Brain injury father awarded £2.5m

A father severely injured when he was hit on the head by a fallen branch has been awarded £2.5 million in damages at the High Court. Jason Thatcher, 38 at the time of the accident, suffered a severe injury to his brain stem when the branch broke off a tree overhanging his back garden. The incident happened in January 2007 in Walker Close, Woodcote, Oxfordshire. Mr Thatcher’s lawyer told the court that the case was tragic. Although the brain injury has affected the former Royal Mail worker’s mobility, independence and communication, his cognition was largely if not completely intact. After months of rehabilitation, the compensation will allow Mr Thatcher to return to his wife and two young daughters with the purchase of a specially-adapted house and a lifelong care package. Mr Thatcher and his wife were tenants of Sovereign Housing Association, which acquired the land around Walker Close in 1998. Mr Thatcher’s lawyer said that Sovereign, of Newbury, Berkshire, had consistently denied liability and, if the case had gone to trial, there would have been a significant risk of Mr Thatcher recovering nothing. Malcolm Underhill, Partner and specialist in severe brain injury cases, comments:

“The damages will go some way to make Jason Thatcher’s life more comfortable. However, financial compensation alone does not make up for the devastating impact such a serious head injury has upon, not only Mr Thatcher, but also his wife and family. In my experience, those responsible for causing such injuries do not appreciate the full and life long impact of a head injury on family, friends and the wider community.”

IBB Solicitors has built a reputation for quality of service in pursuing compensation in cases involving accident, illness or death. If you would like advice on personal injury issues, contact a member of IBB’s Personal Injury team: call us on 08456 381381 or email PI@ibblaw.co.uk.