Our client was admitted to hospital, where he underwent a decompressive craniotomy. This is surgery to remove a portion of his skull to accommodate the swelling of his brain following the head injury. An intercranial pressure bolt was also inserted in his skull to monitor the swelling.
Prompt and specialised assessment
Having instructed Shoosmiths within seven days of the accident, our client’s family were keen to make sure that he had the correct rehabilitation in place to maximise the potential to repair the brain damage he sustained in the accident.
Our serious injury team at Shoosmiths immediately arranged for a specialised package to be put in place through a rehabilitation provider, in order to assess our client’s needs for both care and rehabilitation. Our team work closely with a number of specialist care and rehabilitation providers, so we were able to select the most appropriate providers for our client’s needs.
Less than two months after the accident, the serious injury team at Shoosmiths had secured an interim payment of £5,000 from the other party’s insurers, along with an agreement that they would fund the Immediate Needs Assessment (INA) with the rehabilitation providers we had recommended.
Three months after the accident, the hospital notified our client’s family that, given the current restrictions in place due to COVID-19, he would need to be discharged home. Our client’s family were understandably concerned about making sure that they had the relevant care in place for his discharge, as well as making sure that their home was safe for our client.
Securing the early interim payment meant that our client’s family could put measures in place for his safe discharge home. In addition, the INA helped to ensure our client’s early care needs upon discharge were met, and he was able to safely live with his family whilst carrying out his early stages of rehabilitation.
Expert serious injury solicitors
Birmingham-based partner in the serious injury team at Shoosmiths, Chris McKinney, who represents our client commented:
“Shoosmiths are signatories to the Guide to the Conduct of Cases involving serious injury. The Guide encourages co-operation between the parties and promotes early rehabilitation for injured parties. As we were instructed very quickly after the accident, we were able to undertake an early assessment of our client’s needs and work together with the other party’s insurers to assist and promote our client’s recovery.”
Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. © Shoosmiths LLP 2024
