£33,000 compensation for 22 year old who was diagnosed with severe PTSD following being knocked out of his wheelchair
Our specialist Personal Injury team was successful in claiming £33,000 compensation for 22-year-old client. He had an accident on a zebra crossing when a van hit him and knocked him out of his wheelchair. Following the accident, Mr. B suffered from severe PTSD.
Mr. B was born with cerebral palsy but lived independently in a suburb of Plymouth, where he regularly went shopping, socialised, and did his banking. Mr. B was crossing a busy road in his wheelchair, and was almost all the way across when he was struck by a van. The accident on a zebra crossing tipped him out of his wheelchair onto the road.
How was Mr. B affected?
Following the road traffic accident, Mr. B complained of neck, mid, and lower back pain. After medical examination, the medical expert could not explain his ongoing physical symptoms. He referred Mr. B to a chronic pain specialist.
In addition to the physical injuries Mr. B suffered, there were concerns as to whether he had suffered a head injury as family members noticed significant changes in his behavior, character, and attitude. Mr. B himself regularly complained of headaches, and mood swings and was often very emotional and tearful. He suffered from vivid flashbacks and nightmares on a daily basis and after obtaining medical evidence on his behalf, he was diagnosed with severe PTSD. The psychologist confirmed that the psychological injuries played a large part in Mr. B’s perception of the extent of his physical injuries. The psychologist recommended Cognitive Behavioural Therapy treatment for Mr. B.
How did we help Mr. B?
Following the accident, Mr. B required care and assistance from a carer and his family members, as his psychological injuries prevented him from going past the accident scene.
“Our client was unable to afford the treatment costs up front to pay for the much needed cognitive behavioural therapy he needed to be able to continue to live his life independently. We helped him secure an interim payment so that he could pay for the treatment that he very much needed.”
How else were we able to help?
With the help of professionals, Mr. B managed his psychological injuries well enough to be able to return to his post-accident independent living.
Mr. B received just over £33,000 in damages. As his only income was his disability benefits, at the conclusion of his claim, our private client team helped him set up a personal injury trust to prevent him from losing his right to claim benefits.
Have you had a severe road traffic accident? Find out more about how our specialist Personal Injury team can help you.
