Warton Man Speaks Out On Regaining Independence After Being Supported By Lawyers

A former community fire support officer who sustained a brain injury in a motorbike crash has reached a major milestone in his recovery.

Geoff Sackville-Wiggins was seriously hurt when his bike was hit by a car in Carnforth.  He was in a coma for four weeks. His right arm was also damaged and he was diagnosed with a brain injury. He was aged 33 at the time.

His stepdaughter, who was with him at the time, suffered a knee injury.

Following the crash, in 2009, Geoff, from Dock Acres, Warton, instructed specialist injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help him access the rehabilitation and therapies required to maximise his recovery.  He’s also been supported by the law firm’s court of protection experts who’ve helped him with financial and welfare matters.

Dad and court of protection lawyers support major brain injury awareness campaign

Now 15 years on, following extensive rehabilitation, Geoff, 48, has successfully regained the capacity to manage his own finances.

He’s now joining with his legal team in marking Action For Brain Injury Week by speaking out on this latest recovery milestone.

Sally Murphy is an expert court of protection lawyer at Irwin Mitchell supporting Geoff. 

Expert Opinion

“Taking back control of his finances is a major milestone in Geoff’s recovery and evidence of how he’s continuing to reclaim more of his old life and independence thanks to the specialist rehabilitation he has in place.

“Overcoming his injuries hasn’t been easy for Geoff but he has shown such determination and bravery over the years. It’s been a privilege to have been able to assist him on his journey.

“It’s amazing to see how far he’s come and how his confidence has grown. We hope his story will inspire others impacted by brain injury to not let it stop them from living life as help and support is out there.” Sally Murphy

Action For Brain Injury Week: Geoff's story

Due to his brain injury, Geoff lost his job as a firefighter.

Around 10 years later, he went on to secure a place at university where he was training to become a counsellor.

Sadly, however, Geoff had to give it up during his final year after one of his twin daughters was diagnosed with a rare terminal liver cancer, aged just 21.  She died two years later.

Geoff hopes to be able to return to university in the future so he can retrain in something he enjoys and get back into work again.  He spends much of his spare time with his two-year-old daughter, Ivy, and also enjoys photography.

Geoff speaks out on life following brain injury

He said: “In the years since my injury, I’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs.  In particular, losing my daughter to cancer was nothing short of traumatic and something I don’t think I’ll ever get over.

“What made it worse was, despite the amazing support I had from family, my social circle got smaller after the accident.  It was incredibly difficult to come to terms with.

“This wasn’t helped by the fact I lost my job.  Prior to then, I hadn’t had more than a couple of weeks off work so I struggled without having work to go to.

“I’ve always been stubborn and determined though, and I think this has been a factor in getting my life back on track. Getting back into education also really helped me so I hope to continue on this path.

“The most important milestone in my recovery though is that I’m now able to make my own decisions again on important matters such as my finances.  It’s taken time to get there and it hasn’t been easy, but all the work has been worth it.  My independence is returning bit by bit and I want others to know what’s possible when you put your mind to it.”

Help and support available 

Geoff added: “None of this would have been possible without the support provided by Irwin Mitchell.  Before being introduced to them, I used a different firm and was unhappy with the progress.

“After I contacted Irwin Mitchell’s Court of Protection team, my case was assigned to Sally who has always been thoughtful, considerate and generally a wonderful person to communicate with throughout the past 10 years.”

Action For Brain Injury Week runs from 20 to 26 May.  Find out more at ABI Week 2024: A life re-written | Headway

Find out more about our expertise in court of protection of cases at the dedicated section on our website. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0808 159 6268.