A man left needing more than 30 operations on his seriously injured leg following a car accident has received £850,000 in compensation after help from Thompsons Solicitors.

The former scaffolder from Harpenden has been left permanently disabled as a result of the accident which occurred as he was driving to work in March 2005. He was forced to swerve to avoid a BMW which came out of a junction in front of him as he drove along the A1081 towards Luton and was hit by an oncoming vehicle.

The car’s footwell was crushed in the impact and trapped his legs. When he was cut from the car more than an hour after the crash he had a shattered right knee, several fractures to his femur and foot and other injuries to his chest and elbows.

The man needed emergency surgery and has since had 30 operations on his leg. At one stage he almost died after developing a serious flesh eating infection in the leg.

He has been left with a fused right knee which means he cannot bend his right leg. The right leg is now slightly shorter than his left leg and is disfigured.

Following the accident, and his subsequent treatment, he attempted to return to work on light duties in his family business but it soon became apparent he was too badly injured to work.

He instructed Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim for compensation against the driver of the BMW. In the course of the case which was eventually settled out of court Thompsons secured an interim payment to pay for private treatment needed on his leg.

The dad-of-two said: “The last six years have been an emotional roller coaster. When I first injured my leg I was terrified that I would lose it. Thanks to the various surgical procedures they have been able to save the leg but I’ve been left significantly disabled.

“I was always fit and healthy and worked in a physically demanding job. It has been difficult coming to terms with how dramatically my life has changed but I’m learning to cope with my injury and its effects.

“Thompsons handled my case with passion and expertise. I felt they were fighting my corner every step of the way. The interim payment helped us financially at a time when things were very difficult.”

David Thompson from Thompsons Solicitors said: “Our client has dealt courageously with life changing injuries and huge physical challenges. Our task has been to get him a level of compensation reflecting not only his lost future earnings but the significant pain and suffering he has endured and will continue to face.”