Man Suffers Serious Spinal Injuries And Brain Damage

A Wakefield man whose life was torn apart when a car crash left him paralysed from the neck down has been awarded a long-term care package worth £8m.

Lukasz Borowski, now 27, living in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, was today awarded the settlement at hearing at Newcastle High Court after a crash in 2005 left him paralysed and wheelchair-bound for life.

The £8.35m settlement was secured by leading injury lawyer John Davis from national law firm Irwin Mitchell, who said the settlement was calculated carefully to reflect the shattering impact the crash had on Mr Borowski's life and will provide for his long-term care needs.

Mr Davis said the total settlement was valued at nearly £10.5m – one of the highest compensation payouts ever seen in the UK – but that Mr Borowski accepted a 20 per cent reduction because he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Mr Davis added: "Mr Borowski's life was changed forever in an instant, as a result of a crash that was not his fault. He will be wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life but cannot move himself and needs help with almost all aspects of daily life – he’ll never work again.

"His spinal injury is severe and he has been left with permanent paralysis – he has no effective movements or skin sensation below the shoulders."

Mr Borowski was in the back seat of a colleague's Peugeot 307 as they travelled along Whittlesey Road in March, Cambridgeshire in November 2005, on their way to work at fruit and vegetable producer, MBM.

The driver, Ms Rozell Sands, lost control of the car and crashed into a deep ditch at the side of the road. It emerged after the crash that Ms Sands was not insured and she was convicted of related offences in May 2006.

Mr Borowski sustained damage to his spinal cord as well as a fractured spine, and was left brain damaged when the broken vertebrae blocked the supply of oxygen to his brain.

Mr Davis added: "This case underlines the devastating impact that careless road users can have. They are not only risking their own lives but can have a shattering effect on the lives of others, too.

"Mr Borowski's injuries are not just physical. He shows signs of a changed personality, suffers memory problems, attention deficit and a lack of concentration. He is bright and intelligent, and can be charming and considerate, but also suffers from rapid mood swings.

"At Irwin Mitchell we go into every case fighting to get the very best results for our clients – this money will go towards ensuring he is given the best possible care. It will never compensate for what has happened but will allow Mr Borowski to live his life as fully as possible.

"The sum was calculated carefully with the assistance of a team of healthcare experts to reflect accurately what Mr Borowski will need to keep him as well cared-for, secure and comfortable as possible for the rest of his life."

The settlement has been reached with the Motor Insurer' Bureau, which protects the injured victims of uninsured negligent drivers.