A young man who was catastrophically injured when he was hit by a drunk driver while walking home with his girlfriend has been awarded a multi-million-pound compensation settlement to cover the costs of the lifetime of care he will need.

The man was aged 20 at the time of the accident. He suffered brain damage and spent almost three years in rehabilitative care. He will never be able to work or live independently. The driver was later convicted of driving with excess alcohol, driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after an accident.

Following negotiations, the driver's insurers agreed to settle the man's case on the basis of 80 per cent liability. His compensation package was made up of a £2.3 million lump sum, plus index-linked and tax-free payments of £105,000 a year to cover the costs of his care for life. The High Court approved the settlement.