Brain Injury: Soap fiction vs fact

By Birchall Blackburn

07 Nov 2013

by Dianne Yates - partner, head of catastrophic injury and brain injury specialist at Birchall Blackburn Law.

For those of us that watch the soaps, we will have seen the storyline on Coronation Street about the Platt/Tilsley household.

But if you haven’t, Nick is driving a van with his brother David as a passenger. It was struck by a HGV and we see Nick suffering multiple life-threatening injuries including a head injury. He was placed in an induced coma for a number “soap land” weeks. His family maintained a bedside vigil waiting for him to come around.

His family were all warned by various medical sources that he may not make it but if he did, they could not be sure of the consequences of the brain injury and were advised to prepare themselves for a ‘different Nick’ coming out of the coma.

Luckily for David, the brother who caused the accident by grabbing the steering wheel, Nick eventually woke from his coma but, as with a lot of people who suffer brain injury, all was not well.

At this point fiction is on a par with the reality experienced by families of people with brain injuries.

Nick, like many people suffering brain injury, awoke from his coma to see life as he knew it turned upside down. Not only was/is he battling with the physical effects of the accident but also with the more long-lasting difficulties that alter his personality and behaviour.

The pre-accident likeable and easy going Nick has gone and he is now angry, obsessive, irrational and suffers memory difficulties. These symptoms are all too common in those suffering from brain injury and are easily recognised by victims and their families.

Some head injuries, even those termed “minor” which may not have accompanying and obvious physical injuries, very frequently give rise to difficulties with concentration, excessive tiredness, irritability, persistent headaches, dizziness and weakness. All of which can combine to lead to people being labelled “difficult”.

Sometimes victims of this type of head injury are called the ‘walking wounded’ because there are no outward signs of injury.

Brain injuries can cause additional problems or “cognitive effects” such as memory loss, lack of organisational skills, rigidity of thought and lack of self-awareness.

So whether that is as a result of a severe car crash or a ‘bang on the head’, all head injuries need to be taken seriously.

Many of those who wake from comas suffer with amnesia; this can sometimes last a few hours, days, months or even years. We will watch Nick and his recovery over the upcoming episodes and track his progress. Although he has already made remarkable strides, in real life the recovery process is not a quick one.

It is a often long and tortuous process, involving many different specialists who assist with rehabilitation; Neurosurgeons, Neuropsychologists, Neurologists and Occupational Therapists, to name but a few. This process is hard not just for the injured person, but also for their family and friends who often feel helpless and unsupported.

Soaps are after all meant to be entertainment but it will be invaluable to those suffering traumatic brain injuries to raise awareness of the nature of these injuries and their devastating effects.

Leaving the soap world aside for one moment, in the real world, it is important for those who have suffered brain injury (whether arising from a road traffic accident, accident at work, medical negligence or a ‘bang on the head) or for their friends and family, to remember they are not alone.

At Birchall Blackburn Law, we are always there to assist victims,families and friends at the most difficult time in their life.

Although money cannot and does not replace their lost health, job or lifestyle, it can help pay for the best rehabilitation, the purchase of specialist aids and equipment, the renovation/adaption of a property and provide a financial cushion.

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain/head injury that was someone else’s fault, Birchall Blackburn Law can help you bring a claim for compensation that will help during the recovery process.

Please no matter how minor the injury is, do not assume that you haven’t got a claim until you have spoken to one of our experts. Dianne Yates - Partner, Head of Catastrophic Injury and Brain Injury Specialist

Enjoyed this? Read more from Birchall Blackburn

Latest news

1

Lancashire’s tech and innovation ecosystem goes online with open access Dealroom microsite Lancashire Innovation Board Members Jane Dalton and Russell McGrath, Dealroom's Aoife Morrin, and Lancashire County Council’s Head of Business Growth, Andy Walker

Lancashire’s tech and innovation ecosystem goes online with open access Dealroom microsite

24 Jun 2025

2

New £40m veterinary school champions diversity to support a resilient veterinary workforce Will Greenwood as a Lanx ambassador

New £40m veterinary school champions diversity to support a resilient veterinary workforce

23 Jun 2025

3

Technology, skills and infrastructure should be key priorities in Government Industrial Strategy, finds MHA manufacturing report Andrew Matthews

Technology, skills and infrastructure should be key priorities in Government Industrial Strategy, finds MHA manufacturing report

23 Jun 2025

4

Businesses should look at Net Zero as an 'opportunity, not a challenge' Lancashire Net Zero Conference 2025

Businesses should look at Net Zero as an 'opportunity, not a challenge'

20 Jun 2025

5

£4m investment across East Lancashire power network EV electric vehicle Electricity NW

£4m investment across East Lancashire power network

20 Jun 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Business Bike Club – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
01 Jul 2025 - 01 Jul 2025

Business Bike Club – July

Various, Lancaster, LA

08:00 - 09:30

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Lancashire Business Day 2025
241122lbvlancashiredaylhp0647web
Networking
27 Nov 2025

Lancashire Business Day 2025

Burnley FC , Burnley, BB10 4BX

12:00 - 17:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin