A British man, from a traditional Pakistani family, has been awarded the highest ever compensation settlement for personal injury in the UK. 22-year-old Wasim Mohammed from Wasall, which is near Birmingham, was awarded compensation in an out-of-court settlement at a staggering total of £11.15 million.

This award will compensate him for disastrous injuries he suffered in 2006 when he was the passenger in a road traffic accident. The driver of the car at the time of his accident was speeding. Mr. Mohammed’s injuries occurred when the driver tried to overtake at a junction, but instead hit another vehicle that was turning right.

As a result of the accident, Mr. Mohammed will go through the rest of his life with a broken neck, damage to his spinal cord, and no movement in his legs and little use of his arms.

The staggering total of his compensation is in consideration of the requirements of custom in his Pakistani traditions. According to Mr. Mohammed’s lawyer, Daniel Herman, as the eldest son, Mr. Mohammed’s duty is to remain at home with his parents to look after them in old age.

Since that’s no longer a possibility due to his injuries, the next best thing will be to use the settlement money to build him a purpose-built house beside his parents’ home. That way, Mr. Mohammed can at least see them daily, and he says he looks forward to this.