Brain Injury Lawyers
Claim Compensation for a Brain Injury
Our traumatic brain injury lawyers are here to help individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. We specialise in helping people who have suffered a brain injury following an accident or medical negligence.
Call 020 7485 8811 to find out how we can help.
“Sophie Davies is a specialist in major cognitive and lower limb injury claims. “
“Osbornes has a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims, including fatalities and severe brain and spinal cord injuries.”
Specialist brain injury solicitors
A brain injury can change everything — your ability to work, your relationships, your independence. Recovery is rarely straightforward, and the financial impact can be severe and long-lasting.
Our brain injury solicitors represent people who have suffered serious brain injuries following accidents, medical negligence and other traumatic incidents. We handle claims at every level of complexity, from moderate injuries with lasting cognitive effects to catastrophic cases involving lifelong care needs.
Osbornes Law is independently ranked among the leading brain injury law firms in England and Wales. Our solicitors hold specialist APIL accreditation for brain injury claims, and we have recovered some of the largest brain injury settlements in the country, including substantial awards for children.
We also support and work alongside Headway, Headway East London and The Brain Injury Group.
What is a brain injury?
A brain injury is any damage to the brain caused by trauma, illness, lack of oxygen or another external factor. Brain injuries vary enormously in their severity and their effects on daily life.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
A traumatic brain injury is caused by a sudden external impact — a blow to the head, a fall, a road traffic accident or an assault. TBIs range from mild concussion to severe injuries with lasting neurological damage. Even injuries initially described as mild can lead to persistent symptoms including headaches, cognitive difficulties and mood changes.
Acquired brain injury (ABI) and acquired brain damage
An acquired brain injury occurs after birth and is not caused by an external impact. This includes injuries caused by stroke, brain haemorrhage, infection (such as meningitis or encephalitis), tumour, or oxygen deprivation. Acquired brain damage claims require specialist handling — the medical evidence is often complex and the long-term consequences may not be immediately apparent.
Our solicitors have extensive experience in acquired brain damage claims and understand the particular challenges these cases present in establishing causation and valuing long-term needs.
Hypoxic and anoxic brain injury
Hypoxic brain injury (partial oxygen deprivation) and anoxic brain injury (total oxygen deprivation) are among the most serious injuries we handle. These often arise from medical negligence — a failure to monitor a patient, a delayed diagnosis, or an error during surgery. The consequences can be severe and permanent, and claims of this nature require experienced specialist representation.
If your injury is primarily a head injury without a diagnosed brain injury or neurological damage, our head injury solicitors can advise on the most appropriate route for your claim.
Common causes of brain injury claims
Brain injury claims arise in many different circumstances. If another party was responsible for your injury, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Common causes include:
- Road traffic accidents — collisions involving cars, motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians
- Accidents at work — falls from height, falling objects, and other workplace incidents
- Slips, trips and falls — particularly where premises were poorly maintained
- Assaults — claims can be pursued through the civil courts or via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)
- Medical negligence — surgical errors, delayed diagnosis, birth injuries, failures in post-operative care
- Sports injuries — where negligence by a coach, club or organiser contributed to the injury
If you are unsure whether you have a claim, contact us for a free initial assessment. We will advise you honestly on the merits of your case.
Symptoms and long-term effects of brain injury
The effects of a brain injury are highly individual and may not be fully apparent in the early stages. Some people recover well with time and rehabilitation; others experience symptoms that persist indefinitely and fundamentally alter their quality of life.
Common effects include:
- Cognitive difficulties — problems with memory, concentration, processing speed and executive function
- Fatigue — often severe and poorly understood by others
- Headaches and chronic pain
- Changes in mood, behaviour and personality
- Anxiety and depression
- Sensory changes — altered vision, hearing or taste
- Speech and language difficulties
- Physical impairments — weakness, loss of coordination, seizures
Where symptoms are persistent or worsening, expert medical evidence is essential to understand prognosis and to ensure that compensation reflects the true long-term impact of the injury. Our solicitors work with leading neurological and neuropsychological experts to build cases that properly account for ongoing needs.
