How we support brain injury survivors and more attention in the press 🗞️
Earlier this month, we recognised Action for Brain Injury (ABI) week – an annual campaign by the brain injury association, Headway, to raise awareness of the issues faced by individuals and families affected by brain injury.
It only takes one second for a life to be turned upside down – whether from a road traffic accident, workplace incident, or violent crime. But unlike other serious injury cases, brain injuries can often result in cognitive impairment and a greater uncertainty about recovery. As well as the physical and psychological toll this can take on the injured, it also carries a heavier impact for family, friends, and those caring for them.
Compensation can help, but it can be a long and complex road of gathering evidence and analysing medical records to achieve it. And this can be a stressful process for someone already suffering the impact and isolation from a brain injury. That’s why, at Optimal, we’ve invested in our serious and catastrophic injury team over the years with dedicated, senior solicitors who have experience and specialisms in brain injury cases.
From supporting individuals and families, to taking all the heavy lifting away from the legal process, to going the extra mile to ensure clients receive the support and rehabilitation needed for recovery, discover more about how we can help here.
Now, let’s catch up with what’s been happening at Optimal HQ and in the legal world this month 👇
Legal briefing
Headway announces next annual conference for those who work closely with brain injury survivors
The UK brain injury association has announced its 2026 conference – Reintegration in Action: Community, Family, and the Future of Brain Injury Care. Legal professionals, case management experts, health and social care professionals, and neuro-clinical specialists will come together to share their own perspectives and experiences to explore how we can support a better quality of life and reintegration after injury – a key contributing factor in recovery.
Petition to change surrogacy law reaches over 110,000 signatures
A new petition calls for intended parents in surrogacy arrangements to be recognised as their child’s legal parents from birth. And with over 100,000 signatures five months ahead of the deadline, it will be considered for debate in parliament. Under British law, the surrogate is recognised as the legal parent – requiring intended parents who may have planned for, loved, and raised a child to go through court proceedings to gain that recognition.
The Optimal pulse
- Our recent additions to our fast track and multi track teams have been gaining traction in the media, as publications recognise our continued growth and development. Read how we’re bolstering our key specialisms in catastrophic injury, disputed liability claims, high-value personal injury work, and client support in BDaily and TheBusinessDesk!
- We had a productive strategy session with the Embryo marketing team as we look ahead to the next quarter at Optimal Solicitors. The meeting was a valuable opportunity to reflect on the progress already being made, including recent media coverage featuring our solicitors in national publications, and to shape the next stage of our marketing activity with a clear and focused plan.
Edyta Sliwinska, Head of Marketing at Optimal, said: “It is encouraging to see our strategy gaining momentum. Our solicitors are contributing to important conversations around legal issues that affect real people, and that visibility matters. It helps individuals better understand their rights, make informed decisions, and find the right legal support when they need it most.“There is a lot to be excited about in the quarter ahead. Our plan is clear, our direction is strong, and our focus remains on making legal support more accessible, visible and helpful for the people who need it.”
Thank you to Embryo for their continued support and collaboration. We’re looking forward to building on this progress in the months ahead!
- We have another £50 voucher winner from the Optimal Fitness and Wellbeing Group 🥁
Congratulations to Natalia, who was our next group member to be randomly selected from a spin of the wheel – a small thank you (and a bit of fun!) for being an active part of our online wellbeing community, where we all get to share what we do to feel good and keep fit outside of work!
This month, the group took part in the likes of horse riding, gardening, hiking, beach hopping, and even rock climbing! We can’t wait to see what’s in store for June 🌞
Employee of the month
With an impressive four nominations, well done and congratulations to our May Employee of the Month, Weronika Kolodziejczak 🎉
Here’s why your colleagues voted for you and why we’re so lucky to have you:
Weronika demonstrates empathy and professionalism. Her conversations with clients are warm and sincere, and she works honestly, putting in 100% every day. She’s truly reliable and never lets the team down. On top of that, she brings a great vibe to work and somehow makes even Mondays feel a bit easier! She also recently brought sweet treats to the office with a lovely little message – such a small gesture, but it genuinely made everyone’s day!
Props to all our other nominees, too, who earned their own much-deserved recognition from the team. Thanks for everything you do – you are greatly appreciated!
