Our Legal & Welfare Service (LAWS) is a free legal and welfare service for patients affected by brain injury, their carers and families that can be made available within a hospital or neuro centre setting.
The Legal and Welfare Service will be provided free of charge by a consortium of our member law firms in the region, with support from specialist financial and welfare advisers. A representative from one of the law firms will visit the hospital or neuro centre and meet with patients, their families and carers to provide them with advice on a range of legal, financial and welfare issues on a confidential basis, either by appointment or on a “drop in” basis.
Those issues might include:
- Mental capacity including powers of attorney or Court of Protection matters
- Financial matters such as debt, welfare benefits, budgeting and planning
- Employment and housing
- Matrimonial and family matters
- Personal injury or criminal injuries compensation claims
In addition, those using the Legal and Welfare Service will be signposted to a range of support services provided by the Brain Injury Group and given general information on other organisations that can offer support.
Establishing the Legal and Welfare Service in a clinical or rehabilitation facility provides a number of benefits to the hospital or neuro centre:
- It is a cost-free, patient-centred service delivered by expert professionals in an ethical way that meets all legal standards
- It avoids the appearance of favouring one law firm
- Staff will be able to signpost resources they are unable to provide personally
- If a patient does make a successful claim against a third party, the hospital may benefit under the NHS Injury Cost Recovery Scheme
- As a Group we can provide free training for staff involved in dealing with brain injured patients and their carers on a range of legal and specialist subjects related to brain injury
- It represents a partnership with a Community Interest Company
Download more detail below.
Introducing LAWS (832.3 KiB)
If you’re interested in hosting a Legal and Welfare Service clinic at your hospital or neuro-centre, please contact Julie Mccarthy on 07740 283080 or by email at [email protected]
