Noel suffered life changing injuries in a road traffic accident on his motorbike during a commute to work. His injuries were catastrophic and included a complete spinal cord injury, leaving him paralysed from the waist down, an above-the-knee amputation and multiple fractures.
Before the Injury
Noel was previously employed as a Chief Operating Officer within the charitable arm of an international finance company. Outside of work he was a keen sportsman, competing in iron mans and triathlons among other sports. He had enjoyed an active life with his wife and son, keeping and riding horses and skiing.
How we helped
We stepped in to support Noel and his family navigate the post-accident period by securing an early admission of liability together with funding for private inpatient rehabilitation at the Royal Bucks Hospital. This hospital specialises in spinal cord injuries and was much better suited to assist Noel.
We helped to organise and fund Noel’s continued rehabilitation in the community following his discharge from hospital with specialised physiotherapy and the use of a hydrotherapy pool. We put in place a case manager at an early stage in order to coordinate both private and NHS rehabilitation and to maximise the support and care provisions available to aid Noel’s recovery.
Of paramount importance to Noel was adaption of his “forever home” for his needs and to support him to return to his pre-accident activities where possible. The compensation we claimed for Noel enabled him to oversee an extensive modification to his home, including an extension on the ground level as well as the development of a gym and swimming pool to facilitate ongoing therapy and support.
Changing Lives
We ensured Noel was able to gain access to equipment and technology to help with his mobility and on-going treatment. This included prosthetics and covers their maintenance and replacement for life. Noel is now able to mobilise using an Exo Skeleton; he was the first person in Europe (second in the world) to use this type of Exo Skeleton with an above-knee amputation. Additionally, he has since been able to swim and ski independently.
The use of this equipment allows Noel to exercise which was such a central part of his life before the accident. Not only does this keep Noel physically and mentally healthy, it also allows him to spend time with his family doing the same activities he did with them before the accident.
After a huge amount of persistence Noel is now able to reach his full potential and enjoy an active life with his family once more, irrespective of his life changing injuries.
