When a car accident brought tragedy and loss to the life of Barrie Steeley, he says trying to look forward to any sort of positive future was impossible.
His partner Jennifer, 29, and their six-year-old daughter Kodi were both killed, leaving him as a single father to Morgan, aged four, and Brandon, a 15-month-old baby boy who also suffered a serious brain injury in the crash.
Today, 17 years on, Mr Steeley says he look backs with great pride at how he and his two boys have managed – and is now able to look forward with optimism that a positive future lay ahead for them all.
He says they would never have reached this point without the ‘tremendous support’ provided via a serious injury legal claim which has ensured they have had all the support and help they have needed for close to two decades.
“When the accident happened the future was just a blank. I couldn’t even look past a day as I had to simply focus on the boys,” he said.
“When something like that happens to you, there’s no clarity of thought, and no way that you can ever envisage reaching a point of contentment and happiness again, but we’ve got there together, and with a huge amount of support along the way.”
Legal case has provided financial, physical, emotional and psychological support
That support has come through a legal case led by Hudgell Solicitors, which has overseen an on-going package of financial, physical, emotional and psychological support provided to the family.
Crucially, it included a holistic support package – led by a dedicated case manager – to help Brandon’s recovery, independence, educational development and quality of life, ensuring obstacles at each step of his life have been suitably met.
Initial support focussed on home-based rehabilitation, including counselling, care, neuro occupational therapy and clinical psychology, provided by brain injury rehabilitation specialists.
In more recent years, Brandon has attended a college for children with special education needs, and had his own dedicated support worker constantly by his side.
They have taken him on activity days and trips, helping him develop confidence and independence, and to learn key life skills.
“I can’t begin to describe the support we’ve had over the years. The best way to describe it is possibly like somebody coming along, putting an arm around us as a family, and taking us under their wings to make sure we’ve had all the help and support we needed,” Mr Steeley said.
“In the very early days that included some counselling for myself and Morgan, but as time went on it of course became focussed on ensuring Brandon had the support network he needed around him.
“That in turn gave me the chance to have some time of my own, and to spend with Morgan, and that was hugely important too.”
Support worker helped Brandon become more independent
Mr Steeley says that without doubt the impact of the dedicated support worker, who has spent the past five years alongside Brandon, from helping him with homework on evenings to enjoying activity days out such as swimming and bowling, has been immense.
“That support has been crucial for us all, not just Brandon,” he said.
“It has given Brandon the chance to get out of the house too, to have his own independence, learn skills and to enjoy things other kids of his age enjoy. He certainly needed that space and to be able to enjoy other environments away from home, and I don’t think the positive impact of that can be underestimated.
“It was also important for myself and Morgan. At times things could all get a bit much, so to have time where I knew Brandon’s needs were not only being met, but that there was someone spending quality time with him, really took a weight from my shoulders.
“At time we all need space, and we all need a different environment.”
Interim damages payments have ensured constant support
Over the years, a number of interim damages payments have been made to the family, as part of the claim.
These helped cover Mr Steeley’s loss of earnings in the early years and ensured they didn’t suffer any financial hardship as a result of the difficult life situation they were in. Payments also covered the cost of a couple of much needed family holidays.
Now, with Brandon reaching adulthood, the focus is on ensuring his legal case is brought to a suitable conclusion with insurers, and that a package of support continues to be provided for him to live as independent and comfortable life as possible.
“Brandon is like many boys of his age in that he has a lot of interests, but perhaps has not yet 100 per cent focussed on something to do for the future. He loves gaming and making and mixing music, so there may be something in that area for him to focus upon, and we’ve also talked about getting him involved in the voluntary sector,” added Mr Steeley.
“Whatever he does, I’m proud of where he has got to. What happened to us as a family was awful, but we’ve formed a very strong bond over the years and we are really close. We are a strong family unit and that makes me exceptionally proud.
“You can always look back and wonder how things could have been different, but this is who we are and where we are at now. We are in a good place.”
Solicitor says final settlement must provide for future needs
Sam McFadyen, a Serious Injury Manager at Hudgell Solicitors who has been representing Brandon and his family, is hopeful that the case can be brought to a conclusion over the next 12 months.
He said: “I have been supporting the family for several years and it has been a delight to see Brandon and Morgan develop into young men.
“Morgan has recently started a Master’s degree at University, so it is only natural that, in time, Brandon will want to follow suit and begin building a life of his own. Everything that has been done as part of the case has been to ensure he has the best possible chance of doing just that.
“He has made excellent progress, but the reality is that, given the impact of his brain injury, he is very unlikely to be able to live a fully independent life in the future, and will need a continued package of support and assistance in the future. That is something which will have to be taken into account when bringing his case to a conclusion now he has reached adult age.
“The aim is to agree a final compensation package which will ensure sufficient funds can be placed into a Trust for Brandon for the rest of his life, to be overseen by a Professional Deputy who will ensure all funds awarded are appropriately managed and used to support him through adult life.
“I know that when we bring the case to a conclusion, we’ll be saying goodbye to this family knowing we’ve done all we can for them, through the most difficult of days, and ensuring they have the best possible future ahead. That makes me immensely proud.”
Serious Injury Compensation
Our serious injury solicitors are highly experienced in supporting not only people who suffer life-changing injuries, but also those close to them.
We know that when somebody suffers a serious injury it usually also impacts hugely on the lives of loved ones as well, and this is why we tailor our service to do much more than provide legal advice.
At Hudgell Solicitors we have a reputation for assisting in every possible way we can, from offering help to ease immediate worries such as work and family finances to pressing for the most suitable immediate and long-term treatment and rehabilitative care.
If you or a member of your family has come to harm as a result of serious injury which was of no fault of your own, you have a right to seek compensation for your injuries. We put your interests first, from supporting you on your return home from hospital to ensuring the most appropriate and effective legal and medical specialists handle your claim.
