Adam experienced serious brain injuries following a collision with a motorcycle in 2018. He was treated at the scene by a London’s Air Ambulance helicopter. To the shock and amazement of passers-by, the helicopter flew directly to Adam, landing in the middle of a busy street at the end of Blackfriars Bridge.

Adam instructed Stewarts to pursue his claim in 2018. Stephanie Clarke, a partner at Stewarts, secured a total of £185,000 in interim payments for Adam and went on to settle the case for £3m. Following extensive rehabilitation, Adam has made much improvement and is thriving at a part-time voluntary work placement.

The accident

Adam was crossing New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, on 27 June 2018, when he was struck by a speeding motorcycle. London’s Air Ambulance was called, and a helicopter was sent to treat him at the scene. The helicopter landed on Blackfriars Bridge, skilfully manoeuvring its way to the ground amid buildings, vehicles and awestruck onlookers. The landing was even more impressive as it took place in the middle of rush hour when there were a number of cars on the road and commuters in the streets. Several newspaper articles were written about the helicopter landing. Adam was then given treatment by the London Ambulance Service and afterwards taken to the Royal London Hospital. As a result of the accident, Adam sustained a severe brain injury.

Instruction of Stewarts

Adam instructed Stephanie Clarke in October 2018.

There was some dispute over whether the accident took place in a 30mph zone or a 20mph zone. The police initially said that it was a 30mph zone. However, this was retracted in the face of evidence provided by Stewarts that it was a 20mph zone and accident hotspot.

The defendant initially denied liability in September 2019. The defendant argued that while there was a 20mph speed limit, this was not readily visible to road users. However, thanks to Stephanie’s efforts in commencing High Court proceedings as soon as practicable, the defendant’s solicitor admitted primary liability in March 2020. An interim payment of £100,000 was secured on that basis. Interim payments amounting to £185,000 were obtained as the claim progressed.

Treatment and rehabilitation

Adam’s injuries were extensive. Initially, Adam underwent a craniectomy and a tracheostomy. After several months, Adam had a cranioplasty, a lumbar puncture and a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt inserted. He experienced seizures, had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube inserted, and his jaw dislocated several times. He was also affected psychologically, experiencing low mood (among other symptoms), and his cognitive processing was affected.

With the help of the interim payments, Adam received private speech and language therapy, psychotherapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Adam also attended an electrical engineering course and completed a one-day welding course. His mobility improved significantly, and he returned to full mobility.

Adam has also been able to combat other symptoms, such as fatigue, with his smartwatch and monitoring apps. In the future, Adam will continue to receive further treatments, such as maxillofacial surgery and a procedure reducing the vibration in his inner ear. Adam has a rehabilitation assistant who helps to manage and support his medical needs and appointments.

Even though Adam has made a lot of progress since the accident, his injuries still affect him greatly. He was lucky to have such a supportive wife and family. With any trauma, the whole family are affected, and the repercussions are immense.

Settlement

Stephanie Clarke secured a £3m settlement for Adam, obtained by way of a lump sum. This reflected a deduction for contributory negligence as Adam had been speaking on his phone when he crossed the busy road and was not keeping a proper lookout.

The settlement will enable Adam and his family to buy a bigger house. A former lift engineer pre-accident, Adam will welcome the opportunity to have a proper space where he can concentrate on his engineering projects. The settlement has also secured funding for the treatments Adam will need going forward and represents financial security for himself and his family.

Life Beyond Injury

Adam is dedicated to fitness and currently trains regularly with a personal trainer. His settlement will allow him to progress even further in his fitness journey.

Over the course of his claim, Adam began volunteering with a gardening project. He greatly enjoys working with the other volunteers and performs a number of tasks, such as tending to vegetables and working on DIY projects. In addition, he recently returned to the world of lift engineering and is currently undertaking a voluntary work placement at a lift company on a two day per week basis. This placement has allowed him to get back to work he loves within a supportive environment.

Through support given by Adam’s team, he recently reapplied for a driving licence and had an assessment at a driving centre. Adam’s assessment with the DVLA went well, and he looks forward to getting back onto the road.

Testimonial

Lexine, Adam’s wife, says:

“Stewarts were excellent to work with – in every way. They were in constant communication with us about how the case was progressing and always kept us up to date. The team were brilliant at breaking down each stage of the litigation process for us and making everything as easy to understand as possible. This was greatly appreciated as the volume of paperwork often felt overwhelming. I was particularly grateful for Stewarts’ help with simplifying the process given that the pandemic happened in the middle of Adam’s case.

“The team at Stewarts are friendly and approachable. They allowed us to ask a lot of questions about the process. Stephanie Clarke was brilliant – not only with the legal side but also with regard to Adam’s health generally. She has wide-ranging knowledge and always had recommendations for physiotherapists and brain injury groups for Adam. It was a relief to have someone who knows their stuff in a world of uncertainty.

“The settlement is going to allow me and Adam to move into a bigger property. Having the settlement has brought freedom and peace of mind to the whole family, but particularly to Adam. Life post-accident has been difficult for Adam to adjust to as he had previously been the breadwinner. The settlement payment means that he can continue to provide for us.

“Post-accident, Adam has been able to try new activities and get back into old ones. He has been going to the gym, socialising and playing golf. Adam has been volunteering at Abbey Physic Centre.

“We would like to give special mention to Abbey Physic Garden, London’s Air Ambulance, the Royal London Hospital and the Homerton Rehabilitation Unit in Hackney for all the help and support that they have given Adam in his recovery.”

Life beyond injury

We have teamed up with other clients who have sustained catastrophic injuries to tell their stories of Life Beyond Injury. Please visit the Life Beyond Injury webpages here.

We hope that by sharing these stories, newly injured people can see that with the right support they too can overcome adversity to lead full and active lives.

You can join in the conversation and share your stories of overcoming adversity to lead a fulfilling life beyond injury: on Twitter, here #lifebeyondinjury; or on Facebook, here #lifebeyondinjury.

You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Personal Injury pages.

If you require assistance from our team, please contact us.

Subscribe – In order to receive our news straight to your inbox, subscribe here. Our newsletters are sent no more than once a month.