Irwin Mitchell is proud to work in partnership with and support the valuable work of Different Strokes.
If you or your loved one has been affected by a stroke, our solicitors can provide legal support, helping with:
- Medical Negligence – if there was a delay in diagnosis, treatment or misdiagnosis which may have affected the outcome of your recovery
- Family Law – if there was a change in your family situation
- Public Law & Human Rights – if you’re denied healthcare and social services
- Employment Law – if you face disability discrimination
- Property Law – if your recovery means you need to move home
- Court of Protection – if your ability to manage your own affairs has been affected
- Wills, Trusts and Probate – if you need future planning advice.
We can offer clear, honest advice and will talk through your options to ensure you can make an informed decision.
A dedicated national phone number has been set up for you to connect with an Irwin Mitchell solicitor: call 0330 1232013 with the reference ‘Different Strokes’ (all calls will be charged at your local standard rate). They always offer a free initial consultation and will talk through your legal options allowing you to make an informed choice about how you wish to move forward. If you decide to go ahead with a claim, most cases are funded on a No Win No Fee basis and they always ensure that there is no financial risk to you
To find out more please get in touch with us.
Sarah’s story
New mum Sarah was overjoyed when she gave birth to her daughter Mila in 2010.
Despite having a concerning heart rate and high temperature, she was discharged after two days. But two weeks later, an infected wound linked to her emergency caesarean triggered a devastating stroke which left Sarah brain damaged. The stroke had a huge impact on her life.
She was left unable to do simple tasks or care for herself, suffering with strength and mobility problems down her right side and difficulties with her speech, memory and coordination. Sarah also had to quit her job as a retail manager.
Following a trial in December 2016, medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell revealed that the treating hospital was liable for causing Sarah’s stroke. Sarah then received an interim payment to help fund part of her rehabilitation.
Her lawyers successfully argued that she was badly let down by the standard of care she received. If she’d remained in hospital for further tests, it would’ve highlighted her infection and allowed her to have antibiotics sooner and avoid the stroke.
Sarah said: “I’m trying to move forward, but it’s hard to get over the fact that a failure to take a few reasonable steps has caused so much damage and turned my life upside down.”
After a long battle, specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have managed to secure a final settlement, which has allowed Sarah to move into suitably adapted accommodation. She also has additional support to help her and her family, such as payment for her equipment, care and therapy. Sarah has set up a Trust with the firm to protect her compensation and her future.
Salmiza’s story
Salmiza had just celebrated her wedding. She was excited to start the next chapter of her life with her husband. She was also due to commence her PGCE and train to become a teacher.
A few days after her wedding, Salmiza started to experience episodes of slurred speech, numbness in her right arm and a headache. She went to hospital, and after some initial investigations, she was reassured it was migraine and was sent home. Salmiza continued her wedding celebrations with her husband and his family.
Over the course of the next few days Salmiza was seen by multiple medical professionals with deteriorating symptoms of loss of speech, numbness, vomiting and headaches. It was seven days after the onset of her initial symptoms that Salmiza suffered a major stroke.
It was later established that her earlier symptoms were in fact crescendo transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). The Hospital Trust accepted that Salmiza’s stroke was avoidable, and a damages settlement was eventually agreed to secure her long-term future.
Before her stroke, Salmiza was a healthy independent young woman. But after her stroke, she was left with significant disabilities affecting her mobility, speech and cognitive function.
Salmiza struggled with the loss of her independence as she needed to rely on her family on a daily basis.
Salmiza is a determined young woman and hasn’t let her disabilities hold her back. Salmiza is currently studying to become a teaching assistant.
She’s also started a blog to document her recovery following her stroke. On her blog, Salmiza shares how she’s coping with her recovery, and provides helpful tips and information which could help others in a similar position to her.
Join Our Live Rehab Reset Q&A with Matt & Anthony
We’re excited to host something a little different from our usual webinars – a live Q&A session with the two people behind our popular Rehab Reset exercise series: Matt Brinkley from Therapy Gyms and Anthony Bryan, adaptive athlete and stroke survivor.
Wishing Geoff the Very Best After 9 Years of Dedication
Over the last 9 years Geoff has done some amazing work promoting our services and raising the profile of younger stroke in the West Yorkshire region.
Exclusive Free Legal Clinic for the Different Strokes Community – Book Your Appointment Now
We’re pleased to share a valuable opportunity exclusively for members of the Different Strokes community. Our corporate supporters at Irwin Mitchell LLP are offering a free legal clinic for stroke survivors, their families, and carers.
Success at Our 2025 Firewalk Fundraiser
Annual Firewalk raises over £4,000 in Kent!
Webinar: Dealing with Post-Stroke Fatigue
A large number of stroke survivors have to learn to cope with Neuro fatigue following their stroke. A panel of 3 stroke survivors will tell us about their experiences coping with fatigue. They will explain what can or could trigger their fatigue and how they personally deal with it day to day.
Join Us This September for Our Events – Life After Stroke: Identity, Experience and Insight
We’re excited to announce the return of our in-person stroke community events this autumn and this year, we’re focusing on three words that matter deeply to stroke survivors: identity, experience and insight.