Where seriously injured accident victims have no family or friends to turn to, they can have confidence that personal injury lawyers will fight their corner. In a case on point, a senior solicitor did not let a cancer diagnosis stand in the way of his determination to achieve the best possible outcome for a vulnerable client.
Virtually every aspect of the middle-aged man's life was transformed forever when he was knocked off his motorbike, sustaining catastrophic brain and other injuries. His personality was fundamentally changed and his memory, executive function, processing speed, insight and understanding were all impaired.
Lacking the mental capacity required to either conduct litigation or manage his own financial affairs, he has no close relatives or other loved ones to support him. That, however, did not deter his legal team from determinedly pursuing his case against motor insurers. Following long and difficult negotiations, they ultimately achieved a settlement of his claim for a lump sum of £4,752,203.
In approving the eminently sensible settlement, the High Court noted that, in the best traditions of the legal profession, responsible practitioners had stepped in to protect the man's best interests. The outcome of the case did them enormous credit.
The Court paid particular tribute to the solicitor in charge of the man's case, who struggled, fought and advocated on his behalf when he had no one else to turn to. Despite his cancer diagnosis, the solicitor worked relentlessly in the man's best interests. He sadly passed away a few months before the settlement was finalised.