A woman who sustained a brain injury and was left paralysed from the waist down after she was involved in a road traffic accident has spoken out on her determination to get her life back on track.
Samantha Maguire was nearly 30 when she was in a crash on the A835 in November 2015.
The van rolled twice and Miss Maguire, who was in the passenger seat, was thrown from the vehicle.
Samantha suffered a bleed on the brain and spinal injury, and was told by doctors that she would never walk again.
Her lawyers at Irwin Mitchell helped secure payments for treatment and help, and she now lives in an adapted bungalow in Inverness. She also has an adapted car which allows her to travel as a passenger, and has access to a specialist 24-hour support team.
She said: “The past few years have been incredibly difficult, but having my own house and access to a car helps me maintain some of the independence I had before the accident. It also allows me to visit my family which is so important.
“Coming to terms with my injuries hasn’t been easy, but my mum has been my main rock throughout it all. Family means everything to me, and one of my happiest places is going to the park with my sister and nieces. It is lovely to see their faces and see how much they enjoy being around me.”
Now, Samantha is starring in Irwin Mitchell’s I Am Able campaign, which tells the stories of how people who have suffered injury and illness have been able to get their lives back on track with specialist help and support.