- Weronika Bojarska – Always helpful and seeking additional work and experience to drive herself forwards.
- Katarzyna Gryszun – Willing to learn and help out others so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
- Ryszarda Kozikowska Dub – Great work ethic!
- Craig Fisher – An amazing manager and never gets annoyed by questions and team messages!
- Esme Flannery – Extremely kind and always happy to help. Pleasure to be around.
- Tracie Thomas – Quick to respond to a query and helps wherever she can.
- Natalia Lewnau – A joy to work with and there for you when you need her.
- Dagmara Maluszke – Very helpful and supportive. She is approachable and very friendly.
- Paula Andrei – Always makes sure clients are helped and advised. She is so nice and supportive to team members.
- Ewelina Kaminska – Assists and helps out on difficult cases, translating or locating documents at the last minute without hesitation.
- Jacek Zawieracz – Always on hand with a smile and to offer support.
- Jakub Wisniewski – Handled bottlenecks before they could affect the projects that he worked on, and always willing to help.
Work anniversaries
Big congratulations to the two Optimal team members who reached their work anniversary this month 🙌
🎉 Calum Murphy – 1 year
🎉 Dominika Beza – 9 years
Your commitment and hard work never go unnoticed. We’re lucky to have you both in the team and it’s our pleasure to share in these celebrations with you!
Blog showcase – How Optimal supports clients who have been impacted by brain injury
Brain injury cases are often complex and rarely linear, with the implications of the injury itself often changing throughout the case. This requires both specialist legal support, with solicitors who know what it takes to gather evidence and comprehensive schedules of loss, and supportive patient approaches rooted in empathy and understanding.
In recognition of ABI week earlier this month, we’ve gathered just a small handful of case studies where we have helped our clients, and their families, find a path forward following brain injury:
- Achieving £750k Compensation For A Road Traffic Accident Claim
- Supporting A Family Through A Mid-Claim Fatality And Achieving £470k
- CICA Claim After A Violent Assault: £82,600 Compensation Secured
Introducing… Jonathan Grundy
Jonathan Grundy is a Catastrophic Injury Solicitor in our Serious Injury team, supporting clients and families after life-changing accidents. He qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and brings over 30 years’ experience across the insurance and legal sectors, with more than two decades focused on claimant serious injury work.
Jonathan acts in complex, high-value claims including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, and multiple trauma arising from road traffic collisions, workplace accidents, and public liability incidents. His approach is practical and evidence-led – focusing on the key issues early, building a clear case strategy, and keeping clients updated with simplified language so they feel informed and supported throughout.
A consistent theme in Jonathan’s work is securing the right help as early as possible, including rehabilitation and interim payments where appropriate. He has achieved multi-million-pound outcomes for clients, including £12.5 million in a long-running CICA case involving severe brain injury, as well as other significant settlements in brain injury and amputation claims.
Before specialising in claimant catastrophic injury, Jonathan spent many years in the insurance industry and worked as a defendant solicitor, giving him a valuable understanding of how cases are approached from both sides. His wider experience includes senior roles and running his own practice, and he has also worked on major investigations, including involvement in The Shipman Inquiry earlier in his career.
Jonathan is known for his calm, straightforward advice and his focus on what matters most to each client: practical support, clarity about next steps, and building the strongest case to protect their long-term future.
Outside of work, Jonathan spends most of his spare time with his family – he is married with two children. He also enjoys playing tennis and still makes time for martial arts.
“I can’t fault Optimal Solicitors…”
We are proud to have been recognised once again by ReviewSolicitors for our excellent 4.8/5 rating from over 2,200 customer reviews! This not only reflects the dedication we have to providing practical, accessible, and best-in-class legal services, but the commitment we have invested into ensuring the client journey comes first.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback, and thank you to ReviewSolicitors for the recent recognition post 🫶
Find a path forward with Optimal
Personal and serious injury cases aren’t just about compensation. They’re about helping our clients find a way to move forward with their lives. Unwavering support, appropriate rehabilitation, and justice that paves the way for a future that might not previously have been visible – this is the optimal outcome that we are committed to every time.
To find out more about how we can help, call our team today on 0161 250 7771 or complete our online contact form.
