A Bristol man who suffered a traumatic brain injury and fractures to his face and leg in a road traffic accident has received a six-figure settlement.

41-year-old bus driver Simon Matthews was crossing Hengrove Way in Bristol on his way to work when he was hit by a car.
The impact left Simon with a brain injury and fractures to his skull and leg.

Paramedics rushed Simon to hospital where he was put into a medically induced coma to relieve pressure on his brain.
He was operated on to stop bleeding in his brain, had a metal plate inserted into his skull and three pins in his leg to help fuse his fractured bones.

Simon’s short and long term memory was affected and he had to use a wheelchair for more than four months after the accident. He was off work for three years and needed ongoing rehabilitation with regular hospital treatment.

Despite the severity of his injuries, the father-of-three has been able to retrain as a bus driver and return to full-time work.
He contacted Unite Legal Services and instructed serious injury specialists, Thompsons Solicitors, to investigate a compensation claim.

Simon said: “The accident was a complete blur – one minute I was walking to work, the next thing I knew I was looking up at doctors in hospital. If they hadn’t acted as quickly as they did, I’m not sure if I’d be here right now.

“My family and I have been through a lot since my accident, and I’ve had to work extremely hard during my rehabilitation so that I could do everyday things again, like walking and driving, that many of us take for granted.

“I still worry about my brain condition and doctors have warned me that I might develop arthritis in my leg in the future. I’m incredibly thankful to Thompsons Solicitors and Unite Legal Services for helping me; I received the best medical and legal support throughout my claim and without it I don’t think I would have made the recovery that I have.”

Stuart Davies, South West regional legal officer from Unite the Union, said: “Simon has made a remarkable recovery and we’re thrilled that he’s rebuilt his life in such a positive way.

“Simon’s accident was hugely traumatic for him and his family. Unfortunately, not everyone who is involved in a life threatening road accident makes the same recovery as Simon, and this is a real lesson that motorists need to be vigilant at all times when they are behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

“His Unite membership meant he had access to specialist legal support, ensuring he received 100% of the compensation secured for him with no deduction.”