Farleys’ personal injury specialists were approached by Mr A after he suffered an injury as a result of a violent attack in prison.

Background

Mr A was serving a sentence in prison at the time of the attack.

One day a prison officer negligently allowed two wings to mix together in the exercise yard. This was extremely unsafe and subsequently a fight broke out between the opposing wings.

Mr A was not involved in the fight, but did attempt to split people up. As a result of this he was he was violently struck in the eye by another inmate and sustained significant and permanent injury to his right eye.

Prior to his accident Mr A was a healthy and active young male.  He had no significant visual issues and enjoyed playing sports.

Mr A instructed Farleys’ personal injury solicitor Holly Barnes to pursue a claim against the Ministry of Justice.

How We Were Able to Help

Quickly after presentation of the claim, the defendant admitted liability which sped up the initial process. They offered £40,000 in compensation but Mr A was advised to turn this down.

Holly instructed a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon to comment on Mr A’s injury and provide his long-term prognosis.

Mr A suffered very severe damage to the back of his right eye. He had a subretinal pigment epithelial haemorrhage which broke through a retinal hole leading to blood in the vitreous jelly.

Mr A had three surgical procedures and was at risk of requiring further surgery.  Vision in the right eye remained counting fingers only. He found it difficult to perform fine motor tasks and play ball games. His injury meant that Mr A was at a disadvantage when applying for jobs in the future.

As well as a severe and long-lasting physical injury, Mr A also suffered psychological symptoms as a result of the accident. The opinion of a clinical psychologist was also sought and was used to assist us in valuing the whole claim.

Specialist opinion was sought from a barrister and a successful settlement of £75,000 was secured.

Mr A’s settlement included compensation for the life-changing injury to his eye and future losses, including his disadvantage in obtaining a job and the risk of future surgery.

If you have fallen victim to a violent attack whilst in prison, you may be entitled to damages. Get in touch with our Personal Injury team who can handle the process for you. Call us today on 0845 287 0939 or complete our online contact form and a member of the team will get in touch with you.