Late Payment Advice

Hi all,

I've been doing freelance video work for about a year now but only recently started bringing in regular work. I have been chasing payment from one client for the past 3 weeks, with no reply and at the beginning of this week I get an email from his PA to say that he'd been rushed into hospital the night before and sounded quite serious.

I am currently short on money as I was relying on that payment (schoolboy error I know) and was wondering what the best way to approach the situation is considering this latest development?

Any advice will be gratefully appreciated.

Dan