Types of brain injury claims we handle
Traumatic brain injury claims
We represent clients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries in accidents, including road traffic accidents, accidents at work and public liability incidents. Many of our clients have injuries that involve multiple areas of loss — cognitive, physical and psychiatric — and we ensure each element is properly evidenced and claimed.
Acquired brain damage claims
Acquired brain damage often arises from medical negligence or a sudden medical event. These claims are among the most complex we handle. We have a strong track record in this area and our solicitors understand both the medical issues and the particular legal challenges that acquired brain damage claims present.
Child brain injury claims
Brain injuries in children require particular expertise. The long-term consequences — for education, development, employment and independence — may take years to fully emerge, and the claim must be structured to reflect a lifetime of need.
Our solicitors have extensive experience in child brain injury claims and work with paediatric specialists, educational psychologists and care experts to ensure that settlements properly provide for the child’s future. Claims involving children follow specific court procedures, and we ensure that all settlements are properly approved and structured.
Brain injury from medical negligence
Where a brain injury was caused or contributed to by a failure in medical care, a claim may be brought in medical negligence. Common examples include failure to diagnose and treat a bleed on the brain, birth injury causing brain damage, and errors during surgery or anaesthesia.
These claims require coordinated expertise in both personal injury and medical negligence law. Our team has the depth of experience to pursue these cases effectively.
Fatal brain injury claims
Where a brain injury has resulted in death, the family may be entitled to bring a claim for bereavement, dependency and funeral expenses. We handle these cases with particular sensitivity and ensure that the full financial and emotional impact on the family is reflected in any settlement.
Not sure whether you have a brain injury or head injury claim? There is an important distinction. Head injury claims cover injuries to the head, face and skull where there is no diagnosed neurological damage. Brain injury claims involve diagnosed neurological injury and typically require more specialist medical evidence. If you are unsure which applies to you, contact us and we will advise.
How compensation is calculated for a brain injury claim
Brain injury compensation typically comprises two main elements.
General damages (pain, suffering and loss of amenity) reflect the injury itself. Awards are guided by the Judicial College Guidelines and vary widely depending on the severity of the injury, the prognosis, and the impact on the claimant’s life. For the most severe brain injuries resulting in permanent disability and full dependence, general damages alone can exceed £400,000.
Special damages cover the financial consequences of the injury and are often the larger element in serious brain injury claims. These include:
- Care and case management — past and future costs of professional and family care
- Rehabilitation — physiotherapy, occupational therapy, neuropsychology, speech therapy
- Accommodation — where the injury requires the claimant to move to adapted or specialist housing
- Equipment and aids — wheelchairs, assistive technology, home adaptations
- Loss of earnings — past and future, including pension loss
- Medical treatment — ongoing specialist treatment and medication
- Transport — where the injury affects the claimant’s ability to travel independently
In cases involving significant ongoing needs, the claim must be supported by expert evidence from care, accommodation, employment and other specialists. Our solicitors have the experience to identify and value each head of loss accurately, ensuring that you receive compensation that genuinely reflects your needs now and in the future.
Where liability is established early, we can apply for interim payments to fund rehabilitation and care while the full claim is resolved. Early access to rehabilitation can make a significant difference to long-term outcomes, and we pursue interim payments as a priority in serious cases.
The brain injury claims process
Initial consultation and case assessment
We offer a free initial consultation to assess your claim. We will ask about the circumstances of your injury, the impact it has had, and what treatment you have received. We will give you an honest assessment of the merits of your claim and explain how we would approach it.
Investigation and establishing liability
We investigate how the accident or incident occurred and gather evidence to establish that another party was responsible. This includes accident reports, witness statements, photographs, records and, where necessary, expert evidence from accident reconstruction specialists or other experts.
Obtaining medical evidence
Medical evidence is the foundation of any brain injury claim. We instruct leading neurological and neuropsychological experts to assess the nature and extent of your injury, your prognosis, and the impact on your daily life and future. Where the injury involves psychiatric consequences, we instruct specialist psychiatric experts.
