Spinal injury case services study

[Paul Breen]

In response to emails from members I have included an example below to illustrate the work that spinal injury lawyers undertake. This is intended to provide those who are looking to appoint lawyers, with the necessary information to ensure they can ask the correct questions and ensure they receive all of the services that are available. Hopefully it will be of use.

Tom, who had been a Sergeant Major in the Army, and had fought in the Gulf War, was involved in a serious road traffic accident. He was on his motorcycle on a main road when a car attempted to turn right into a junction. Tom was knocked from his motorcycle and suffered a spinal injury resulting in tetraplegia. He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery to stabilise the fracture to his spine. He was then taken to a specialist spinal unit where he remained an in-patient for 7 months.

During his rehabilitation, a spinal injury lawyer coordinated services on his behalf. Immediate financial assistance was organised in the form of interim payments. Whilst Tom was still a patient at the spinal unit, his house was adapted by installing ramps, a bespoke bathroom, a specially designed kitchen with low level work tops, a redesigned bedroom to incorporate a hoist, repositioned light switches, amended garage and driveway facilities, amended access ways and all other necessary work to meet his needs was completed. A specialised electric wheelchair was purchased to meet Tom's specifications. All of the adaptations were completed to allow Tom to return home much earlier than expected.

To facilitate Tom's discharge and for the long term, a specially adapted motor vehicle was purchased, to enable Tom to drive, utilising adapted bespoke controls. He enters and leaves the vehicle through a ramp which he operates by remote control. In addition to all of this, 24 hour, in home nursing care, chosen by Tom and his Family was put in place.

Sorry if this sounds very legal, and makes the rehabilitation process in hospital sound straight forward (I know this is far from the case). From my point of view I have just tried to put across the way in which spinal injury lawyers can work in the background to help.

[Gary Anderson]

Paul

I have read your website from beginning to end.

As a doctor - although not a spinal one - but I have spoken to colleagues who DO work in the Scottish Spinal Unit - we would like to see more done to publicise this service in Scotland.

Nobody KNOWS about spinal lawyers. Unless you are involved in a car accident you dont even THINK about compensation.

So, from our medical point of view, not everyone has computers - I know folks who are amazed that I foudn this forum - so, for the man in the street who has an accident - there has to be more done to publicise the service North of the Border. Otherwise, here in Scotland, we will go on as we have before.