Jack Martindale continues to rebuild his life with the help of serious injury experts at Irwin Mitchell

A man whose skull was shattered in to 30 pieces by a hit-and-run driver is set to feature in a new television ad for the law firm which helped get him back on his feet.

Jack Martindale, 27, from London, suffered brain damage and serious fractures to his skull after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver on New Year’s Day 2010.

The crash near London’s north circular killed his 20-year-old friend Carrie Maclaren instantly. Chelsea Cannon, 19, died later in hospital, never waking from her coma.

Jack’s family instructed specialist serious injury lawyers Irwin Mitchell after surgeons had to rebuild his skull using nine titanium plates and 33 screws during a five-hour operation.

When he first woke up from his three-month coma, Jack was unable to walk, talk, or communicate and needed extensive in-patient rehabilitation before going home. He also lacked capacity to make decisions so was under Court of Protection which set him up with a personal injury trust.

Following the surgery, and months of specialist care, Jack was able to return to complete the final year of his degree in English and Politics at the University of York where he achieved a 2:1.

He has since gone on to pen a book about his recovery; Battling A Brain Injury: The Life That Jack Built, released in 2014.

Jack said: “Life will never be as I had envisaged and I have had to adjust my goals. I have accepted gradually that the effects of my brain injury, such as speed of processing and impaired memory, will always be obstacles that I need to work around, and I have been unable to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher.

“The psychological scars of losing close friends in the accident will never leave me. But having graduated with a 2:1 from the University of York in English and Politics, and having my first book published, felt like a personal and professional triumph.

“It’s been a pleasure working with Irwin Mitchell on their new campaign as they provided invaluable support during my rehabilitation. I wanted to show those who have been seriously injured that recovery is possible with the right support. My part in Irwin Mitchell’s advert proves that.”

Irwin Mitchell, which has won the Post’s Rehabilitation Initiative Award for Claimant Solicitor on seven separate occasions, helped Jack to secure funding to enable him to access the rehabilitation and support which have played such a fundamental role in his recovery.

The firm’s latest ad; “Expert Hand, Human Touch” will be broadcast on Channel 4 tonight during the Rio Paralympics at 9:21pm.

Alison Eddy, serious injury specialist and partner at Irwin Mitchell’s London office, who works with Jack’s family, said: “We are thrilled to have Jack feature in our new advert as he really is an astonishing success story and an inspiration to others facing similar struggles following serious injury.

 “Like so many of the cases we are involved in, Jack’s story demonstrates the terrible consequences that car crashes can have, often turning the lives of victims completely upside down. However, what this also shows is that – with the right support in place – those left with serious injuries can take positive steps towards turning their lives back around.

“Through our work to secure interim payments for Jack, he was able to access the rehabilitation and care he needed to set him on the path to recovery.

“We are thrilled with his remarkable progress and are proud to have him feature in our latest advert.”

If you or a loved one has been injured in a hit and run accident, our personal injury lawyers can help you claim compensation. Visit our Hit & Run Accident Claims page for more information.