Valuing the claim
We work with a range of specialists — care experts, employment consultants, accommodation experts, financial advisors — to value every aspect of your claim. In serious cases this is a substantial exercise, and we take the time to do it properly.
Negotiation and settlement
The majority of brain injury claims settle through negotiation, without the need for a trial. We negotiate robustly on your behalf and will not recommend a settlement that does not properly reflect your needs. Where the defendant does not make a fair offer, we are fully prepared to litigate.
Court proceedings
If your claim proceeds to court, our solicitors have the experience and preparation to represent you effectively. We brief leading barristers where appropriate and ensure that your case is presented at the highest level.
No win no fee brain injury claims
We handle the majority of brain injury claims on a no win no fee basis (a conditional fee agreement). This means:
- You pay nothing upfront
- If your claim is unsuccessful, you pay us nothing
- If your claim succeeds, our fee is recovered from the defendant’s insurer or deducted from your compensation — we will explain exactly how this works before you instruct us
No win no fee funding means that access to specialist legal representation is not dependent on your financial position. If you have a strong claim, we can take it on regardless of your means.
Brain injury FAQs
How long do I have to make a brain injury claim?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of the accident or injury to bring a claim. For claims arising from medical negligence, the three-year period typically runs from the date you became aware (or should reasonably have become aware) that your injury may have been caused by negligence — this is known as the date of knowledge.
There are important exceptions. Where the injured person lacks mental capacity, the three-year limitation period does not run. For children, the three-year period does not begin until their 18th birthday, meaning they have until age 21 to bring a claim in their own name (though a litigation friend can bring a claim on their behalf at any time before that).
If you are close to the three-year deadline, contact us urgently.
What are the stages of making a brain injury claim?
The main stages are: initial consultation and investigation; obtaining and exchanging medical evidence; valuing the claim with specialist experts; negotiation with the defendant’s insurers; and settlement or trial. In complex cases this process typically takes two to four years, though interim payments can be obtained earlier where liability is clear.
How much compensation can I get for a brain injury?
This depends on the severity of the injury and its consequences. Moderate brain injuries with some lasting effects may result in awards of £40,000–£200,000. Severe brain injuries with permanent disability and significant care needs can result in settlements in the millions, particularly where the claimant is young and has a lifetime of care costs ahead.
We can give you a more specific indication once we have assessed the details of your case.
Who will my claim be against?
This depends on how the injury occurred. In a road traffic accident it will typically be the driver’s insurer. In a workplace accident, your employer’s liability insurer. In a medical negligence claim, the NHS trust or private healthcare provider. In cases involving assaults where the perpetrator has no assets, a claim may be made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
How long does a brain injury claim take?
Straightforward cases may settle within 12–18 months. Complex cases involving catastrophic injury, disputed liability or difficult medical evidence may take three to five years. We pursue cases as efficiently as possible and keep you informed at every stage.
Can I claim if the accident was partly my fault?
Yes. If you were partly responsible for your accident, your compensation may be reduced by a percentage reflecting your contribution — this is called contributory negligence. It does not prevent you from making a claim.
What if the brain-injured person cannot manage the claim themselves?
Where the injured person lacks mental capacity, a litigation friend — usually a family member — can conduct the claim on their behalf. We regularly act in cases of this kind and can guide you through the process. If there is no obvious litigation friend available, we can advise on the alternatives.
If you have been affected by a brain injury and want to understand your options, contact our specialist brain injury solicitors today for a free initial consultation.
Laura Swaine handles a range of personal injury claims for clients including brain and spinal cord injuries.
She has particular expertise in claims for brain and orthopaedic injuries.
Sam Collard is recognised for his talent in complex brain and amputation claims, particularly those arising from sporting injuries and accidents.
Ben Posford regularly represents claimants in neurological injury and fatal accident claims
The team offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims and regularly acts for foreign nationals.
It has considerable experience in cases arising from motor accidents and accidents at work.
Osbornes has a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims, including fatalities and severe injuries regarding the brain and spinal cord.
