How Irwin Mitchell helped Luke rediscover an old hobby after experiencing a brain injury
Luke’s story
Luke was just 25 years old when his whole life changed.
He was studying at Leeds University, enjoying a busy social life as well as staying active by taking part in various sports and runs.
When Luke took part in the Great North Run to raise money for a charity for his grandma, he unexpectedly collapsed at the finish line and was unable to remember the last mile of the run.
Luke was taken to A&E at South Tyneside District Hospital in South Shields where his ECG came back abnormal and he was given intravenous fluids as a result.
He was discharged hours later without any safety advice on signs and symptoms to look out for.
Soon after this, Luke was preparing for a trip to the USA to give a lecture as part of his PhD studies, when he developed flu-like symptoms. Nine days after the Great North Run, Luke was hospitalised with acute liver failure.
He was airlifted to Detroit for an emergency liver transplant and went on to experience multi-organ failure and became critically ill. Luke also suffered a life-changing brain injury, as a result of his critical illness.
After six weeks in hospital, he was flown back to the UK and spent nearly two years in hospital and a rehabilitation unit.
Luke, who was forced to put his PhD on hold, has been left needing to use a wheelchair and now has permanent speech and vision problems. He also has a condition called ataxia, a neurological condition characterized by poor muscle control, affecting balance, coordination, speech, and swallowing, usually due to damage to the cerebellum or nervous system.
How did Irwin Mitchell help?
Luke instructed us to investigate after he and his family knew that something wasn’t quite right with the treatment he had received from hospital and how quickly he was discharged.
“My family couldn’t understand it” Luke said. “They thought something was missing, which is what made them want to take legal action. At one point my family were told by the hospital to say goodbye to me, because I wasn’t going to live.”
After we took on his case, the hospital admitted a breach of duty in discharging Luke.
Katie Warner, a solicitor in our Medical Negligence team who managed Luke’s case commented: “While the signs of heat exhaustion often pass, if they don’t, they can turn into heat stroke, which is a medical emergency and can result in life-changing complications, such as in Lukes’s case.
“The last few years have been incredibly traumatic for Luke and his family. Understandably they’ve had many questions and concerns about what happened, especially around the decision to discharge him from hospital on the evening of the Great North Run.”
Life after the incident
“Luke is a really inspiring person, he’s been through so much and has overcome so many obstacles. He’s now finished his studies and obtained his PhD. Before Luke’s incident, he enjoyed playing golf with friends, so the opportunity for him to use the paragolfer has given him the chance to rediscover a hobby he had before,” Ross McWilliams, Partner, said when he sat down to talk about Luke’s case.
“I used to play golf before the accident. I never thought I’d be able to do it again. I never thought I’d be able to get that movement or that feeling back again” Luke said after he had a chance to use the paragolfer at The Golf Trust.
Luke’s not let his accident define him. Between finishing his studies to trying out new hobbies, he’s moving forward in every way he can.
“There were a lot of dark and emotional times, but I was determined to try and reclaim some of my old life and re-start my studies. It has been a long haul with many setbacks and obstacles but obtaining my PhD will always be my proudest achievement” he said.
“I know my life hasn’t turned out as I thought but I’m so grateful to be alive and want to make the most of it.
“I still face many challenges but being able to try new things and move into a home that has been adapted for my needs, allows me to regain some of my independence.”
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