully understand Ray’s current and future needs, find the best ways to meet them and agree with the defendant’s insurer to help Ray rebuild his life”
How we can help
Rebuilding your life following complex injuries is hard and you need the right people in your corner to help you achieve the best possible results. If you have suffered an injury that was not your fault we may be able to help you. To have a confidential, no obligation and free discussion with one of our expert solicitors give us a call on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form so we can call you back at a time that suits you.
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