A nursing assistant who suffered long term spine damage after a car accident has received £100,000 compensation, almost six years later.

The 49-year-old from Prudhoe in Northumberland had to take a year off work after a Ford Focus ploughed into his car in Prudhoe Front Street.

He suffered a lower spine injury which needed surgery. Due to nerve damage in his spine he has been left with a number of health problems including weakness in his leg, ankle and groin as well as problems with his bowel and bladder. He has been told he will suffer from his health problems for the rest of his life.

The UNISON member has been able to return to work but must be careful to manage his physical disabilities to avoid suffering from back pain.

Thompsons kept me fully informed the whole time

Although the driver of the Ford Focus admitted liability for the crash, the claim took six years to complete because so many medical reports were needed to establish the seriousness and long term implications of the spine injury.

The UNISON member said: "Over the years I’ve learned how best to adapt to the health problems which have been caused by the injury to my spine. Fortunately I’ve been able to return to work but I have to make sure I don’t over do things because when I do I get severe back pain.

“I miss going for long walks and cycling, something I enjoyed in my spare time before this happened. I’m relieved this claim has been settled. It has taken a long time for medical experts to get to the bottom on my condition which has meant the claim for compensation has gone on much longer than expected. It has been frustrating at times but Thompsons kept me fully informed the whole time and I was confident that they would achieve the best result for me in the end.”

Serious injury affected both his work and personal life

Gill Hale from UNISON added: “We are pleased to have supported our member in his claim for compensation. He suffered a serious injury which has affected both his work and personal life. It is only right that he receives significant compensation for having had his life turned permanently upside down.”

David Mole from Thompsons Solicitors who took the case for UNISON said: “Liability in this case was straight forward but our client’s medical condition was very complicated and required experienced and skilled lawyers to identify the issues and appoint the correct medical experts to ensure we achieved the correct value for the claim. Some solicitors may have been tempted to settle this claim earlier but this would have resulted in our client being short-changed.”