Manchester Arena bombing survivor Joanne McSorley says she has been left a prisoner her own home as she continues to await compensation for the disabling injuries she suffered in the attack more than five-and-a-half years ago.
Joanne, 49, of Runcorn, suffered catastrophic injuries to her left side and shrapnel injuries all over her body in the explosion when Salman Abedi detonated his device, killing 22 and leaving hundreds more injured.
She had been waiting with her mother Susan for her daughters Ellie and Libby, aged 16 and 11 at the time, to come out of the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.
Following publication of the third Volume of findings by Public Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders, which brought the Inquiry to a close, Joanne says she has been denied the chance to fully rebuild her life, as still to this day no organisation has stepped forward to offer appropriate financial help.
She has, only recently, been offered compensation through the Government’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which is responsible for making awards to victims of crime and terror attacks, but describes the offer as ‘insulting’.
Now, her legal team at Hudgell Solicitors is preparing civil claims for compensation, on behalf of Joanne and more than 150 others injured in the attack, which will be commenced against defendants before the end of the year.
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‘Appalled at lack of support’
Former teaching assistant Joanne had worked at the same primary school for 26 years before the bombing, but was left unable to work due to her injuries and has had to live off her pension since, as well as claiming benefits for the first time in her life.
She is now pinning her hopes on civil action being successful, to give her ‘some of the old Joanne back’.
“I’m appalled at the lack of support and help we’ve had,” she said.
“We’ve had nothing from the Government, or from the other security organisations which have been brought before this inquiry to answer as to why this was ever allowed to happen. They’ve all got on with their lives and their businesses since what happened that day, it’s just the victims who have been left behind, struggling to rebuild their lives.
“It’s not on their minds every day, but every day I’m reminded of what happened, when I look at my injuries, when I can’t go to do the job I love, when I struggle to get up the steps into my home and when I have to struggle to go upstairs to go to the bathroom.
“Somebody could have held their hands up and helped us out before now, but they haven’t. We’ve been left to struggle and that is appalling.”
‘I thought I’d never see my family again’
Joanne was left in a critical condition following the attack and was in an induced coma for a number of days before being allowed home after close to three months in hospital. She had been waiting for her girls with her mother Susan at the time, and says she feared she would die in the aftermath of the explosion.
“I can remember opening my eyes and seeing my left arm in a real mess, it was pretty much hanging off. Then I looked up and saw my mum who, fortunately, had not been seriously injured. I tried to get up and realised my leg was broken, and that I was heavily bleeding from my stomach area,” she said.
“I remember thinking I was going to die and telling my mum to go and find the girls and to tell them that I loved them.”
Joanne was then separated from her mother and remained in the City Room area for around an hour-and-a-half until she was carried to a holding area on a makeshift stretcher. She wasn’t taken to hospital until around 2.20am – almost four hours after the blast.
Her daughters had made their way back to the family car in the arena car park, and were taken to a safe location, where they were met by their father, who by then had spoken to Susan. They knew Joanne had been injured, but not how badly until the following day when visiting her in hospital.
“It was awful. I had a feeling I’d never see my family again. There were a few times that night I thought I was going to die. Ellie had left me a heartbreaking answerphone message. It was horrific,” recalled Joanne.
‘This was an attack waiting to happen. Nobody did their job.’
Having followed the evidence and reports from the Public Inquiry, which ran for two-and-a-half years, Joanne says she has been left ‘angry and bitter’ by what she has heard. “I am bitter, I don’t want to be, but I am,” she said.
“To me, this was an attack waiting to happen. The door was left completely open for it to happen as the culture was terrible. From the Government to the security organisations and the police. People were taking breaks longer than they should have, people weren’t properly trained or prepared, and people didn’t act to obvious warning signs. Nobody did their job.
“I’m now left a very different person to that I was before. I was a busy working mum, always on the go with a full and hectic life, from looking after the family to going out and having a good time. We have little of that now. I’m a prisoner in my own home.
“I’ve been left disabled. The entire left side of my body was so badly damaged that it will always impact on me, I can’t stretch my arm out fully. I have radial nerve damage, pins throughout my body and suffer from chronic pain.
“I use a stick to walk and if it’s any sort of distance I need to use a wheelchair. All this has made my house completely unsuitable as there are steps outside, no toilet downstairs and it’s also quite small, so difficult for me to get around.
“I had hoped that I’d have some significant compensation from the Government by now to cover the cost of finding a new place to live, but the offer from the CICA has not been enough to be able to do that, and no other organisation which let us all down that night has held their hand out to offer help.
“I’ll never be the same person again, but I want to be helped to live in the best possible comfort, as that will help me get a bit of the old Joanne back.”
Hudgell Solicitors preparing civil claims for compensation
Solicitor Terry Wilcox is part of a team at Hudgell Solicitors which represents two families who lost loved ones and more than 150 injured survivors.
He said: “Joanne’s situation is similar to many others who were seriously injured at the Manchester Arena bombing, as other than through the CICA, civil claims for compensation have unfortunately had to await the outcome of investigations and this Public Inquiry.
“There have been organisations exposed for catastrophic failures in their duties and responsibilities to protect everybody who was injured, yet in close to six years since that attack happened, not one has stepped forward with an offer to make things right for those who have suffered so immeasurably.
“Every day we speak to families who lost loved ones, and to the people who were left so badly injured, both physically and psychologically, by what happened. It is a lifelong impact for them and we’ve had to partner with others willing to offer services and support out of their own pockets.
“These people now need to be fully compensated for the unimaginable suffering they’ve endured, and that means much more than financially, ensuring the very best result is achieved for each and every individual from a social and wellbeing perspective, securing them the vital rehabilitation and support they need to help them towards a better future. “
Manchester Arena Bombing Compensation Claims
Our team of leading civil liberties and serious personal injury solicitors can represent anybody who has suffered loss and injury directly as a result of attending at the Manchester Arena on the night of the bombing.
Compensation will be sought for the pain and suffering caused by physical and psychological injuries, for loss of earnings (since the attack and into the future), rehabilitation and treatment, care needs and any broader impact on life.
If you suffered injury in the Manchester Arena bombing and are yet to secure legal support, call our team today or complete our short claim form.
