A young woman who was left for dead by a hit-and-run driver has won a six year-long legal battle for compensation following the horrific accident.

PCS member Amy Verlander, now 27, was just 21 when she was mown down by a Toyota Yaris whilst waiting for a taxi on Burdett Road, Limehouse, East London.

Mohammed Rahman, who was driving the car, left her for dead. She only survived thanks to the actions of a quick thinking passing motorist who flagged down a police car.

Amy was in a coma for three weeks and suffered a catalogue of horrific injuries including a broken neck, spinal injuries, a punctured lung, fractured pelvis, crushed diaphragm, shattered ribs and a broken arm.

She was confined to a wheelchair for seven months and had to relearn how to walk. She has been left with long term brain damage which has dramatically changed her personality and means she needs support from a carer.

Hit and Run driver was traced and prosecuted

Once a successful employee at the Independent Police Complaints Commission, she has been told she will never return to full time work due to a combination of poor memory, concentration lapses and overwhelming fatigue.

Rahman was only found after an appeal from the local newspaper, the East London Advertiser. He admitted charges of careless driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident and was sentenced to three months in jail.

Following the accident Amy’s trade union, PCS, offered its legal services for support in claiming damages from Mohammed Rahman’s insurers.

PCS instructed Thompsons Solicitors to investigate a claim for compensation. Rahman’s insurers argued that Amy would make a recovery from her injuries but Thompsons was able to secure a judgment that Amy suffered from long term brain damage, would never return to full time work and would always need support from a carer.

After the judgment was returned the insurers settled the case for a six figure sum in damages and an additional payment for the ongoing costs caused by her injury. Amy is under the Court of Protection due to her condition and will not have full access to the compensation but the damages will ensure that the care and support she needs now and in the future is fully provided.

Compensation will allow her to pay for the help and support she needs

Amy’s father, John said: “We are relieved that Amy’s case has finally been resolved. The last six years have been a living nightmare for all of us. Amy was a fun loving, hard working girl at the prime of her life. She was left for dead and the resulting brain injury means she is now a very different young woman, whose bright future has been curbed.

“It is a great relief to all of us to know that she can receive the best help available and that those funds are there to support her far into the future.”

PCS's head of legal services Phil Madelin said: "We have a huge amount of respect and sympathy for Amy and her family for the uphill battle they have endured over the last six years. We had no hesitation in offering her support from our free legal service as we know from experience that our lawyers achieve the best results for our members, whether they are injured at or away from work. This settlement will make a big difference to Amy's wellbeing and we wish her all the very best for the future."

Henrietta Phillips from Thompsons Solicitors added: “This has been a sensitive case which has taken a number of years to resolve due to the complicated nature of brain injury litigation. The courts agreed with our medical experts that Amy will never fully recover from her injuries and as a result will not return to full time work and will always need support from a carer.

“Whilst Amy will not have full access to this compensation it will allow her to pay for the help and support she needs to allow her to lead as full a life as possible.”