“When I was at my lowest point, in the dark days, I couldn’t imagine finding the colour in life again.”
An accident at work
Royal Air Force corporal, Richard Davies, was deployed on an exercise in Cyprus in May 2019, when someone towing a jet engine trailer ran into his left heel. His foot folded in on itself and he was rushed to hospital where he had four hours of surgery to reconstruct it.
The reconstructive surgery went well, and Richard returned to work with a protective boot and crutches after 12 weeks. But the pain didn’t improve and what followed was a series of treatments, physiotherapy, and pain therapy supported by the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall. He tried everything, including surgery to remove pins from his foot in July 2020.
Richard remembers that it hurt to laugh, and the smallest knock could write off a whole day. He put on a brave face for work but found himself sheltering from family life. His son Rhys was 18 months old at the time.
The high dose of pain killers fogged his brain, and Richard soon found his attitude reflecting his misery. He says, “Living with that kind of pain, it was difficult not to be snappy. I hated the person I became.”
Richard contacted us a few months after his injury to make a legal claim for his broken foot. No one expected things to evolve the way they did.
The decision to amputate
Doctors didn’t realise at the time that he’d sustained severe nerve damage. He was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome and in April 2021, three surgeons collectively agreed that amputating his foot would be the best option, whether now or further down the line.
Richard left the appointment feeling sick. He called his wife Toni and broke down in tears. He says, being told you need an amputation, “Hits you really deep.” But after talking things through properly at home, they both felt it was the only way to get life back on track.
By now they had a six-month old daughter, Paige. The thought of losing his foot was emotional and, in the run-up to the operation, Richard received specialist counselling to prepare him for life without it. But having a plan brought a sense of relief. Richard says, “I couldn’t do what I wanted to because of the pain. I felt I needed to sort things out for my children.”
On 30 July 2021, despite his pain, Richard walked into the hospital on two feet for the last time.
The road to recovery
After the operation and once the anaesthetic had cleared his system, Richard noticed, “For the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years that agonising, consistent pain in my foot was gone.”
After 12 days in hospital, he spent six weeks at home followed by a further six weeks at Stanford Hall.
Seven weeks after his operation, Richard was cast for his first prosthetic and took his first steps. He says, “It was the first time I’d been able to walk without screaming in pain. I knew then that I’d made the right decision to amputate.”
The colour started coming back into life for Richard. It felt good to show the children what he could do. He says, “The day Rhys ran, and I was right behind him when he turned round, shocked him. He said, ‘Daddy’s learnt how to run.’ We were both laughing.”
Legal support
Richard’s become good friends with his lawyer Simon Harrington, head of our Ministry of Defence team in Cambridge over the course of his claim. He says, “Simon put everything into layman’s terms for me.”
Simon says, “Having a military specialism means that we understand the nuances of military claims, the allowances, the promotion prospects, and the pensions. It could be the difference between recovering a modest amount or the right amount, and that can make a real difference to someone’s life.”
“Understanding the military and its internal procedures gives you an insight into their mindset and how they’re trained. When you know what they’re looking to achieve, it allows you to help them get there.”
“Compensation will never put Richard back to the position he was in before he was injured, it just can’t do that, but what it can do is take away some of the stress and minimise the impact of that injury, not only on Richard, but on his family as well.”
Finding a purpose through sport
When the possibility of taking part in the Invictus Games, an international multi-sport event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, was first put to Richard, he says, “I didn’t think I was broken enough.”
Eventually persuaded, the challenge and competition became an important part of his recovery. Simon says, for military personnel like Richard, “It gives them the camaraderie, physical exertion, and challenges that they lose after leaving the military. Sport replaces quite a bit of what they’ve lost.”
Medical discharge from the Air Force stripped Richard of the uniform that was part of him for 14 years. Seeing the Team UK kit laid out in the Battle of Britain Bunker at the games was “an overwhelming feeling”. He said, “I’ve lost one uniform, but having the chance to wear the Union Flag, it’s like you’re serving your country again.”
At the 2023 Invictus Games, Richard stormed to victory in the pool, claiming gold medals in all four of his swimming disciplines, and placing well in rowing and archery. It was an “Out of this world, unforgettable experience that’s really ignited everything going forward.”