Osbornes have expert leadership. They are very client-centred and provide great communication.
They have got a team of strong partners who are experienced and capable, and their lawyers have a can-do attitude and don't seem to be fazed by anything.
They grasp complex and sophisticated matters quickly.
From partners to associates, the lawyers are committed to ensuring a successful outcome for every client.
They have intelligent, experienced lawyers who advise their clients very carefully.
Osbornes deal with their clients in a very professional manner, attempting to get the best results at all times.
Ben Posford, head of catastrophic injury, is well-known for spinal cord and cauda equina claims, including high-profile fatality work.
Osbornes fields a specialist personal injury team with standout expertise in catastrophic trauma, regularly securing multimillion-pound settlements in spinal, brain, and amputation cases.
Excellent firm with a good insight into and prosecution of catastrophic PI work handled by an experienced team.
Without doubt, Osbornes are the firm to watch in London.
This team is growing in profile all the time. The firm now has many of London's leading personal injury solicitors.
The file handlers I have worked with are experienced and expert personal injury practitioners who can be relied upon to achieve excellent outcomes for the client.
They are very supportive of their clients and are willing to take on difficult cases.
This team is very well organised and approach their cases with great attention to detail.
They have particular expertise in dealing with Eastern European clients who speak little or no English as they have native speakers within their team.
Osbornes is a excellent firm for high value and complex personal injury work.
Osbornes Law is a really strong team with a lot of depth.
Osbornes work professionally as a team, responding diligently to emails or telephone calls.
Practice head Stephanie Prior is noted for her expertise in birth injury litigation, including cases resulting in serious cognitive injuries.
The team frequently represents claimants in complex cognitive and spinal injury disputes, involving hypertensions, spinal fractures, as well as inadequate treatment of heart and blood diseases.
The team handles a host of complex maternal claims, including cognitive injuries as a result of delayed birth treatments, cerebral palsy, and vaginal mesh litigation.
Sophie Davies is a specialist in major cognitive and lower limb injury claims.
Osbornes covers a spectrum of spinal cord and brain injuries, as well as fatal accidents, spanning spinal cord and brain injuries.
Osbornes clients are individuals whose cases are treated with the focus required when dealing with life changing injuries.
Fielding a ‘first class, very well resourced’ team of litigators, the personal injury department at Osbornes is rated for its diverse workload of complex, high-value injury claims, representing both domestic and international claimants.
Osbornes is an excellent firm, made up of lawyers with flair and pedigree.
Osbornes lawyers are smart, well trained, experienced and well managed.
Osbornes personal injury practice is first class; very well resourced and second to none.
Osbornes is becoming one of the top players in the claimant personal injury market. A large team with a great number of very high quality solicitors.
Osbornes is a highly proficient serious injury firm. They bring all the benefits of the biggest firms in the market but none of the downsides.
Osbornes prepares cases well; the whole team is good and lawyers there know their stuff.
They deal with people compassionately and take on the right amount of detail. The firm has some really brilliant key solicitors.
The personal injury team is responsive and its level of service towards clients and other professionals is exceptional and high quality
The team offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims and regularly acts for foreign nationals.
It has considerable experience in cases arising from motor accidents and accidents at work
Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.
Their team includes bright, hard-working solicitors dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for their clients from partner level to paralegal. Their client care is exceptional.
They are a team who are highly respected in the PI sector.
This is an excellent PI team doing a broad range of PI work.
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims, with notable strength in acting for European clients for whom English is not a first language.
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims.
Ben Posford leads the catastrophic injury team and regularly represents claimants in neurological injury and fatal accident claims. He also has a niche specialism in claims involving cauda equina syndrome.
Stuart Kightley regularly handles cases involving brain injuries, fatal accidents, cycling collisions and workplace accidents.
Stephanie Prior is head of the clinical negligence department at Osbornes Law. She acts on a wide range of issues, including claims for brain injuries sustained at birth and delays in diagnosis. She frequently represents clients in fatal claims involving surgical error.
Sophie Davies specialises in brain injury and lower limb amputation cases.
