In this episode of Stewarts Soundbites, Emma Lyons and Dan Herman, Head of Personal Injury at Stewarts, discuss stress experienced by claimants involved in the litigation process.

The claimants we represent are already coming to terms with life changing injuries and often find themselves having to juggle the usual demands of family life, ongoing intensive rehabilitation across a number of disciplines, and an unfamiliar and potentially frightening litigation process.

Of course, every individual’s circumstances are different, but managing these competing instances often leads to stress. This can make things difficult for the claimant, their family and all the professionals involved. Understanding the process and the pressure points of litigation can be crucial in providing successful support, which may ultimately have an impact upon engagement and outcomes.

In this episode, Dan explores the likely stressors in the litigation process, flagging key stages which are bound to lead to higher levels of stress than others. He will offer practical advice for claimants, families and professionals in helping to successfully navigate such times.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In this special extended edition of Soundbites, Emma Lyons has an extended conversation with Dan Metcalfe, also known across the internet as ‘wheelsdan’.

After sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2014, Dan filled his life with sports of all kinds, in particular handcycling. Leaving his job to become a full-time athlete, he also channelled his passion for sport into various challenges to raise money for charity.

In 2018, in the midst of a month-long 600 mile charity hand-cycling ride, Dan was struck from behind by a speeding car and sustained a second serious injury. It was at this time that Dan began to struggle with his mental health, with his head injury affecting his ability to handcycle and live his life as he wanted.

Friends encouraged Dan to return in particular to diving, and it was the meditative practice that came with diving which gave him a new lease on life. He now dives all over the world and holds three Guinness World Records for diving.

In this episode, Dan talks at length about his journey following both injuries and the connection between physical and mental health. He talks about what he’s learned from his active lifestyle after injury, and gives his advice about the importance of physical exercise and talking about your situation to the long-term recovery process. Dan recommends those who have sustained an injury should “adventure down every route you can, and find something you can look forward to.”

We hope you listen to this very special episode, to hear about Dan’s inspirational story.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

We were delighted to welcome Rachel Burley-Stower back as a guest on Stewarts Soundbites.

Rachel is a hugely experienced community care law solicitor who joined us on this episode to discuss some of the current challenges in securing and maintaining local authority funding, particularly following settlement of personal injury litigation where care is required on an ongoing basis.

Many who are ineligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding (CHC) rely upon provision from the local authority. Rachel examined income that is and is not disregarded in assessing eligibility for care and how some people are impacted depending upon the form of their personal injury awards.

Rachel discusses:

• the importance of early applications for NHS CHC,
• difficulties in maintaining it over a sustained period following injury,
• the transition to local authority funding, and
• the impact upon injured people depending upon their financial situation.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm