A FORMER carpenter who suffered life-changing brain damage when his girlfriend crashed the car they were travelling in, has been awarded substantial damages.

Robert Perfect, 34, of Main Road, Alresford, will receive interim payments from the car insurance company to cover his care and rehabilitation needs for life.

The amount awarded has not been disclosed but it was previously said to be to due at more than £1million.

Today's High Court ruling follows an admission of responsibility from the insurers which was approved in November 2012.

Mr Perfect was injured when his former partner, Sophie Moorcroft, lost control and flipped her car on the A12, near Ipswich, in September 2008.

As well as a number of broken bones, Mr Perfect sustained serious brain damage, leaving him with no sense of taste or smell, memory problems, lost his right big toe and has severe obsessive compulsive disorder.

Mr Perfect spent more than two months in hospital and had to give up his career and his plans to buy a house of his own.

He has spent the last five years relying on his mum, dad and sister for support.

Robert’s mum, Sharon, instructed serious injury experts at law firm Irwin Mitchell to help her son gain access to the rehabilitation and therapies he desperately needs.

The funds will pay for intensive physiotherapy and psychotherapy, allowing Mr Perfect to move into his own home with support, and cover his loss of earnings.

He said: “The settlement agreed will now help me to move forward with my life. I would like to thank everyone that has helped me over the past few years and specially my family and friends - without them I would not be where I am today.”

See Tuesday's Gazette