"Sam Collard is recognised for his talent in complex brain and amputation claims, developing strength particularly in quantum issues and sporting injuries and accidents."
'The team deals with multi-million pound, often multifaceted claims, involving such factors as severe brain, psychiatric, gynaecological and spinal injury, major trauma, amputation and fatality.'
"They punch well above their weight. The quality of service they provide equals that of any of the larger top-name firms in this area"
Ben Posford is fiercely bright, with an unrivalled passion for his clients’ cases. His encyclopaedic knowledge of all things PI is second to none. His foresight and commercial nous have propelled Osbornes into the highest echelons of the market where they rightly belong.
The firm has an excellent and innovative line in cases involving non-English speaking claimants, managed by recruiting paralegals with multi-language skills – an impressive route for expansion of the caseload.
Great expanding team with expertise and respect in the sector. Led by a commercially savvy and business minded team.
A really excellent group of PI solicitors, notable for their individual quality.’
A niche firm that punches well above its weight in the catastrophic injury sector, borne out by the quality of work they obtain.
This combination of experience and diligence reaps massive rewards for clients, Osbornes being well known in the industry as a fantastic firm.
The Osbornes personal injury team now comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business.
Ben Posford is one of London’s best catastrophic injury lawyers, in my view. He is a real brain injury specialist.
Excellent coverage of personal injury, and traumatic brain injury. There is a real specialism in claimants who do not speak English as a first language.
The group is noted for its expertise in matters relating to cycling injuries, and is the official legal partner of the London Cycling Campaign charity.
To complement its strong reputation for high-value and complex personal injury work, the firm continues to develop its 'excellent and innovative line in cases involving non-English speaking claimants'
"Osbornes comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business"
"A small but high-powered team, dealing with cases of significant value and complexity."
"An excellent firm which achieves fantastic outcomes for clients."
"Osbornes Law have captured the magic of keeping the customer service levels of a smaller firm whilst having all the expertise and power of the biggest firms."
"A superb boutique catastrophic injury firm."
"Really good at dealing with people who have suffered a serious injury."
"Affable and charming with very good client-handling skills."
"superb firm with consummate professionals and a human touch."
Osbornes now has a team of highly experienced personal injury lawyers; particularly strong on high-value quantum cases, workplace accidents and claims involving foreign workers injured in the UK.
The team provides fantastic strength-in-depth for personal injury claims. It is also particularly well placed to service clients from Eastern Europe with specialist native language speakers. From the smallest case to a multimillion-pound spinal injury case, Osbornes has the right staff to manage every claim.
Ben Posford remains pre-eminent in his field with expert understanding of litigating cases of the upmost severity. His experience builds on Stuart Kightley’s running of the firm with recent partner additions of Rob Aylott making a fantastic addition.
A firm going from strength-to strength-which retains its client care whilst being able to offer a full personal injury service.
Beneath Ben Posford’s calm and reassuring presence, which clients love, lies a formidable tactical and legal brain. His experience tells and he gets it right at every stage of the process from arranging the best possible rehabilitation, to ensuring, so far as possible, a polite relationship with those acting for the defendant in order to ensure best and early resolution of the claim.
"Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team."
"They have an expanding profile in personal injury and clinical negligence and offer a superb, broad service in accidents abroad, enabled by their recruitment of bilingual legal executives who can guide non-English speakers through complex litigation."
"Solid personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims arising from fatalities and severe head and spinal injuries."
"Offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims."
"Offers specialist expertise in cauda equina syndrome cases."
"An exceptional outfit. They take on difficult cases, fight hard and win."
"Stuart Kightley is an incredibly empathetic solicitor who is very knowledgeable about traumatic brain injury."
"They are an outstanding firm to work with. They are consistently impressive in their work."
"Osbornes often handles claims valued at over £1m, particularly relating to severe brain and spinal cord injuries and niche areas such as cauda equina syndrome and cycling accidents."
"The hard-working, thorough and committed Robert Aylott, who brings significant heavyweight personal injury experience."
