Simon Ross secures high-value settlement for 60-year-old Protected Party in complex, long-running case

September 9, 2025

Simon Ross from Exchange Chambers has secured the approval of the High Court for a settlement of £750,000 in respect of a 60-year-old Protected Party who allegedly suffered an aggravation of pre-existing Fibromyalgia and a Mixed Dissociative Disorder (characterised by disturbance of motor functioning, speech and manifestations of dissociative seizures) following a relatively low speed road traffic accident in March 2019.

Intrusive psychological symptoms manifested over a year following the accident and became of such severity that the claimant was sectioned under s.2 Mental Health Act 1983 and remained in hospital for over 8 months.

The claimant’s psychiatric expert described the unusual nature of the illness in the following way, “In a career in psychiatry, of over thirty-five years, I have encountered few other people, with a similar general presentation”.

Medical causation was disputed due to the delayed onset of symptoms and the fact that the claimant sadly had suffered from a myriad of other significant life stressors. The settlement brings a six-year legal battle to a conclusion for the claimant.

Simon was instructed by Steven Akerman from Brian Barr Solicitors.