Specialist Lawyers Helping Victim To Access Rehabilitation and Support

A man left with serious fractures to his neck, ribs, pelvis and knee after a severe car crash says he hopes all road users will think of the impact that dangerous driving can have on accident victims after the other driver was given a two and a half year prison sentence.

Robin Fletcher, 49, from March in Cambridgeshire, suffered multiple injuries when his company vehicle was hit by another car in a road traffic accident on the B1099 Upwell Road in March on 17 March 2014 at around 4.35 p.m. 

He was unable to avoid the collision when an oncoming car crossed into his line of path. The other driver involved, Mr Jamie Greenwood, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was sentenced last month to a 2 years 6 months custodial sentence and a 5 year driving ban.

Robin, a manager for Network Rail instructed specialist serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office to help him secure compensation in order to access ongoing rehabilitation  to help with his recovery.

Immediately following the accident Robin was rushed to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge due to the serious injuries he sustained including fractures to his neck, ribs, pelvis, knee cap and right arm. He also suffered injuries to his spine, a paralysed vocal chord and internal bleeding in the brain. After his accident Robin remained in Addenbrookes for two months recovering from the multitude of injuries and following a lengthy rehabilitation process he was discharged. 

Robin’s condition has since improved with the help of his out-patient appointments at the fracture clinic as well as speech and language therapy to help with swallowing after his paralysed vocal chord, physiotherapy and counselling.  Robin will also need surgery in future to help with his recovery.

After his lengthy rehabilitation process, Robin eventually returned to work at Network Rail some six months after his accident, easing himself in initially working part-time hours. Sadly he has not been able to return to his former role and has now been redeployed on medical advice. He still suffers from some balance issues and finds it difficult being in noisy, crowded areas and has lost a lot of confidence since the crash. 

Helen, Robin’s wife and mother of their two sons, said: “I was shocked at Robins’ condition when I first saw him in hospital after the accident.  I could hardly see his face due to all of the wires and tubes on the top half of his body it was terrifying as he was in an awful lot of pain and could barely speak. 

“I found it extremely hard to tell our boys that their Daddy was in hospital and we all found it really difficult whilst he was in hospital. Since being discharged, Robin is making steady progress and has slowly returned to work. 

Robin added “I t hope that all other drivers will take note of the impact this crash has had on us as a family and think about the consequences of their actions on the road. Nothing can turn back the clock but hopefully highlighting what happened will help improve road safety.”

Neil Whiteley, a specialist serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Cambridge office representing Robin, said:

Expert Opinion

“It’s important to recognise the impact of serious injuries after careless or dangerous driving.

“In this case, the Court has recognised the impact that the appalling driving has had on Robin and I feel that the sentence imposed reflects some recognition of the severity of the injuries that he endured. Dangerous driving can be fatal or lead to dramatically changed lives and it is crucial that this sends out a message to drivers to take more care on the roads.

“We are determined to help Robin to overcome his injuries as much as possible and ensure he has the best possible rehabilitation and therapies at his disposal so that he can make progress.” Neil Whiteley - Partner & Director of Legal Services - Personal Injury

If you or a loved one has been injured in a road traffic accident, our personal injury claims team could help you to secure compensation. Visit our Road Traffic Accident Compensation page for more information.