Starting fund for accident victim

Savvy_Sue

Ettenna wrote: »

What do you mean by family? Is it a wife/husband, children, parents? It depends on the circumstances. My daughter was seriously injured in a car accident leaving her in a vegetative state still, over a year later. All her care needs are provided for. She is in a Neuro rehab place and all her needs are still met.

If your friend was working then they should get sick pay. If they weren't then their family can apply for benefits on his/her behalf as an appointee. I claim ESA for my daughter and use it to fund her extra costs such as clothing, toiletries but I also use it to pay for petrol to visit her once a week.

Depending on the type of injuries, there may be grants available to help with transport costs. Headway for instance have an emergency fund that they can apply for to help with transport.

It was only a year after her accident that her friends did a fundraising event and this was for the hospital where she is cared for and for the charity who have been most helpful to me (The Brain Injury Group). It didn't occur to us to raise money specifically for my daughter.

To be fair, and notwithstanding all you've written here, I can understand that following a devastating accident there may be immediate financial needs and a feeling of crisis.

For example, a working adult may only receive SSP - which is nothing for the first 3 days and not very much thereafter. A working partner may feel the need to take time off work, and this would often be unpaid.

It may take time and energy to discover what help is available, and a lag between finding out and actually obtaining it. A family who were already running to a very tight budget would obviously struggle with this.

Hermia

I think I would prefer to give directly to the family or maybe buy something they need. There have been a fair few news stories in recent years where a friend or relative has set up a fund and no one knows quite what happened to the money. I don't think it's necessarily people being bad. I think it's often just people who have never managed a fund before not keeping records etc.

I think if you are going to set up some sort of fund you need to write down what the money was spent on. I think you also need to have an idea of where the money will go if a lot was collected and the person then dies or is fortunate not to need it all.

paddedjohn

My guess is that the victim is only young and the OP is a little naïve, just like the school kids who rush round releasing Chinese lanterns and holding memorial events when they lose a classmate.

fluffnutter

I feel inclined to agree. It's not the job of friends to provide money for on-going living costs after someone's had an accident. It's nice to a one-off whip-round to buy something useful and show you care, but an on-going financial commitment is inappropriate.

lushlifesaver

I work with a wheelchair rugby team, so with some of the most disabled people; many of our spinal/trauma players have very high neck breaks and need round the clock care/support so I can tell you what he will be eligible for will vary and depend in a lot of factors.
If he was the victim of an accident he will be able to/the family on his behalf will be able to put in for insurance/compensation. If his condition will be life limiting the claim will make note and reflect this.
If he can no longer drive/needs adaptations and once out of hospital goes on to higher rate care/mobility support he will be eligible for a notability car. This doesn't have to be driven by him but he will need to be a passenger when its in use.

In the immediate future ask the family what they would like and what would be most beneficial to them. It may be a few hot meals, someone running errands, help to keep the house in order, his close friends to sit with him whilst they go and rest/freshen up so he isn't alone...
If they are happy for you to accept donations set up a PayPal account and give them the log in details too; then set up a page on a website called 'go fund me' it works similarly to just giving, allowing people to donate through PayPal etc, but you don't need a charity number. You do get charged PayPal fees but its not much when you consider the donations.
If, going forward, you would like to set up a trust to support your friend/their family then go about it properly and officially. There are many around; one of the players from another team has one set up for him, 'famous' accident victims such as Matt Hampson have support from charities established in their name, find one and ask how they went about setting it up or use some of the many resources online. Please, please, please ensure you go about it the right and official way though - to avoid your, your friend, or his family facing any problems.

ETA; you need a reason for setting up the trust, and a goal. Depending on the accident there are various funds and grants available anyway so applying for them may be more productive. If you do set up a trust you need trustees, a fundraising plan, dissolution plans etc and a plan as to how to keep funds coming in - there is only so much individuals can/will give so you need a bigger plan

Amanda65

Hi OP

I hope that your friend is making some progress and that the family are receiving some support from other family members / friends.

The thing that we found crippling when my Dad was in hospital for a month were the parking fees (lickily the hospital is not far from home) but a quick chat with hospital welfare and we got a weekly pass, which worked out so much cheaper, so that may be the first thing to do. Alternately could you set up a rota of people to give them lifts therefore meaning there is no parking / petrol for them to pay?

Moving forward, once your friend's prognosis is known decisions can then be made about his future care and needs. It is completely understandable that you all want to help, and I commend you for it, but think practical help rather than a pool of cash will be more useful to the family at the moment.