| Need to know | |
|---|---|
Name: | Slater and Gordon |
| Regions covered: | North East, South and Central, London |
| Member of: | Brake's England and Wales legal panel, overseas collision panel |
| Brake partner: | More than 10 years |
Q&A with Slater and Gordon
Why do you choose to partner with Brake as a member of our specialist legal panel?
We have supported Brake for more than a decade, a partnership based on shared values – working towards reducing deaths and casualties and safe roads.
We see first-hand the devastating impact of road crashes on the thousands of clients we have supported. Losing a loved one in a road crash or sustaining a serious injury is unexpected and traumatic, and very often life changing.
It is important that alongside our expert legal guidance, our clients receive high-quality emotional support that Brake provides through the National Road Victim Service.
How do you support road victims?
We work closely with many charity partners supporting people who have sustained neurological, spinal, limb loss or other complex injuries.
We also have an extensive network of relationships with hospitals, including major trauma centres and specialist rehabilitation units, where patients and families can access a range of support at a critical time in their lives.
Together with our legal experts, in-house rehabilitation co-ordinator, spinal cord injury peer support and police relationship team, these collaborations help to ensure road victims and their families can access advice and guidance on the aspects of post-collision care that are important to them, and information about the options available to them.
We guide families on the processes police forces and family liaison officers follow in the aftermath of a crash. We also regularly support people before, during and after an inquest, and help with things like victim impact statements.
Why is it important that road victims get specialist legal support in the aftermath of a crash?
As experts in litigation following road crashes, we understand the profound impact they can have on all aspects of life, both for the victims and for their families. Our experienced legal team are skilled at navigating these complex cases, so every road victim receives the highest level of support not just through the legal process but also as they navigate life post-collision.
This can include things like interim payments – partial payments that prevent claimants from suffering financially while their case is ongoing – as well as access to rehabilitation, home adaptations, therapy and treatment.
How do you support Brake?
We are proud to be a regular supporter of many Brake events. We have sponsored Brake’s annual reception at the Houses of Parliament for a number of years, as well as sponsoring and exhibiting at the After the Crash Conference since it launched.
Our teams across the country champion key campaigns throughout the year. For example, for Road Safety Week we have produced information videos, conducted research and shared stories of people we have supported, to increase awareness of road safety issues.
As part of our partnership with Brake, we are committed to contributing towards training for post-crash care professionals, including the Brake team.
Pictured above: Slater and Gordon staff at Brake's Annual Reception. From left to right: Steve Hardman, police relationship manager; Delia Coleman, associate – serious injury; Jamie McDonnell, relationship manager.
Case file – a pedestrian hit by a speeding motorcyclist
This section includes descriptions of a road collision and serious injury that some people may find distressing.
Tracey Benson, head of serious injury, south region at Slater and Gordon, represented a pedestrian who was seriously injured when he was hit by a speeding motorbike while crossing the road.
We have not used the road victim’s real name.
Simon was a very fit and healthy 62-year-old family man. He led an active life, counting cycling, golf, skiing and football among his sporting hobbies and regularly cycling 70 miles per week. He loved his job as a director of a construction firm.
The impact of the injuries Simon suffered as a result of the collision devastated him and his family and completely altered his active lifestyle.
A life-changing collision
Simon was crossing a three-lane road at a signal-controlled pelican crossing in central London. It was a bright, sunny day in August 2022. As he stepped onto the road, Simon was struck by a motorbike travelling at a speed of at least 55mph in a 30mph zone.
Simon sustained multiple serious injuries and needed to have a below-knee amputation. He remained in intensive care for seven weeks and was unconscious for around five weeks, during which time he suffered two cardiac arrests.
After four months in hospital, Simon was finally discharged home. He needed extensive ongoing treatment, including shoulder replacement surgery and intensive rehabilitation. Although Simon had undergone a below-knee amputation, his knee joint was very badly damaged and needed further surgery. Unfortunately, his knee joint couldn’t be saved and 18 months after the crash, Simon underwent a higher-level leg amputation.
In addition to causing life-changing physical injuries, the crash had a devastating psychological impact on Simon and his family. He was assigned a Brake caseworker, who provided emotional support as the family navigated life after the devastation of a road crash.
This case demonstrates the importance of having support from a legal team with experience representing people who have been seriously injured and families who have been bereaved in road crashes.
Funding for ongoing treatment
“It was clear from the outset, given the seriousness of our client’s injuries, that this was going to be a case of substantial value,” says Tracey. “We were very fortunate to form an excellent collaborative working relationship with the insurers of the motorcyclist and their appointed solicitors.”
As a result, the legal team was able to better support Simon by making his experience as smooth as possible, despite some medical setbacks. The collaborative relationship between the opposing legal teams meant Simon quickly had a full home assessment and adaptations were made to ensure he was safe at home.
His garage was converted into a gym so he could continue his rehabilitation, and the downstairs toilet was converted into a wet room. Ramps were fitted to the front and rear of his home, too.
Simon’s lawyer managed to secure interim payments – partial payments that prevent claimants from suffering financially while their case is ongoing – and full funding from the motorcyclist’s insurers to cover the costs of his rehabilitation and a top-of-the-range prosthetic limb.
“The insurers fully funded the prosthesis, which is the best model on the market for high-level amputees. There was no dispute about the provision of this prosthesis, which is quite unusual,” Tracey says.
Simon was wholeheartedly committed to his rehabilitation, and with intensive physiotherapy and personal training he regained a good level of fitness. He was able to get back to doing most of his hobbies in spite of his injuries. He even took part in a cycle to Paris in 2025! After a period of working entirely from home, Simon eventually returned to work in London three days a week.
The criminal case
The motorcyclist was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was found guilty by a jury in July 2025. It was found that he drove at excessive speed and likely went through a red traffic light, overtaking stationary vehicles waiting at the lights. He was sentenced to four years in prison.
Reaching a settlement
Simon will require significant life-long care, and his needs will increase as he ages. Although there was some dispute about the categories and level of damages he could claim, the settlement reflected factors like Simon’s loss of future earnings and promotion prospects, his need to buy and adapt a new home that is suitable for his ongoing needs, and the cost of his prosthetics and future care.
Simon’s case demonstrates the importance of having support from a legal team with experience representing people who have been seriously injured and families who have been bereaved in road crashes.
His team called on relevant case law and legal precedent to strengthen their claim, and the collaborative, pragmatic approach of the two opposing legal teams helped in negotiating the best settlement for Simon and his family.
“This case serves as a reminder of the benefits of a collaborative approach by both sides during the litigation, despite disagreements over key issues,” Tracey says.
Ultimately, this helped Simon regain much of his independence and live a full life.
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