Lawyers Back Headway’s Campaign On ‘Life After Brain Injury’

Specialist lawyers have described this year’s Action for Brain Injury Week as a vital reminder of both the lasting consequences of such injuries and the huge role that rehabilitation can play in helping survivors look positively to the future.

Taking place from May 8 to 14, this year’s annual campaign week, organised by Headway, is based around the theme of ‘life after brain injury’ and how such injuries have a lasting impact on not only survivors but also their families and carers.

As part of its work, Headway has established 'A New Me', a platform for people to share experiences which has been created to both challenge misconceptions about brain injury and also highlight the value that the right support can provide.

Irwin Mitchell’s specialist serious injury lawyers, who have vast experience of helping brain injury survivors to access vital financial support to fund their rehabilitation, have said the campaign shines a light on some incredibly important issues.

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“Through our work, we have seen numerous instances when people’s lives have been turned upside down as a result of a traumatic brain injury, whether it is survivors themselves, family members or friends.

“It can be an incredibly difficult period of anyone’s life, but we also know how rehabilitation and support can help survivors get the best from life.

“We are a proud supporter of the work of Headway and we absolutely welcome the focus of this year’s Action for Brain Injury Week. It is a vital reminder of how so many survivors are able to overcome incredible obstacles to regain much-needed independence.” David Withers - Partner, ATE Product Manager and BTE Relationship Partner

Among Irwin Mitchell’s clients is Anna Khan, 22, from Edinburgh, Scotland who sustained a serious traumatic brain injury, a fractured face and hip, a broken leg and a punctured lung in December 2015 after being hit by a car in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Initially placed in an induced coma in hospital for a month, she went on to get three months of intensive treatment at a specialist rehabilitation centre including physiotherapy and speech support. She was finally able to return to the family home at the end of March 2016.

Anna’s family instructed Irwin Mitchell’s Serious Injury team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. They are in the process of obtaining all of the relevant evidence, including from specialists, to enable Anna to secure compensation to protect her future care, accommodation and therapy needs. They have recently secured funding from the insurance company for a rehabilitation assessment which will help start to rebuild Anna’s life and her family’s lives, particularly as Anna is returning to college in the near future.

Talking about the effects of her injury, Anna said: “The brain injury has affected me in so many ways and there have been times when I have felt frustrated at a range of things.

“For example, I have struggled in the past when it has come to keeping up with conversations and I used to love going to concerts but have found the experience with the loud music and crowd totally overwhelming in recent times. Such issues have really upset me in the past, but over time I’ve also realised just how important it is to have time to recover.

“Now I’m looking to put such matters behind me and complete studies which had to be put on hold following the accident. I also want to find some new hobbies and interests too. All in all, my future is looking positive and I want to keep focused on moving forward.”

Read more about the work of Irwin Mitchell's Serious Injury Team, here.