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22 October 2022 | Case Study | Article by Jeanne Evans

£4m for boy who had leg amputated after being electrocuted


When he was 13 years old, Jake was out fishing on land owned and occupied by the Defendant Council. As he threw the fishing rod out, electricity from the overhead electricity lines or pylon arced across Jake’s extended fishing rod and electrocuted him.

He was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital by air ambulance.

Jake sustained 32% burns to his body which caused muscle and tendon damage. He had extensive burns to his face, chest, hands, legs, perineum and penis.

The young teenager then underwent extensive and repeated surgery which involved 28 operations to his hands, feet and lower limbs. And, a month after the accident, he underwent a below the knee amputation.

Jake’s accident, injuries and persisting disabilities have permanently affected his physical mental, psychological, educational, vocational and leisure potentials.

Hugh James were successful in settling the case for £4.1 million.

Jeanne Evans acted on Jake’s behalf and said:

The day this accident occurred changed the life of this courageous young man and his family.

By putting in place a Case Manager to help guide him and by sourcing the right expert evidence as part of the compensation claim, for example in relation to state of the art prosthetics, we have secured this young man’s entitlement to make choices about his future.

The names and identifying details of the client have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals involved.

Author bio

Jeanne Evans is a partner in the personal injury department, Manchester office acting for claimants and almost exclusively those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury arising from Road Traffic Accidents, Employer’s Liability Claims and Public Liability Claims.

Disclaimer: The information on the Hugh James website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you would like to ensure the commentary reflects current legislation, case law or best practice, please contact the blog author.

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