Spotlight: Hodge Jones and Allen

What is the very first thing you do when someone comes to you looking for legal support after a road crash?

We understand that the legal process is new to virtually all of our clients. We’re here to listen and understand their requirements, so we can provide whatever support meets their needs.

We ensure that we treat each client with compassion and respect. As soon as a client has instructed HJA to act for them, we give them the contact details of the experienced lawyer who will be representing them. We promptly offer the client – and their family where needed – a face-to-face meeting, usually at the client’s home. It’s important they get to know us and feel comfortable discussing their immediate needs and concerns.

We’re proud of our high retention rate in the personal injury team. Most of our key lawyers have been with HJA for many years and, as a result, our clients get continuity and can be reassured that the relationship they have built up continues.

How do you ensure you take a person-centred, trauma-informed approach when providing legal support to road victim families?

For almost five decades, HJA has been fully committed to providing first-class legal help and to fight for what is right. We are passionate and determined in what we do. Every case is unique and we provide a bespoke service to each individual client’s needs. We are proud of the reputation we’ve built and work tirelessly to ensure we achieve the best possible outcome for each client.

We take the time to build a great rapport with each client, providing emotional and practical support. When the worst happens, clients and their families want to regain some element of control over their lives. We provide the help and support to allow them to do this, which is crucial in their road to recovery.

Guiding clients through this life-changing process and providing hope is very much at the forefront of our minds when advising them through the legal process. We explain things in such a way that our clients understand the next steps and ultimate goal.

We put rehabilitation at the centre of everything we do. This includes obtaining sizeable interim payments to help put in place the best possible rehabilitation packages for our client and their families. For fatal traffic collisions we try and build close relationships with the dedicated family liaison officer and the Brake caseworker, working collaboratively to provide the best support for everybody affected.

How has your partnership with Brake changed your perspective on working with road victim families?

Working with Brake has significantly deepened HJA’s perspective on supporting road victim families. Through Brake, we’ve come to appreciate the profound emotional, psychological, and long-term impact that road collisions can have.

We know that families don’t just need answers – they need to feel heard, understood and supported at their own pace. Every family’s experience of grief and trauma is unique, and Brake has reinforced the importance of approaching each situation with sensitivity and empathy.

The partnership has also highlighted the value of holistic support. Beyond immediate legal or procedural matters, families often need guidance on coping mechanisms, access to counselling, and help navigating complex processes. We are able to support families in these broader ways by connecting people with the best possible support.

Finally, it has strengthened our awareness of the human impact behind every case. It’s easy in some roles to become desensitised over time, but working alongside Brake has been a constant reminder that each incident represents real lives changed forever. This has strengthened our lawyers’ focus on compassion, patience, and commitment to making a positive difference to each family we help.

How do you support Brake?

Over the last five years, because of our cross-departmental expertise in matters such as housing, probate and crime, we have assisted Brake’s National Road Victim Service clients on a pro-bono basis, usually by way of initial informal advice.

As well as supporting the East Midlands and London region caseworkers with ongoing liaison and training, we have also enjoyed being involved in Brake’s other fundraising and awareness activities. We have previously supported Brake events for family liaison officers (FLOs) and family liaison co-ordinators (FLCs). For the last three years we have sponsored and attended the After the Crash conference, and we’ve been delighted to be at the annual reception and, most recently, the Rowan Tree Ball.

We are very proud to promote Road Safety Week and Brake’s Kids’ Walk, and our teams get together to raise money for Brake through quizzes and bake sales.

We received a call from Mrs C, who was referred to HJA by Brake’s National Road Victim Service when she didn’t know where to turn.

Her husband, Mr C, had been making his way home after a morning walk when he was hit by a car. He suffered a serious injury to his leg and other internal injuries. Sadly, he died a few days later. We went to see Mrs C at her home and began the claim against the defendant driver.

We worked closely with the family liaison officer and Mrs C’s Brake caseworker to help support her while the police investigation was ongoing, and then through the inquest into Mr C’s death. The driver was charged with causing death by careless driving.

We were able to itemise all of Mrs C’s losses, made a settlement offer to the defendant’s legal team, and recently settled the claim.

Mrs C said: “I want you to know how much I have appreciated all your hard work, help, and support over the last, often difficult, two years. I also want to thank you for your patience, understanding, and guidance throughout the procedures involved in the claim.

“I have always felt I was in good hands throughout the entire period; I couldn't have wished for better. The end result has far surpassed anything I was expecting. I can't thank you enough.”

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