‘Anne’ – Defying the odds

How did Anne's accident happen?

Very early one spring morning, Anne and her sister travelled home from a friend’s wedding celebrations.

Their route home took them down country lanes, bordered on either side by deep ditches. As is common with such roads there were no line markings, streetlights nor road reflectors, and a thick fog reduced visibility.

The driver lost control at a humpback bridge and veered into one of the ditches. The powerful impact meant that Anne suffered from massive body trauma and a life-threatening spinal cord injury. The accident crushed Anne's C2/C3 vertebrae and caused a burst fracture at C4.

Rushed to hospital, the medics stabilised Anne in intensive care before she began seven long months of inpatient rehabilitation in a specialist spinal unit.

Sadly, it was here where doctors informed Anne that, because of the accident, she faced living with tetraplegia for the rest of her life—the most severe of all SCIs.

How we helped Anne

Anne's family contacted us just days after her accident because her sister knew about Serious Law through being a carer for another of our tetraplegia clients. They were unsure whether we could help them make a claim because, at the time of the accident, Anne hadn't worn her seatbelt.

When such a devastating event happens, the immediate welfare of a loved one is of paramount importance. It's a challenging time with so much to take care of, from finding legal representation to coping with new living conditions and organising rehabilitation.

Anne’s family soon appointed Serious Law, and we were able to provide them with all the help that they needed through our complete service, dedicated to rebuilding lives after serious injury.

We reassured Anne regarding the strength of her case and assured her that we would strive for the appropriate level of compensation, together with securing the expert advice and organisational support to meet all of Anne’s immediate and long-term needs.

Ultimately, we achieved a multimillion-pound settlement for her.

As well as providing successful legal representation, our help began soon after the accident whilst Anne was still in hospital.

We made sure that we secured all necessary care and assistance early, making Anne’s transfer from the hospital to the home as hassle-free as possible.

Our team appointed an experienced case manager who helped to put in place all relevant housing aids and adaptations including hoists for getting into bed, a full shower room, an exercise area complete with injury specific strength-building machines, as well as custom wheelchairs and an adapted vehicle.

We were able to enlist the some of the best private rehabilitation resources nationwide, including expert physiotherapists and occupational therapists able to provide the flexibility, security and expertise so essential to Anne’s recovery.

Anne today

Serious Law is proud to maintain a close relationship with Anne. We're happy to report that Anne lives with her partner in an adapted bungalow.

Anne used her compensation award to receive treatment in France and Australia, and she underwent revolutionary neurological rehabilitation in Miami.

Through determination and dedication, despite what the doctors had told her, Anne has regained some of her ability to move her arms, back and stomach region.

Not only that, Anne also holds the record for the highest spinally injured person to use both an FES rower (a powered, muscle-stimulating stationary rowing machine) and a powered Ekso Skeleton unit, the latter of which allowed her to walk.

Anne is on a quest to walk again and whilst there is no miracle cure, every one of her continued achievements is a victory that defies the odds.

Find out how we can help you or someone you care about after a spinal cord injury. Please contact us today.