Purple Day: wearing purple in support of epilepsy awareness

Posted: 25/03/2021

Although slightly cryptic in name, Purple Day is an event during which people all over the world don their best purple outfits (and we also encourage playing Purple Rain by Prince) to raise awareness about epilepsy. OK, so listening to Purple Rain is not an official part of the day, but you should (and we do).

Epilepsy is a condition where sudden bursts of electrical activity in the brain cause seizures or fits. It affects more than 65 million people worldwide and one in 26 of us will develop epilepsy in our lifetimes.

The personal injury team at Penningtons Manches Cooper represents clients who either have developed or are at risk of developing epilepsy due to having previously suffered a traumatic brain injury, which increases the probability of epileptic fits occurring by around 50%.

Epilepsy can manifest soon after a brain injury and an injured person can experience seizures within the first week. However, seizures can also occur several weeks or months after the incident and an injured person remains at a heightened level of risk for many years post-accident.

The duration of the period of time for which an individual is at an elevated risk of developing epilepsy increases with the severity of the head injury. Although the likelihood of the condition manifesting decreases over time, those with the most extreme brain injuries can be at increased risk for up to 15 years.

When acting for brain injured clients, we have to consider how to deal with this possibility in order to make sure our clients receive the correct compensation - it is in no-one’s interest to wait 15 years and see if our clients develop epilepsy. To account for this risk, we factor it into settlements in different ways: either by calculating the percentage risk or by claiming provisional damages. We include provision for the potential pain, suffering and loss of amenity that developing epilepsy would cause in addition to any care, medication and equipment that would be required.

There are several prominent charities encouraging participation and raising funds for Purple Day, such as Epilepsy Action and Epilepsy Society.

If you or a loved one have experienced a traumatic brain injury and are considering bringing a claim for compensation, a member of the specialist personal injury team at Penningtons Manches Cooper can be available to have an initial, no obligation discussion with you to explain your options.

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