Securing an all-time personal best, after ending a promising swimming career in his teens, Richard “hung up his trunks” to focus on his newfound love of archery. He now trains at his local club in Norwich whenever he gets chance and aims to secure a place on Team GB’s paralympic pathway for Los Angeles in 2028. A big part of archery for Richard is the chance to share a sporting interest with Rhys after missing out on so much in his early years.
Richard’s also got his sights set on the slopes. He’s exploring the opportunity of joining the RAF para-snowboarding championships, and possibly the winter paralympic team, enjoying the chance to be back amongst the banter of his Air Force colleagues.
Richard acknowledges that things would’ve been much harder for him without good prosthetics. His compensation has enabled him to buy the legs he needs for each of his activities, as well as funding the equipment, training, and international competitions he needs to progress.
Simon says, “We created a situation where the funding was there. Richard’s drive and commitment allowed him to get to where he is today.”
The Royal British Legion (RBL)
Support from the RBL has played an important part in Richard’s progress. He connected with them during the Invictus Games selection camp, and they were there for him and his family throughout. They celebrated the Team UK victories and offered a shoulder when it was needed.
As the secretary of the RBL Solicitors Referral Group Panel, Simon feels that it’s important for Irwin Mitchell to have a good relationship with the charity and others that we partner with. It’s reassuring for them that their clients have access to specialist support and expertise.
Daily struggles
Each day, Richard lives with the reality of being an amputee. Sport helps to keep his brain engaged and active to deal with phantom pains, which he feels flair up more when he’s relaxed. On the days when his legs are too painful, he relies on a wheelchair. Without space to use it upstairs he resorts to crawling if the children need comfort during the night.
Changes in Richard’s size affect the way his prosthetics fit but creating new ones is a complex process. It takes about a week to make and fit a new leg, which Richard wears for a week before further adjustments are made.
The claim allows him to spend time fine-tuning his legs with the prosthetists, which sadly isn’t available on the NHS. This makes so much difference to his comfort and what he can do while wearing them. The additional strain that sport places on prosthetics, means that having properly fitting legs for each activity is essential.
Normalising limb loss
Normalising limb loss is important to Richard.
At Rhys’ school, Richard’s, “The dad with the cool robot leg.” He says, “When Rhys saw me achieve what I did in the pool he couldn’t believe it. He was telling everyone.”
Paige doesn’t remember her dad with two feet. For her it’s completely normal. If she wants to go out, she brings him his running blade, and gets his swimming leg if they’re going to the pool.
Richard says, “During the Invictus Games the children saw people with a whole range of disabilities and didn’t think twice about it. I want that to be the norm for them.”
Simon added, “He’s brought his children into the whole world of being an amputee. He’s just normal, he’s just Dad. It’s a real credit to him.”
Looking to the future
Richard’s gearing up to take on the world’s toughest trail and raise £100,000 for the RBL and BLESMA, the Limbless Veterans charity. Alongside fellow amputee Richard Potter, the pair will attempt to become the first amputees to complete the Snowman Trek in Bhutan. With altitudes of up to 6,000 metres and unfavourable weather conditions, only 50% of those who take on the 200-mile Himalayan challenge succeed. If they get to the end, they’ll set a new world record. You can follow their progress on Instagram, @the_limbitless_expedition.
Alongside his sporting endeavours, Richard’s claim has allowed him to purchase an adapted family home. He needs a level walk-in shower, space for a wheelchair, and a downstairs bedroom, or space to build a lift to prepare for a future when he can no longer get upstairs.
Compensation has provided financial security for the family too. Richard’s relieved to take the pressure off Toni, who’s given him unmeasurable support. He says, “She’s been my absolute rock. Grounding me and supporting me through everything. I don’t think she realises how important she’s been.”
Richard remains humble about his situation, saying, “Sometimes it seems so trivial in comparison to what other people are going through. Amputation and the claim have given me so many opportunities that were never there before and I’m going to use them the best I can to inspire others.”
“Being an amputee's not easy, but it can also be a completely new way of life you never imagined. Let the good days overrule the bad days.”
If you or a loved one’s sustained a serious injury leading to amputation, and you need support and guidance, please reach out to our caring and professional team.
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