"Key team members include the energetic and personable Stuart Kightley who is head of the personal injury department."
"Stephanie Prior... manages a varied caseload, including obstetric claims, child and adult brain injury cases and fatal and non-fatal spinal cord injury cases."
Thank you for the hard work and patience and for being so patient with my constant questions.
"I have found Osbornes to be thorough, clear and understanding from the initial call. They do exactly what they say they will and with passion! I would recommend them to anyone".
Very good efficient service. Would not hesitate to use again.
I will use Osbornes for any future needs.
I don't think I could have asked for anything more. One of the best dealings I've had with the legal profession.
Sam was excellent and very professional in dealing with our claim.
Head of the personal injury department, Stuart Kightley is a first-rate practitioner, wholly focused on getting his client the best outcome in a pragmatic, sensible and consensual manner.
As a real specialist in spinal cord injuries, Ben Posford is always looking at new angles on how to maximise his cases.
Ben Posford is one of the best catastrophic injury lawyers around.
They provide exceptional service, great knowledge and understanding of the law, excellent client care and tactical nous
Stuart Kightley is praised for his expertise in catastrophic and fatal claims. Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team.
My claim was dealt with efficiently and professionally. Communication was excellent, and timely. Shrewd and sound advice was provided at every stage of the claim from beginning through to completion. On the basis of my personal experience I would strongly recommend Osbornes.
I just wish to thank you for your hard work and successful outcome. I am pleased with the result and would recommend you and your firm to anyone in the future.
Ben Posford … is ‘tactically astute’ and ‘one of the best personal injury solicitors around’.
Ben Posford ‘knows how to maximise the value of the claim for his clients’.
"Ben Posford is singled out for his expertise in high-level catastrophic claims, particularly his handling of devastating brain and spinal injuries"
Brain Injury Claims Client StoriesVIEW ALL
22.9.2025Young Mum Secures 7-Figure Payout After Workplace Accident
A young mum who was left with life-changing injuries after her scalp and ear were ripped off in a horrific...
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26.10.2023Six-Figure Compensation for Victim of Reckless Scooter Driver
Siobhan McIvor, accredited Personal Injury Solicitor and Partner at Osbornes Law, has settled a case at a Settlement Meeting with...
Read more- 24.10.2023
Six-figure Settlement for Pedestrian Injured at Traffic Lights
Our client was a 68 year old homeless Polish National who was knocked over on a traffic light controlled crossing. He...
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28.2.20226-Figure Settlement for Brain Injuries Caused by Car...
High-speed collision causes catastrophic brain injuries Our Spanish client was the front-seat passenger in a car driven by her husband...
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31.1.2022Recent Brain Injury Client Stories
Osbornes Law specialises in helping families who have suffered a brain injury as a result of medical negligence. Our specialist...
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9.1.2022Settlement secured for head injury caused by hammer...
Osbornes Law has secured a £100,000 settlement for her client who suffered serious head injuries after being attacked in prison by...
Read more- 26.10.2021
Examples of Serious Brain Injury Settlements
£250,000 lump sum for a 58-year-old train driver Award of £250,000 lump sum for a 58-year-old train driver who sustained a mild...
Read more - 2.8.2021
London Tube Sign Causes Head Injury: Case Study
Compensation for Pedestrian Injured by Falling Public Sign Head Injury Claim after falling tube sign knocks pedestrian unconscious Incident Overview...
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18.5.2021Seven figure settlement for brain injury
Introduction to the case Our client, F sustained a brain injury leaving her with severely impaired mobility and wheelchair dependent....
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15.9.2019Osbornes Settles Brain Injury Case For Six Figure...
Case Overview: Brain Injury in Road Accident Osbornes acted for a Hungarian doctor who sustained a serious brain injury in...
Read more- 13.8.2019
Ground-breaking technology secures multi-million pound damages
Our client sustained near-fatal brain injuries in an accident which was not their fault, but made a remarkable recovery from...
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25.3.2019£5m for brain injury caused by car accident
Man in his twenties sustained serious brain in a car accident A man in his twenties who sustained serious injuries...
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