I don't know if this is the place for it but I don't really know who else to ask. I am 21 years old, My accident happend on the 17th of May 2014 I was hit head on by a young lad overtaking on a blind corner. I broke both legs, my arm, collapsed lung and had a bleed on the brain.
I am a fully qualified plumber and i had my own car and also a van from work. I am still unable to go to work as there is no way I would get on my knees to work let alone deal with the stress that comes with the job as I get so stressed out even waiting for my doctor appointments that are running late.
My question is would I not be entitled to a mobility car? It's not really an essential and I don't mean to sound like a snob but I have a girlfriend and am lost feeling like I canot do much with her, also im having to get the train to town and taxis to my hospital appointments, I just don't find it fair as the accident was not my fault in the slightest and it's changed my life so much.
Maybe it's just the way the world works as when I first came out of hospital I applied for a blue badge for disabled parking to put in my dads car so that didn't have to walk as far on my crutches and was not accepted which I think is wrong, [comment edited by admin]
Sorry for going on abit with the question thankyou for reading it . Paul.
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Pab93
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It all depends on your ability to walk and how far.
I can no longer drive since my BI but I can walk, albeit slowly and unsteadily, for quite a distance. So, when on my own its taxis, and public transport, but I wouldn't expect a blue badge, there are a lot more deserving cases than mine.
I have to rely on my husband and family if I need to go anywhere by car, or I don't go.
I plan my outings accordingly.
Is it the convenience of parking you want, or can you not walk far, sorry to ask but that's what it comes down to.
My son is entitled to a blue badge for transporting his daughter, but he reckons it's not worth the hassle of form filling etc, etc.
I know it's galling, I see people with blue badges that appear to walk better than I do but the exercise helps keep me moving.
Iv give up on the blue badge I can get about much more now I'm off the crutches it is just really the freedom of a car I just sit at home most of the time now I know it sounds daft but it is starting to have an effect from being so active working 9-5 Monday to Friday to this.. Sitting on the couch watching rubbish on the telly all day every day
Do you know anything about the bus pass scheme?I can walk for a while but tire more quickly with the spasticity and carrying shopping adds weight-more muscle effort required= legs keep going down like Groucho Marx)I am lucky that I have a partner that drives.I have never driven myself but would struggle to run conventional car pedals (spasticity and regular spasm in right leg).Any idea if I could qualify and where I would enquire? x
Not sure about this one the Gov.uk website may help.
I'm still waiting til I draw my pension before I qualify for the age related one, only 6 months to go for that, then maybe I'll get around more myself, or maybe not!
Sorry to hear all what has happened to you and the problems it has left you with. My understanding is that to be able to get a blue badge or a mobility car that you have to be recieving either the DLA or PIP benefit. DLA is being replaced by PIP and any new applications are for the new benefit and anyone who is already recieving DLA will gradually be transferred/reassessed for PIP. Whether you can get a blue badge and/or a mobility car depends on whether you are awarded the mobility part of the benefit and also it depends on what level you are given. For example with PIP if you are awarded the standard rate for mobility you can get a train travel card for £20 that then gets you 1/3 off train fares (but no blue badge entitlement). If you get awarded the higher rate for mobility then you can use it for payments towards a mobility car and also apply for a blue badge.
The benefits system does seem unfair to sometimes to those who genuinely need them particularly through no fault of their own and genuine situations. I agree that it makes those of us who are genuinely in need very angry when faced with those that know how to milk the system and sponge off it!
Have you considered going to the Citizens Advice bureau who would be able to give you advice re any benefits you are entitled too?
No I Havnt been the citizens advise I think that's my next move tho thankyou for your anser all the best.
Hi Paul
Sorry to hear of your accident and continuing struggles. I think the first step would be to obtain a proper neuro assessment to determine what difficulties you have. Also any physical assessmnet of long lasting effects of your other injuries.
I think CAB is good advice and the headway team are very knowledgeable on benefits etc. I think mobility cars are only for people who are unable to drive a standard car due to disability, but I could be wrong.
Also I assume the DVLA have given you back your licence since your BI? If this is the case, maybe you could use any benefits you are currently receiving to buy a cheap little run around (if there is any such thing as cheap!) This would certainly be quicker than waiting for assessmnets for a mobility car etc, and if you find you are eligible in the future, you could always sell it on.
