We secured a six-figure sum for a woman who was left with a brain injury after being struck down in a shopping centre car park. She has no memory of the accident, which has left her without any sense of taste or smell and had a devastating impact on her life.
In February 2016, our client Andrea was at the Netherfield Retail Park doing some shopping on her day off. She’d just got out of her car when another vehicle came careering through the car park and slammed into her, throwing her into the air. She crashed down hard on the asphalt.
Andrea would have to be told all this later by police investigating the incident. Her last memory of that day is of pulling into the right-hand lane on the roundabout just before the retail park.
She was rushed to hospital and was in intensive care for 3 days. She was then transferred to the neurology ward for another 4 days.
The accident left Andrea with memory loss and a host of other problems. After she was discharged from hospital, she suffered from vertigo for over a month, meaning she couldn’t sleep lying down. She was unable to return to work for a number of months and developed ongoing problems with acute fatigue, needing to take daily naps and having to go to bed at night much earlier than before.
The damage to Andrea’s brain meant she lost her sense of taste and smell completely and continues to suffer with amnesia, anxiety, and alopecia (hair loss). She also has problems with her vision, including hyper-sensitivity to light. Following the accident, she is no longer allowed to drive and has had to surrender her driving license.
All of this of course had an enormous effect on both Andrea and her family, changing their lives completely. Our serious injury lawyers secured a six-figure compensation sum that will help them financially and also ensure that Andrea has access to the rehabilitative care and support she needs to make the best recovery possible.
Louisa Winning, a Solicitor in our Serious Injury team in Sheffield, represented Andrea. She said: “A traumatic brain injury like Andrea’s can put a huge strain on work, quality of life and relationships so access to rehabilitative treatment is essential for recovery.
“Of course nothing can turn back the clock for Andrea, but we are pleased to have been able to secure a settlement which will not only provide her with some financial security as she continues her recovery but will also fund specialist support and rehabilitation.”
Andrea took part in our Action For Brain Injury Week, an annual campaign organised by the brain injury charity Headway. This campaign aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people and their families after brain injuries and highlight the value that having the right support can provide.
Speaking about her injury, Andrea said: “It’s has had a huge impact on me. I can no longer taste or smell food which has removed the enjoyment from eating. I wouldn’t be able to tell if something was burning while cooking.
“Surrendering my driving license was very upsetting. I still haven’t been able to come to terms with the limitations imposed upon me by the crash. I become very frustrated and irritable because I cannot do the things I want to do, which in turn makes me feel terrible for taking things out on my family.
“I am very tired. I now need to take a nap every day which is never something I have needed before. I sleep for between 30 and 45 minutes in an afternoon, and by 9pm I am exhausted and either fall asleep on the sofa or I go to bed.
“While it can’t undo what has happened, the settlement is a great relief because I know I have the funds for ongoing treatment as well as the ability to concentrate of my rehabilitation rather than worry about the bills.”
If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury following an accident, get in touch with our expert team today to find out how we can help – fill out our online form or call us on 0370 1500 100.
To learn more about how we help our clients move forward with their lives following a serious injury, visit our Rehabilitation page.
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