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

In this episode of Stewarts Soundbites we are delighted to welcome Nicola Hunt, a Chartered Physiotherapist with extensive experience in neurological, vestibular and respiratory physiotherapy.

Nicola and Emma Lyons discuss the common vestibular issues experienced by those who have sustained a brain injury. Nicola will explore:

• how we identify when some is experiencing vestibular dysfunction;
• the referral process and help available to those with and without legal claims;
• how vestibular problems may evolve;
• when it is appropriate to have a vestibular physiotherapist involved alongside another general physiotherapist;
• how technological advances have assisted those with vestibular deficits.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In a special edition of Soundbites, our Clinical Negligence team’s Amy Fielding meets Peeps relationship officer Penny Harger to learn more about the only UK-based charity dedicated to helping support families affected by hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

A lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain, HIE is a serious brain injury in newborns which can happen to anyone and is impossible to predict. Peeps works to support parents, families and friends of those who have experienced an HIE event.

This episode explores two of the key services provided by Peeps:

• peer support, where HIE parents and families are connected to others who have had a similar experience and can chat on a confidential basis, and
• counselling, made available through Peeps much faster than via the NHS on average and guaranteeing connection to a correctly qualified counsellor.

Penny explains how she became involved at Peeps and the process for first making contact with the charity. This is an invaluable discussion both for those directly or indirectly affected by HIE, and for anybody interested in learning more about the work Peeps does.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In this episode of Stewarts Soundbites, Emma Lyons and Ben Townsend from our Personal Injury team discuss the differences between single and joint instructions, with a focus on the pros and cons of each for case managers, claimants and legal teams.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

The definition of orthotics is broader than many may expect. While it might involve equipment like braces or insoles, orthotic technology has evolved rapidly in recent years and encompasses any kind of device to help manage a functional deficit or pain in the body via external redistribution of force or pressure.

In this episode of Soundbites, Personal Injury partner Nichola Fosler speaks to principal orthotist Dominic Atta about the broad utility of orthotics, and how they can benefit claimants with a life-changing injury.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Case management must be tailored to each individual, based on their needs and desires. Amputation cases involve unique challenges, and many amputees may benefit from a specialist case manager with extensive experience working on cases similar to theirs.

In this session, Stewarts partner Chris Smith speaks to Lauren McCluskey (Managing Director and specialist case manager at COTA Case Management) about the benefits a specialist case manager can bring to a complex amputee’s case.

This episode covers the particular complexities involved in an amputation case, and how these are borne out in a clinical sense and during the process of a legal claim. Lauren also explains why early instruction of a specialist case manager is so beneficial, and discuss the other types of specialists who might have an important role in the case team.

The conversation also addresses the importance of client specific goals, and how beneficial it can be to step away from a ‘conventional’ rehab journey in some instances.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm