Serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell secured a seven-figure settlement for a severely brain-injured man. James, whose name we have anonymised to protect his identity, suffered serious brain injuries after being intentionally hit by a taxi when he was a pedestrian. The driver of the taxi left James in the road with life-threatening injuries, before fleeing the scene and then the country. 

Irwin Mitchell contacted

James was taken by ambulance to the Rotherham District General Hospital. He was subsequently transferred to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital where he was diagnosed with severe brain injury.

He contacted specialist serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell. As the driver was initially unidentified, we made an application to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, which is a body set up to compensate victims of untraced drivers or uninsured vehicles. We also made an application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, which helps compensate innocent victims of violent crime. 

About two years after the incident, the driver (who was wanted on suspicion of attempted murder) gave his details to the police after witnessing an incident. The police established that the driver was wanted. He was subsequently arrested, charged and convicted of dangerous driving and inflicting grievous bodily harm. The taxi driver was sentenced to jail for three years. 

Intensive rehabilitation

We quickly implemented a rehabilitation programme to maximise James’ recovery from his injuries. We contacted a case manager who subsequently recruited a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, a support worker and a neuropsychologist. 

After a period of intensive rehabilitation, James was able to return to work, move into his own property and return to many of the hobbies and interests he’d had before the incident. Although James’ life was never going to be the same following the very serious incident, the difference was minimised through rehabilitation and his impressive commitment.  

At a negotiation meeting, James’ specialist serious injury solicitors secured a seven figure settlement to ensure that he’ll continue receiving rehabilitation and support in the future and that he’ll have financial security for the rest of his life. 

Maximising his recovery

David Withers, a solicitor in the Serious Injury team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “The circumstances of the incident were very distressing for James and his family. They understandably felt very angry and upset about what had happened. We focused on what we could control. We recruited a specialist rehabilitation team to maximise James’ recovery. He was very committed which ensured that he maximised his recovery and ultimately his quality of life. 

“After a prolonged period of rehabilitation, James was able to move into a property and live independently, meeting a girlfriend and returning to part-time work. 

“Although James maximised his recovery, he still had a number of serious problems because of the severity of his brain injury. As a legal team, we worked tirelessly to obtain all of the important evidence to highlight these deficits to the taxi driver’s insurers. We subsequently advised James and his family to settle the case for a seven figure sum which will ensure financial security for the rest of his life.

“The legal team remain in close contact with James and his family. He is doing very well and enjoying life.”

Louise Jenkins, Partner in the Serious Injury team, added: "This demonstrates well our approach for all serious injury claims in making sure that our client’s recovery and quality of life is always at the forefront of our minds throughout the legal process. 

“We strive to provide the highest quality legal and technical advice, but we also apply the same degree of skill, care and effort into securing interim payments early on in the case. This means that our client has access to the best possible treatment and rehabilitation to accelerate recovery and help them achieve their goals.”

If you have been injured in a violent crime, our specialist solicitors could help you to secure criminal injury compensation. Our lawyers have helped clients after many different incidents, often through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) scheme. Contact us for advice today.

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