Serious Injury Experts At Irwin Mitchell Now Working With Victim To Help With Rehabilitation And Recovery

A teenager seriously injured in a high-speed car crash which also saw one of his friends killed has spoken for the first time about his physical and mental recovery after the life-changing incident.

Alex Farrell pleaded with driver Jordan Cox to slow down and let him out of the car as he sped down country lanes at 80mph just before the crash in January 2011.  When Jordan lost control of his vehicle, it collided with several trees before flipping over a wall and into a residential garden, where it rolled over and finally came to rest.  The collision killed passenger Matthew Norman, 18, and left Jordan, also 18, with a serious brain injury.

19 year old Alex was forced to wear a back brace for several months after breaking his spine in two places in the collision.   He also suffered three fractured ribs, a dislocated jaw, broken nose and lacerations to his face and legs as a result of the crash. 

As a result of his injuries, Alex was forced to leave his job as a labourer.  Thanks to initial interim funds secured by serious injury experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell, Alex has been able to undergo a private programme of physiotherapy and psychotherapy in order to help him to come to terms with the physical and emotional fall out from the accident.

He has since attempted to start working as a courier, however, his back injuries mean he finds sitting down for extended periods of time very painful.  The specialist serious injury team at Irwin Mitchell are currently working with Alex’s physiotherapist with a view to assisting him in his quest to find suitable employment.

Nicola Perrott, a solicitor in the serious injury team at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Alex has been very determined and is making progress in his recovery to date, but his life has changed dramatically since the accident. 

“His terrible injuries have resulted in him leaving a job that he loved and he is very motivated to return to work.  However, his physical limitations mean that his options are limited now. 

“Alex has suffered from flashbacks and from travel anxieties after being involved in the crash and losing his best friend.  Nothing can bring Matthew back, nor erase the crash and its aftermath from Alex’s memory, however, we the package of rehabilitation that we have in place will help Alex to get his life back on track, both physically and mentally, as far as possible.”

Along with Mathew Norman, Alex was a passenger in Jordan’s car as it was chased by police in the lead-up to the crash on Otley Old Road, Bramhope, Leeds.  Police had spotted the car weaving in and out of traffic and after initially following, gave up the chase as it was deemed to be too dangerous.

Shortly afterwards, the officers found Jordan’s car upside-down in the gardens of None-Go-By Farm after the car had spun out of control and flipped over a wall.

Despite being charged with causing death by dangerous driving, Jordan’s brain injury meant he was deemed unable to stand trial for his conviction.

Alex said: “Although the trial was able to bring closure for me, my family, and Matthew’s family to some extent, the effects of the accident are ongoing.  I hope that I continue to improve and can get my life back on track sometime soon.”

If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal injury as a result of an accident that wasn't your fault, our serious injury solicitors could help you to claim compensation. Read our Spinal Injury Compensation page for more information.