Following here dreadful attack, she has now gone for, for a while at least.
For the Americans reading this, Abigail was stabbed thru the neck while walking in a park with her daughter, a totally unprovoked attack and she was pregnant at the time.
The interesting bit, is that she's getting NHS care not social services which is going to help here standard and level of care a lot and won't cost anything either!
She has similar neurological damage to me, xcept I can't feed myself, good luck to her
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/souther...ies/4402604.stm
Full Version: Abigail Goes Home
Quadriplegic & Paraplegic Spinal Cord Injuries > Disabled Living & Spinal Cord Injuries > Spinal Cord Injury Compensation and Legal Advice
Yes, good luck to Abigail. Good luck with her pregnancy too.
As I live in the said area of Surrey I shall remain anonymous. THis case was very tragic, however, there is opinion which thinks that although the description was accurate, it did not match the supposed culprit, making us think someone else wsa responsible. Maybe - maybe not. Unfortunately, the police cannot PROVE that the person in their frame did it.
Good luck to the family they are going to need it. I was surprised that there was no photographers to record this event, just a snippet on the news, saying that she was able to go home.
Good luck to them having NHS care when, for most of us, we have to depend on social services and at a considerable cost, which is not always the level of care that the person requires.
A trust fund is being set up by the family for her "long term care" as there is no payment from criminal injuries - without a conviction there may never be. However, the family are going as best they can with everyone retaining their careers, hwoever, they have built an adapted bungalow for her and her parents are building a house nearby, complete with chapel, so that they can all be on hand.
Whilst I can understand the "interest" I just hope that the media now back away completely and leave this family to get back to some semblance of normality. That wont be so, because no doubt they will be hovering to have news of the birth of the 2nd baby due in a few months. The media being the media they think this is what sells stories.
At the end of the day, personally knowing them, all they really want to do is live their lives outwith the eye of the media as best they can like everyone else. Were they from an inner city or deprived area there would not have been so much interest in the case, however, here in "leafy Surrey" such things are "unheard of." According to the media.
This may sound like a gripe but having lived here for 30 years, it IS very nice area and this was the one case that brought us to the limelight for all the wrong reeasons.
Good luck to the family they are going to need it. I was surprised that there was no photographers to record this event, just a snippet on the news, saying that she was able to go home.
Good luck to them having NHS care when, for most of us, we have to depend on social services and at a considerable cost, which is not always the level of care that the person requires.
A trust fund is being set up by the family for her "long term care" as there is no payment from criminal injuries - without a conviction there may never be. However, the family are going as best they can with everyone retaining their careers, hwoever, they have built an adapted bungalow for her and her parents are building a house nearby, complete with chapel, so that they can all be on hand.
Whilst I can understand the "interest" I just hope that the media now back away completely and leave this family to get back to some semblance of normality. That wont be so, because no doubt they will be hovering to have news of the birth of the 2nd baby due in a few months. The media being the media they think this is what sells stories.
At the end of the day, personally knowing them, all they really want to do is live their lives outwith the eye of the media as best they can like everyone else. Were they from an inner city or deprived area there would not have been so much interest in the case, however, here in "leafy Surrey" such things are "unheard of." According to the media.
This may sound like a gripe but having lived here for 30 years, it IS very nice area and this was the one case that brought us to the limelight for all the wrong reeasons.
Anon
You are right about the, nhs care she's getting, wish we all could get it!
Also, if you have to have a conviction, why are the July 7 bomb victims getting payments? Oksy, we know who did it but they won't be convicted, unless I suppose accomplises count?
It seems a nonensense though, its obvious she was attacked, so what's the problem!?
Simon
You are right about the, nhs care she's getting, wish we all could get it!
Also, if you have to have a conviction, why are the July 7 bomb victims getting payments? Oksy, we know who did it but they won't be convicted, unless I suppose accomplises count?
It seems a nonensense though, its obvious she was attacked, so what's the problem!?
Simon
QUOTE (Simon @ Nov 3 2005, 04:06 PM)
Following here dreadful attack, she has now gone for, for a while at least.
For the Americans reading this, Abigail was stabbed thru the neck while walking in a park with her daughter, a totally unprovoked attack and she was pregnant at the time.
