Local man awarded £6.7m after car crash left him paralysed

Our lawyers has secured a £6.7m settlement for a West Yorkshire man who suffered severe spinal cord and brain injuries in a road traffic accident in 2013.

The victim, who was 25 at the time of the accident, was a passenger in a car that collided with a lamp post. He was knocked out and remained unconscious and on a ventilator for several weeks in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield.  He was then transferred to the Spinal Injuries Unit at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield where he received specialist treatment for his spinal and brain injuries.

After 10 months, he was discharged home to his family and started to rebuild his life.  However he remains permanently and severely physically disabled with limited upper limb movement. He is wheelchair dependent and is wholly reliant upon his carers, requiring 24 hour care for all activities including personal care and daily living.

Three years after the accident Partner Howard Willis and his legal team attended a Joint Settlement Meeting with the Defendant and his legal advisors and the case settled for £6.7m.

It is one of the largest settlements we have achieved. The award is consistent with expectations according to Howard Willis, Senior Partner in the Personal Injury Department of Chadwick Lawrence:

“The settlement is in line with what we expected. The client is permanently physically disabled and will require care for the rest of his life,” said Mr Willis, who specializes in complex, high value claims involving severe spinal injuries and brain injuries.

“This was an incredibly complex case due to the complicated medical issues involved.  It required a multidisciplinary approach from experts in spinal injuries, brain injuries, neurology, psychology, physiotherapy and mobility to name just a few.

“It was a tough case to deal with particularly in the first 18 months when many liability issues were raised”, he added.   “As his legal team we had to be on call virtually 24 hours a day and to respond immediately to emergencies that inevitably arise in a case such as this. That was possible thanks to the dedication of the team we have here.

“To settle this case in three years is quite a remarkable achievement,” added Mr Willis. “Cases of this complexity can take much longer, but that it took just 36 months is testament to the expertise and experience of my legal team.”