Those were two questions facing a client in hospital as she recovered from multiple and severe fractures and scarring, including clear and painful tyre marks across her stomach.

She had been standing in front of her new car showing it off to her uncle who was sitting in the driver's seat listening to the engine turning over.

He then accidentally put his foot on the accelerator and, in shock, couldn't move it in time to avoid pulling his niece under her own car, dragging her with it across the road.

She suffered severe leg, ankle, shoulder and wrist fractures, and was left wondering how she would manage without an income and where she would go for the intensive rehabilitation that she needed to maximise her recovery.

Our initial discussions made her realise that as her uncle was insured he needn't be involved in the day-to-day litigation process. We confirmed we could ensure that any allegations of blame, and in fact any correspondence relating to the case, could be directed to the insurers and their solicitors, thus minimising distress to the family.

With a claim launched, we were able to engage therapists under the rehabilitation code and later, with interim payments, source private physiotherapy treatment.

Our client was later forced to move to more suitable accommodation, with the moving costs recovered as part of the claim. Support was provided within the claim to help the client get the adaptations required for her to go back to work part-time.

A compensation settlement was agreed at £180,000.

The client said: "I greatly respected your expertise, commitment and efficiency, but also as a person I very much appreciated your kindness, personal encouragement and advice. All your hard work provides the means to resource a better quality of life, even if my disabilities deteriorate as I get older."

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