At HCC, we understand that when someone suffers a serious injury or bereavement, seeking compensation may be just one element of what is needed. Many aspects of their lives could be impacted, and getting the right advice and support is key to achieving the best possible outcome. That is why HCC set up the Serious Injury Pro Bono Team.
Client care is at the heart of what we do, and given our years of experience, we have seen first-hand how life-changing events impact the whole family. This is why we developed our ‘Family First’ approach, making sure we get the best possible outcome for the whole family.
In most circumstances, when families are affected by serious or fatal injuries, they face various challenges, which can be extremely difficult to deal with at the time. Our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team can help families identify and understand the legal and medical challenges they face, and develop a plan to navigate a way forward.
Who is in the Serious Injury Pro Bono Team?
Our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team consists of our Client Support Manager, Ruth Moore, and a team of dedicated legal advisers. They provide a range of services, completely free of charge, to families who have suffered a serious injury or bereavement.
What services do the Serious Injury Pro Bono Team provide?
Our highly skilled team provides a variety of services to families impacted by serious injuries or fatalities. Our Family First approach covers four key aspects of serious injury: financial, rehabilitation, emotional wellbeing and housing issues. Our aim is to consider these key aspects for all our pro bono clients.
Legal Support
When a family suffers a serious injury or bereavement, it can lead to multiple legal issues. These issues include:
- Employment
- Wills, Trusts & Probate
- Education
- Family
- Finances and debt
- Powers of Attorney and Deputyships
- Court of Protection
- Housing and property
- Accessing rehabilitation and care services
- Compensation claims (including clinical negligence)
Our legal advisers can help families identify legal problems and help to resolve them.
At HCC, we work with many trusted third-party organisations and charities that we can also signpost families to when we feel this could be of benefit to them.
Benefits Advice
When families are dealing with the trauma of a serious injury or losing a loved one, the last thing they need is to worry about trying to navigate the benefits system to relieve mounting financial pressures. Our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team can help.
We have expert knowledge and can help families understand which benefits they might be entitled to. We can even help complete the necessary application forms.
Case Management
Ensuring our pro bono clients can access the right care and rehabilitation, and establish emotional wellbeing is paramount to us. Our Client Support Manager helps families:
- Understand the implications of the injury and the likely recovery pathway
- Carries out initial needs assessments
- Makes recommendations as to best practice for rehabilitation
- Navigates a range of NHS services following discharge from hospital
- Highlights areas of need and liaises with treating teams, medical and rehabilitation professionals, social services and the DWP
In addition, our Client Support Manager educates families on specific conditions and translates any medical jargon into laypersons terms, to ensure they fully understand any information the medical professionals provide.
Financial Support
HCC have ringfenced up to £10,000 of advanced funding to support clients with a civil claim who need financial support. When a client is unable to obtain the necessary funds through an interim payment or settlement of the claim, this can fund a range of items and services needed to progress recovery.
For patients who do not have a viable claim for compensation, we will offer to signpost to third-party charities who may be able to assist with alternative financial support.
Peer Support
There are often times when families impacted by serious injury or bereavement want to speak to someone who has been through a similar situation. We are connected to a wide range of charities who can provide peer support services, and/or help make connections with a suitable individual.
How this service works
How much does this service cost families?
Our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team provide this service on a pro bono basis. That means they do not charge for any of the work undertaken.
Serious Injury Pro Bono Team Case Studies
Navigating Complexity: Supporting Steven* Through Recovery and Rehabilitation
When tragedy strikes, the journey to recovery can be long, complex, and emotionally demanding. This case study follows Steven, a pedestrian involved in a serious road traffic collision (RTC), and the dedicated efforts of his sister, who became his litigation friend and primary advocate. Through a combination of emotional support, strategic interventions, and practical assistance, our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team have worked to navigate the immense challenges that arose from Steven’s injuries.
In the aftermath of the incident, Steven’s condition was critical – he remained in intensive care, and his prognosis was uncertain. His sister took on the daunting role of advocating for Steven’s care and wellbeing. She was proactive and highly capable, but the sheer number of issues she faced was overwhelming. That is where our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team stepped in. They provided both emotional and practical support, helping her prioritise concerns, such as limited physiotherapy access, pain management, and nutritional planning, and also assisted with administrative tasks like drafting safeguarding plans, hospital passports, and reviewing medical reports.
In addition, our client support manager attended clinical meetings, playing an active role in discharge planning, to ensure that Steven’s transition from hospital to home was as smooth as possible. Our team also helped with safeguarding concerns, particularly concerns relating to Steven’s vulnerability to financial, emotional, and even sexual exploitation.
Once Steven was discharged, the focus shifted to reinstating benefits, securing continuing healthcare, and developing a financial plan. Budgeting became a key concern, as Steven exhibited compulsive behaviors, particularly with gambling. However, together, we worked on behavioral interventions, social inclusion, and financial responsibility. Housing modifications, assistive devices, rehabilitation programs, and care coordination also became part of our team’s ongoing efforts.
