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You are in: Home Page | Personal Injury | Serious Injury Claims | Amputations resulting from Accidents | Ian's Story

Ian's Story

"Overall, I felt I was really well handled by Thompsons. Their team were tremendous, first class." Ian

“I lost part of my right leg from below the knee in a factory accident.

I was working in a conveyor belt area, for which I had had no special training.

The conveyor belt started up as I walked over it, tripped me and dragged me feet first into some rollers.

The pain was agonising at the time.

And I still suffer phantom limb pain that can be uncomfortable at times.

My employer put me onto a firm that was supposed to look after me after the accident but they were useless.

And it was beginning to be obvious I was not going to be able to work in the future in the ways I had in the past.

Even with a prosthetic lower right leg I wouldn’t be able to stand for lengthy periods.

I was also going to need extensive physio help and long term care.

And there were other things I simply couldn’t do anymore, including home maintenance and, at that time, helping to looking after my elderly mother.

My sister and I decided to see if I might claim for compensation and went online to look at law firms that handled personal injury claims.

Thompsons Solicitors stood out as they seemed to have more senior litigators and they had an office near where I live.

We phoned them first and had a chat.

Then they came to see us and explained everything involved very thoroughly.

I was seen by an impressive cross section of experts brought in by Thompsons - both as part of building my case and also, in some instances, as part of providing practical help.

For example, I met the people at a firm who make prosthetic limbs to a far higher standard than you get on the NHS.

So after Thompsons secured an interim payment for me I was able to order 3 new prosthetics including one suitable for water therapy.

I also saw a psychologist and had some counselling sessions, a physio, a specialist in orthopaedics and people who advised on home alterations to help with my condition.

Costs had to be estimated for all this and more.

Overall, I felt I was really well handled by Thompsons.

Their team were tremendous, first class.

They were all very professional, hard working and dedicated and I was pleased with the settlement.

In fact, I think they might have got even more for me but I accepted the out of court settlement as I wanted to move on with my life.

And I am. I used to be a very independent person and being mobile was an important part of that.

But after the accident I became anxious about driving any distance.

I had an old car and fear of breaking down or of getting a puncture and not being able to change a wheel had made me virtually housebound.

I can’t kneel properly and have difficulty bending my knees.

But now I have a new car and new prosthetics and am much more assured about getting around.
In turn, that has helped bring golf back into my life.

I had been a keen golfer and had gone abroad on golf tours in Portugal, Spain and Thailand.

But after the accident it seemed like I might never play again.

However, I have really worked at this, had plenty of expert help, and am playing again.

I’m getting my handicap back down and have booked to go and play in Portugal again in a few months time.

I want to work again in some way, possibly in the voluntary sector.

I have completed a computer course and I am attracted to the idea of being a car ambulance driver.

I see that as triumphing over my condition “

Ian