6 October 2010
Leigh Day & Co has settled a case on behalf of a young paraplegic victim who suffered catastrophic spinal cord injuries aged 16 when he was knocked from his scooter.
Our client suffered serious spinal injuries rendering him paraplegic and largely confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of his life.
Leigh Day & Co was instructed shortly after the accident and, within 12 months, obtained a substantial payment to allow our client and his family to move into a new house which could be adapted to his needs.
This enabled our client to take a more positive approach to dealing with his injuries and to gain greater independence. Successfully adjusting to life with such a traumatic injury is crucial to allowing a high value personal injury claim to proceed and the right accommodation is typically instrumental in this process.
The litigation itself was unfortunately prolonged due to concerns about a scoliosis (spinal curvature) developing in our client's lower back and the need to ensure the damages fully took account of the full extent of our client's injuries. However, after obtaining very detailed and extensive medical evidence, we were able to press ahead with the case. Evidence was also obtained from other leading experts in areas such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, accommodation, equipment and IT.
Following a settlement meeting in May 2010, partner Daniel Easton negotiated a settlement to the claim which provided for a lump sum payment of £2.7 million and annual periodical payments increasing over the course of our client's lifetime to ensure he is fully provided for with an income and in relation to his care requirements. The overall value of the damages throughout our client's lifetime could potentially exceed £5 million.
The settlement allows our client to look forward to the future with a strong financial backing. He said "thanks for everything you and all of Leigh Day did for me, my family and me are all very pleased with the outcome."
Spinal injury solicitors
Leigh Day & Co specialist personal injury and clinical accident solicitors have extensive experience in handling compensation claims on behalf of people who have suffered catastrophic and life-changing injuries after suffering a spinal cord injury. They have obtained millions of pounds of compensation for spinal injury clients to use for early rehabilitation and house adaptations following serious spinal injuries.
The firm is accredited by Accidents against Medical Accidents (AvMA), the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), and the Spinal Injuries Association as a firm of solicitors best able to represent clients with complex and serious spinal injury claims. We are retained by British Cycling and the British Triathlon Federation to provide legal advice for members of these associations who have been injured in road crashes.
Information was correct at time of publishing. See terms and conditions for further details.
Information was correct at time of publishing. See terms and conditions for further details.