The interesting bit, is that she's getting NHS care not social services which is going to help here standard and level of care a lot and won't cost anything either!
She has similar neurological damage to me, xcept I can't feed myself, good luck to her
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/souther...ies/4402604.stm
For the Americans reading this, Abigail was stabbed thru the neck while walking in a park with her daughter, a totally unprovoked attack and she was pregnant at the time.
The interesting bit, is that she's getting NHS care not social services which is going to help here standard and level of care a lot and won't cost anything either!
She has similar neurological damage to me, xcept I can't feed myself, good luck to her
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/souther...ies/4402604.stm
Simon,
I am new to this site. Will you explain NHS care. (Who pays? Private funding or Public? Is it a "victim" type of fund set up by the gvernment? Why do some get it and others do not? And if they do not have funds of their own, are they automatically accepted by social services and placed in special care units until they can manage on their own? Do they have to rely on social services? Are all SCI eligible for one or the other regardless? How much and or what does NHS provide. What level is she and what are you. And if the S.O.B. was caught and convicted, are there still other methods of financial relieve available to her? Thanks. James
James
I'm C4 complete (cannot move arms at all). Abigail seems to be c4/5 as she has enough movement in one arm to feed herself.
Now the tricky bit explaing care provision...
First, the NHS is the UK's National Health Service - its free. So all hospital treatment in the UK is free of charge - no matter what medical complaint you have from a cut lip to paralysis, brain damage anything.
The waters start to get more murky when the less able of us leave hospital. Medical provisions suchs as tablets, night bags, catheters etc etc are still free. But care in most cases is not totally free. Most of us on here who are UK resident and having care will be via social services. Which means we have to make a contribution to our care costs. The contribution depends where you live(referred to as the post code lottery often), where I used to live I had to pay 1/3 of my care costs but could not employ my wife to do it even though she has always been my main carer.
If someone, like Abigail, is lucky enough to be put on NHS care instead, then like most of the rest of our NHS system the care is free. So we will never have to pay.
The decidion to give her NHS care is probably a case of how hard the hospital has pushed for it but it may also be because its such a high profile case (in the media) this had an impact.
The suspected perpitrator of the crime on Abigail committed suicide a day or two after the stabbing, therefore, he will never come to justice.
Further to our Anonymous poster, if he/she ever comes back, you are WRONG in you facts. The Criminal Injury Compensation Appeals Panel DO NOT need a conviction to grant monies. Take a look at their website. Even so the amount she gets will be small.
I'm C4 complete (cannot move arms at all). Abigail seems to be c4/5 as she has enough movement in one arm to feed herself.
Now the tricky bit explaing care provision...
First, the NHS is the UK's National Health Service - its free. So all hospital treatment in the UK is free of charge - no matter what medical complaint you have from a cut lip to paralysis, brain damage anything.
The waters start to get more murky when the less able of us leave hospital. Medical provisions suchs as tablets, night bags, catheters etc etc are still free. But care in most cases is not totally free. Most of us on here who are UK resident and having care will be via social services. Which means we have to make a contribution to our care costs. The contribution depends where you live(referred to as the post code lottery often), where I used to live I had to pay 1/3 of my care costs but could not employ my wife to do it even though she has always been my main carer.
If someone, like Abigail, is lucky enough to be put on NHS care instead, then like most of the rest of our NHS system the care is free. So we will never have to pay.
The decidion to give her NHS care is probably a case of how hard the hospital has pushed for it but it may also be because its such a high profile case (in the media) this had an impact.
The suspected perpitrator of the crime on Abigail committed suicide a day or two after the stabbing, therefore, he will never come to justice.
Further to our Anonymous poster, if he/she ever comes back, you are WRONG in you facts. The Criminal Injury Compensation Appeals Panel DO NOT need a conviction to grant monies. Take a look at their website. Even so the amount she gets will be small.
breaking news: Abigail has just given birth to a healthy baby boy - 5lb 6oz's. 
That is great news, we all deserve a bit of good luck in life.