Iv tried looking at cheap runarouns but with being 21 the insurance is high so it would leave me with nothing, also after what happened I don't think i would put myself in a cheap one I don't think they are safe enough id drive round in a tank now if I could haha. Thankyou for your answer
other thing to check is did you tell the DVLA about the injoury? if not you'll need to as with any of these you tend to have to requinish your licence for a while mine was 6 months.
if you don't and the DVLA find out it will get removed and will take much longer.
if you've not qualified for a blue badge I suspect a disablity car would not qualifiy, but maybe worth asking? would you need adaptactions?
Yer I have informed the dvla they didn't seem too botherd to be honist I was told in the hospital that it would be 6 months before I could drive again but when I phoned dvla they didnt say anything like that they give me the ok drive which was strange I thought i would need some sort of assessment.
But I wouldn't drive a car if I didn't feel 100 percent confident in driving anway which I do i wouldn't want to put anyone else in my shoes.
And no i wouldn't need any adaptations to drive iv had rods and screws in my legs but they are working okish now just a little limp and some pain and a plate in my arm but I'd go for an Automatic car now to make it Easyer.
since it's now eight months on it's a bit of mute point, and doesn't sound like you've been driving and have any desire to take risks, for my self once the 6 months was up i could drive again though took them another 5 months to get my physical licence back.
do you still have your car? or was it the one in the crash? could that fund a automatic car? modern auto's are quite good now, some even engine break!
I was in accident not my fault. [comment edited by admin]. It's horrible to feel less capable than you were. Perhaps it will make us better people in the end fingers crossed.
The Motability scheme is available to people who qualify for the enhanced mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the old Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which it replaces, and a couple of other benefits paid to current and ex-service personnel. PIP is awarded based on the effects you experience rather than a particular diagnosis/condition.
You can read more about some of the benefits you may be entitled to at headway.org.uk/Welfare-bene... with a section on PIP to give you an idea of how the benefit works.
You would need to apply for this and wait for the award to be made before you could apply for PIP, which may take some time. As mentioned above, the Citizens Advice Bureau can be a great source of benefits advice and can often give help with completing the forms. Some of our local Headway groups and branches can also offer support here. Can I suggest you contact our helpline on 0808 800 2244 or helpline@headway.org.uk and they can talk you through some of the options?
Best wishes,
Headway
My neck's bad on bus, days I'm good I drive. Asked GP if I was OK to drive (thought I wasn't) and he said play it by ear.Stopped for a bit: was looking at wrong things like leaves & crisp packets blowing in wind, dangerous! But did OK, relearned and not had accident in the 9 years. Not quite back to how was though and parking and pulling out more difficult, not as good at, take extra time, look extra times to make sure I've not only looked but thought and SEEN!
Carrying shopping is prob for me, bought wheely bag but still have to lift it into car = makes lumbar crush down and hurts neck, get ringing ears after. And where I live have to carry all up stairs, hurts but must do. Then the putting away = back+ exhausted after supermarket on top. Same for laundrette: bending, carrying, hanging up = but must do. I don't go anywhere if can't park near coz hurts to walk and too tired do much = no point going. So often (mostly) don't go places or do things or do go, give up trying find parking near so go home = out for nothing.
Drove out few weeks ago, new place wanted little look round but NO parking anywhere. Needed the loo and all the way home looking for one = none and no parking near town where MIGHT be one so had to hang on. So few public loos now and often no parking near. I HATE the machine loos that lock you in = claustrophobic.
In the old days people who worked in public loos were proud of keeping them nice, put flowers and things (thinking of Old Steine one in Brighton) = a joy to use and employed people. Why can't there be more of those again, near parking and signposted? Sick of paying parking to use a loo.
I'd be complete prisoner without my car and hate buying shopping on internet. But benefits don't cover cost of it nor taxis eg from hospital. Never really go out eves coz harder to drive at night, never a problem before. So don't go out eves and nearly all social things are eves = I stay home, a hermit.
A bus pass helped me a lot as there is a bus into town from the end of my road. Headway gave me a supporting letter to send off with the form which I got from the council. I think that the GP would have supported it if asked as I had my DL suspended and had balance and co-ordination problems.
Also the bus drops off right in town, so no walking from a car park. I have great difficulty remembering where a car is parked. The bus stop remains forever in the same place. A good tip for finding the car is take a picture on your phone with some background.
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