Steven’s journey remains a challenging one, requiring constant intervention and strategic planning. However, through the dedication of his sister and the support of our team, progress continues to be made.
“I am forever grateful for all the support and advice you have given me. I know that the last year would have felt so much more unbearable if it had to travel the journey alone.
You are so helpful and so insightful…Thank you for sharing your wisdom to empower us to help [Steven] get the best out of life”
Quote from Steven’s Sister
A Fight for Dignity: Supporting Brian* Through Recovery
When tragedy strikes at home, the road to recovery can be filled with unexpected obstacles. This is the story of Brian, who suffered a severe injury after falling down the stairs, and his wife who became his unwavering advocate and primary caregiver. Despite facing financial and emotional hardship, their determination and the support of our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team helped them navigate the complex world of care and funding.
Brian’s injury left him requiring constant supervision, with four daily care visits. His wife, took charge of overseeing every aspect of his care, ensuring all was done correctly. When our Pro Bono Team first came on board, Brian was on the verge of being discharged home in a manual wheelchair, an unsuitable option for his needs. To make matters worse, they had been told they were liable for all his care costs – a financial burden they were unprepared to bear.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team assisted the couple in challenging this decision, advocating for an electric wheelchair that would better support Brian’s mobility and independence. Additionally, they referred them to the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) and their nursing team. Together, we worked to push social services to conduct a Continuing Health Care (CHC) assessment.
The CHC assessment was a crucial step in determining whether Brian’s needs were classified as health-related or social care-related. While social care is means-tested, health care is free at the point of need. After thorough evaluation, the assessment found that Brian’s needs were indeed health-related, relieving them of the enormous financial burden of care costs.
While the funding battle was won, Brian’s emotional struggles presented new challenges. Coming to terms with his injury was incredibly difficult for him. He refused respite care, insisting that he only wanted to remain in his home. His emotional dependence on his wife grew, becoming increasingly demanding of her time and attention. His wife’s dedication was unwavering, but her wellbeing was at risk. Her role as Brian’s primary advocate and carer left her physically and emotionally drained. Recognising the signs of burnout, our Client Support Manager referred her for a carer’s assessment to ensure she received the support she desperately needed.
With the right interventions in place, Brian has secured the care he needs, and his wife is now on the path toward receiving the help she deserves.
“I feel that I am staggering from one crisis to the next at the moment….thank you so much, at last someone is helping us. Thank you for all of your help and support, you’re a star.”
Quote from Brian
Fighting for the Right to Care: Annabel’s* Journey
Annabel had always faced challenges, but she had built a life with the right support. Living with cerebral palsy meant she needed round-the-clock care, something she had relied on for years. But when she moved to a new county, everything changed.
The local authority bluntly told her that they did not fund 24-hour care for individuals like her. It was a devastating blow. How could she continue living independently without the support she desperately needed? Feeling lost and unsure where to turn, Annabel was referred to our Serious Injury Pro Bono Team by a charity partner that knew we specialised in navigating complex healthcare systems.
We knew that Annabel had a right to be assessed for Continuing Health Care (CHC), a vital source of NHS-funded care for people with significant health needs. With our support, she requested an assessment, hoping it would recognise her need for 24-hour care. But the initial response was disheartening.
“Your needs are well managed,” they told her. “So, they can’t be considered essential.”
It was an all-too-common argument, but we were not going to let it stand. A well-managed need was still a need. We helped Annabel appeal the decision and stood by her side at the appeal meeting, ensuring her voice was heard.
Through a new CHC assessment and Decision Support Tool (DST), Annabel’s needs were finally acknowledged. The verdict? She was entitled to NHS-funded healthcare. Instead of paying for all of her care, she now only needed to contribute £10 per week – a life-changing difference.
To make sure Annabel had everything she was entitled to, we also conducted a full benefits review. We checked and double-checked that she was receiving all the welfare benefits she qualified for, providing her with financial stability and peace of mind.
For Annabel, what we helped her achieve was not just about paperwork and policies. It was about dignity, independence, and the right to live with the care she needed. And for us, it was a reminder of why we do what we do: to fight for people when the system fails them.
*The names of our clients have been changed for the purpose of anonymity.
Client Testimonials
The service the Serious Injury Pro Bono Team provide to our clients is highly recommended. This is just some of the feedback the team have received from satisfied clients:
“I am in contact with Ruth… She has been absolutely amazing thus far.”
“Thanks so much for this Ruth. You are so helpful and so insightful… Thank you for sharing your wisdom to empower us to help Darren get the best out of life.”
“I always find it very helpful, and puts my mind at ease, after speaking with you… Again, thank you for your time and wisdom.”
“Ruth Moore has been in touch, and she has been absolutely brilliant. I cannot praise her high enough…Ruth has been awesome.”
“Everything always seems like a fight to try and get help, and you always make it easier. Thank you.”
“Kelly spoke to Ruth and found her to be fantastic!”
