spinal injury compensation claim

The spinal column, also called the spine, backbone or vertebral column, acts as a support for the upper parts of the body and protection to the spinal cord and related nerves. The backbone of an adult human of most heights is about 28" long. Within the column lies the spinal cord.

Spinal cord injury is damage to the cord which results in a loss of function, e.g. movement or feeling. Severing of the cord is not necessary for this to happen. Often it remains intact but ceases to work properly. Surrounding bones may be broken but if the spinal cord remains intact paralysis is not inevitable.

The cord is about 18" long and runs from the base of the brain centrally down the back to the waist. Nerves within the cord transmit messages from the brain to the spinal nerve on the spinal tract. Nerve impulses are carried by the cord from the brain to and from other parts of the body.

Vertebrae or bone rings surround the cord. These make up the spinal column or back bone. In the neck there are 7 cervical or neck vertebrae and in the chest 12 thoracic vertebrae. There are 5 lumbar vertebrae in the small of the back and 5 fused vertebrae forming the sacrum. This is rounded off by four vertebrae fused together to form the coccyx which is the nearest thing we get to having a tail.

Injuries are either complete – no function below the level of the injury – or incomplete. In general the higher the injury the greater the likely loss of function. Cervical injuries usually result in quadriplegia, i.e. loss of function of all four limbs. Those at the highest level may require the use of a ventilator for breathing. Thoracic injuries normally affect the chest and legs and can result in paraplegia, i.e. loss of function of two limbs. With an incomplete injury some degree of functioning below the injury level is retained perhaps more on one side than the other.

The current published award figures for quadriplegia range from £175,00 to £220,000 and for paraplegia.

In addition, if you have suffered a spinal cord injury or back injury we can help you:

Claim compensation for pain and suffering
Claim for loss of amenity (being able to carryout your usual, day-to-day activities)
Arrange specialist equipment or vehicles
Organise modifications to your home or even purchasing a new home any ongoing or future care needs you may have
If you are unable to return to your job due to the injury, we will ensure you are compensated for this too
Obtain interim payments for accommodation, buying equipment and setting up care regimes
And, when your claim is won, we will advise on investing your compensation and setting up special trusts to protect your benefit

Where liability can be established early on we can obtain interim payments to fund care and housing which are so essential in the early stages after a spinal cord injury and which the statutory authorities have difficulty providing.

Each individual victim will differ and as such it is important that a full diagnosis is made and that compensation is awarded that is commensurate with the injuries sustained.

If you or somebody you know has suffered a spinal injury that was caused by somebody else then please complete the Claim Assessment Form. Our claims solicitors will then contact you in order to confirm whether or not you have grounds for making an accident compensation claim.

Please note that all of our claims solicitors act on a strictly no win no fee basis and that you or the victim will receive 100% of any damages that are awarded.

Spinal Injury Compensation Claim