Spinal cord injuries can be one of the most serious types of injuries which people can suffer. Unfortunately, spinal cord injuries often leave people in a wheelchair, and may leave them with limited control over their bodily functions. This means that the way that spinal injury claims are dealt with is often very different from other types of claims.
What type of spinal injuries can claims be made for?
People can suffer from spinal injuries as a result of a range of different situations. This can include physical accidents, such as sporting injuries, bicycle accidents and injuries in the workplace. Spinal injuries can also be caused by clinical negligence or due to problems which have arisen during birth. In some circumstances, spinal injuries can be caused as a result of viruses or infections which are attacking the body. If you can show that you developed this infection or virus as a result of someone else’s negligence, then you may be able to make a spinal injury claim.
How much could I claim for a spinal injury?
It is difficult to give an estimate for spinal injury claims, because each claim is unique. Many claimants are awarded a high level of compensation because they have had to make a lot of lifestyle changes to accommodate for their injury. For example, the injured party may have had to spend a lot of money on rehabilitation costs, aids and adaptations, and other specialist equipment for their home. The compensation may also cover loss of future earnings, if the claimant is not able to return to work after their accident.
How can I make a claim?
If you have suffered any injury to your spinal cord, you should get in contact with a claims specialist who has experience of dealing with spinal cord injury claims. You will be asked to recount the circumstances of how your spinal injury happened, and you will be asked to share certain information with the claims advisor. Some of this information may be of a personal nature. The families of victims of spinal injuries may also be able to make claims on that person’s behalf, if that person has been so badly incapacitated that they are not able to lodge a claim for themselves.
What information will I have to provide?
The information that you will be asked to provide can differ from case to case, and will often depend on the extent of your injuries. You will normally have to bring any documentation that you can which relates to your injury. You may be asked to give details of any people who may have witnessed the accident, and who may be able to support your claim. If you have had to make adaptations to your property and you have shouldered the cost of these adaptations then you should bring receipts to document the cost of your purchases. Wage slips and bank statements may also be useful to show how your loss of earnings has impacted on your financial situation.
One of the most important documents that you will be asked to bring in is your medical history. This can help to highlight the extent of your injuries. In addition to this, you may be asked to submit to an independent medical inspection with a doctor who is working on behalf of your claims team.
What happens next?
Using all of this information, your solicitor or claims advisor will work out how much compensation you may be eligible to receive. They will then work to build a strong case on your behalf. After this, they will get in contact with the defendant to let them know that a claim has been made against them. The defendant (or their insurance company) will then have the opportunity to respond to the claim. In some cases, the defendant will agree with the claim immediately. In other cases they may make a counteroffer. If you do not want to accept this offer, they may enter into negotiations with your solicitor to try to come to an agreement. If you do not want to settle, the case may end up being taken to a claims court.