If you have suffered from a Life Changing Injury that is the result of someone else’s negligence, Brethertons can help you with much more than just the financial claim that is normally associated with solicitors. Brethertons are here to not only help you obtain financial security but also to enable independence after injury.
The life changing injury team at Brethertons is often referred to as part of the ‘family’ by our clients and we are regularly recognised for our client care.
A recent client’s world changed overnight after having to have his leg amputated due to clinical negligence. He went to see his GP and the hospital with pain in his foot and was repeatedly turned away, told to take aspirin and wait for a scan. He ended up having to be rushed into hospital and had to have his leg amputated due to a missed blood clot. He was sent home just seven days later with only a wheelchair, no care, therapies or other rehabilitation support. Within 4 months COVID hit resulting in all his rehab being cancelled. He was left feeling abandoned with no other help or support, other than his wife, who at the time was working full time. In order to care for him she had to give up her job as their house was not designed for someone with restricted mobility and she needed to be available for her husband throughout the day.
Our client’s case has recently been settled for just over a million pounds, and he was happy to share his experience, so we asked a few questions.
How has Brethertons helped you?
We asked our client how we have helped, and his response was simple “you have changed my life, I can now plan and look forward to my future”. After so many years of being left on his own, our client and his wife were left with no help and no idea what to do. They knew they needed to get help but weren’t sure who to turn to. After using Brethertons previously for our Wills, Trusts and Probate services they reached out and enquired with our Life Changing Injures team who were able to help in more ways than just financial compensation.
Our client is a retired fire fighter who loved to be outdoors walking in the Lake District, and along the coastal path in Cornwall with his wife and their golden retriever. Following the loss of his leg, walking in the beautiful areas of Cornwall and the Lake District seemed like something that would never happen again. However, with Bretherton’s help he has been equipped with a wheelchair which can go offroad. This means that he can get back out into nature and enjoy walks with his wife and dog, and they can begin to get excited again about planning trips to the places they love.
When our client came out of hospital just one week after having his leg amputated his thought was “is that it?”. Getting help from Brethertons has given him someone in his corner fighting to get all the essential help he needs, which was not provided when he was sent home initially. He commented that if they ever have any questions, there is always someone willing to help and the whole team made them feel welcomed and ‘part of a family’, not an inconvenience.
Our client has also been assigned a physiotherapist who has also become part of their critical network, helping him to get fit and restore his confidence to become more mobile. His physiotherapist is now helping our client to learn how to use his new prosthetic leg which will enable him to be less reliant on his wheelchair.
Along with the financial compensation and the physical help that Brethertons has been able to provide, one thing our client wanted was for the hospital to take accountability and for this to never happen to anyone again. Within a year of taking on his case we received a letter from the hospital with an apology and the hospital accepting liability in full, stating that this should not have happened to our client. This is rarely seen in cases of medical negligence but receiving this letter gave our client the realisation he was right in saying “this should have never happened.”
What would you say to someone going through a similarly traumatic experience?
If someone is going through something similar our client’s recommendation is “give it a go, get some advice and see if you have a case to start with”. The process involves an emotional investment and at times it can be stressful but the help that has come from starting his case with Brethertons has been worth it all.
He was at a loss wondering if he even had a case but after speaking to some nurses and other medical staff at the hospital who mentioned this shouldn’t have happened, he started to think it might be worth exploring whether he could make a claim for compensation.
Conclusion
Our client is a brave and inspirational man who has never given up even when times were tough, and it appeared his life was over. By seeking the right help at the right time from Brethertons and taking the initial leap of faith, we have been able to turn not only his life but also his wife's life around, by giving them hope for a much brighter future
If you are going through a similar situation or know of anyone who may have a case and need help, take our client’s advice and “give it a go”. You can contact our specialist Life Changing Injuries team via our website or by emailing info@brethertons.co.uk.
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