Personal Injury Lawyer of the Month – Afiya Begum

Afiya Begum is a Solicitor in our Personal Injury team. She has over 10 years’ experience across a range of personal injury matters. As our Personal Injury Lawyer of The Month, Afiya tells us more about herself and her career.

Which areas of the law do you specialise in?

I have been practicing Personal Injury Law for over 10 years on a full spectrum of personal injury work including Employers’ Liability and Public Liability claims, Road Traffic Accidents, Occupiers’ Liability, Product liability and the Highways Act. I enjoy all aspects of Personal Injury work, however I specialise in complex Employers’ Liability and Road Traffic Accident claims and cases involving complex orthopaedic and psychological injuries.

What do you enjoy about your work? 

I am involved in a case from the beginning to the end of the case which allows me to advise and guide my clients on a one-to-one basis, which enables me to understand my client’s objectives and any treatment needs at a very early stage. I enjoy the variety of my cases and engaging in the process of settling cases for my clients.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I believe a number of cases have helped my development as a Lawyer. However one case stands out for me. I represented a lady who suffered a fall at a public place and suffered a head injury. Unfortunately my client later passed away in hospital. I represented my client’s dependants in what was a very traumatic time for them. In this particular case I had to advise and guide a whole family through the process and not just an individual client. It was fantastic when I reached a settlement with the Defendant’s representative which ultimately helped the family move on with their lives.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Hodge Jones & Allen?

I work with a fantastic team and colleagues who are passionate about their work and work tirelessly to fight for their clients. I have been with the firm for nearly 5 years and I find every case has its own challenges but the desire to get results and justice for my clients makes it all the more interesting and keeps me on my toes!

Can you tell us about the most interesting case you’ve worked on recently? 

I recently settled a claim for an 88 year old client who fell backwards off a bus when the driver closed the doors on her as she was boarding the bus. Despite my client’s age, she was completely independent. My client suffered a head injury, a soft tissue injury to her elbow which was initially thought to be a fracture. She also suffered vestibular dysfunction which caused dizziness and vertigo following the accident.

After the accident she had to use a walking stick to mobilise, which meant that she was unable to go out of the house without a stick which compromised her independence.

I took the view early on in the case that my client could not travel to the medical examination and I contacted the Defendant Insurance Company and agreed with them to fund a medical examination in my client’s home, which helped her due to her symptoms of dizziness and vertigo.

I settled the claim for my client promptly to ensure she could continue enjoying her retirement and worry less about the legal process of her claim.

Lastly, when you’re not at work, what do you like to get up to?

When I am not running after my two year old daughter, I enjoy watching something interesting on Netflix, catching up with family and friends and eating Thai food!