Congratulations to Abigail. I too gave birth on 11/11 to a daughter. This was my first and I found it quite harrowing but delightful experience at the same time. I feel ashamed that she gave birth without much assistance in such a severely disabled state - I required gas/air and any other assistance I could get.
How does someone so severely paralysed manage to deliver naturally? Not a question normaly asked on this board. The miracle of the body and medicince.
All the best to her and her family anyway.
How does someone so severely paralysed manage to deliver naturally? Not a question normaly asked on this board. The miracle of the body and medicince.
All the best to her and her family anyway.
Not sure newmomma but I have a tetra friend c6/7 who has had 2 and she said it was a breeze!?
I read this post with great interest. I know someone who was brutally assaulted in their own home and then set on fire resulting in the loss of both legs!! The people who perpetrated the crime were never brought to justice - the reasons for which I am unsure of - all I know is that when the chappie came round in hospital he was gobsmacked to learn he had no legs. As a result, he will not get a penny in compensation from the criminal injuries - the reason given - no-one was brought to justice.
I do not write this to start an on-line argument, however, I think everyone should know that not EVERYONE gets payment from the criminal injuries.
To comment to the previous poster - IF Abigail is getting NHS care because of the "high profile" of her case and the media coverage - then that is diabolical. NHS care should be available to ALL who require it - not just because the media think you are better deserving.
Whilst perhaps sounding like a gripe to some, there are a great number of us who are saddened by what the media think is "deserving publicity." I know a quad similar to Abigail but who instead of the leafy suburb came from a deprived area of the UK - no media - nothing - just a 3 lined paragraph in a paper.
Whilst glad that she has safely delivered her child, I hope the media now back off because it seems that you cannot open a paper or switch on TV without seeing her. Yes, it was tragic, but there are other just as tragic cases - only difference they get on with it.
I half expect that the RC Church will now beatify her and make her a saint! Whilst I admire her spirit, I KNOW that neither myself, nor my family, could be so "laid back" about such horrific injuries. My hubby is paralysed from the chest down and when he was injured - he cried buckets as did we all - from shock and change of life. However, different folk react in different ways I suppose.
Anyway, I only wanted to say that no EVERYONE gets payments - despite what the website says.
I do not write this to start an on-line argument, however, I think everyone should know that not EVERYONE gets payment from the criminal injuries.
To comment to the previous poster - IF Abigail is getting NHS care because of the "high profile" of her case and the media coverage - then that is diabolical. NHS care should be available to ALL who require it - not just because the media think you are better deserving.
Whilst perhaps sounding like a gripe to some, there are a great number of us who are saddened by what the media think is "deserving publicity." I know a quad similar to Abigail but who instead of the leafy suburb came from a deprived area of the UK - no media - nothing - just a 3 lined paragraph in a paper.
Whilst glad that she has safely delivered her child, I hope the media now back off because it seems that you cannot open a paper or switch on TV without seeing her. Yes, it was tragic, but there are other just as tragic cases - only difference they get on with it.
I half expect that the RC Church will now beatify her and make her a saint! Whilst I admire her spirit, I KNOW that neither myself, nor my family, could be so "laid back" about such horrific injuries. My hubby is paralysed from the chest down and when he was injured - he cried buckets as did we all - from shock and change of life. However, different folk react in different ways I suppose.
Anyway, I only wanted to say that no EVERYONE gets payments - despite what the website says.
Hi Irish Eyes
I agree its not fair on the nhs front, never said it was, I was just summising. Why elsewould Abigail get nhs care when the vast majority of us do not?
The CICA site puts a very important 'may' infront of the phrase saying compo can be paid without conviction, so I guess these crazy situations occur when someone is brutally attacked a gets - sod all.
Very sad.
Simon
I agree its not fair on the nhs front, never said it was, I was just summising. Why elsewould Abigail get nhs care when the vast majority of us do not?
The CICA site puts a very important 'may' infront of the phrase saying compo can be paid without conviction, so I guess these crazy situations occur when someone is brutally attacked a gets - sod all.
Very sad.
Simon
You must have one of those NHS hospitals that are rubbish, mine was ok except it was dirty, I ended up getting MRSA on three occasions. It is still filthy.
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