Spinal Injury Solicitors.

If the negligent action of someone, whether it was a person driving a car or a doctor undertaking a medical procedure, was a contributing factor to your injury, it is very likely that you will be able to make a claim. If the injury is caused by some form of negligence surrounding a medical or hospital procedure then Lanyon Bowdler’s team of Medical Negligence Solicitors should be consulted at once.

More than 1,000 people suffer a spinal cord injury every year through a variety of incidents, such as sporting accidents, surgical injuries, diseases and road traffic accidents.

It is a sad fact that many spinal injuries lead to paralysis, which can be devastating for everyone involved.

Injuries to the spine itself can of course range from being very minor to being extremely severe. Compensation, therefore, will be commensurate with the severity of damage to the spine and the long-term implications for the injured party.

Making a Spinal Injury Claim can provide compensation for:

• Neck injuries
• Fractures to the spinal column
• Paraplegia – Involves injury to the spinal cord below thoracic spinal levels (T1-L5). People with injuries to this part of the spinal cord retain the full motor function of upper limbs. Some paraplegics will be completely paralysed from the waste down, while others will deal with more minor mobility issues.
• Quadriplegia (also known as ‘Tetraplegia’) occurs when the injury is above the first thoracic vertebra, or within the cervical section of the spine and can result in loss of movement to all limbs.
• Side effects

Final compensation awards for Spinal Injury Claims are calculated by assessing both general and special damages associated with the trauma of the incident and the significance of its effects on later life, including:

• Suitable compensation if you are no longer able to continue your career path or indeed work at all
• If you are no longer able to participate in leisure or creative activities that once contributed actively toward your quality of life
• To allow single storey accommodation and/or adaptations around the home or with modes of transport (widened doorways, bath lifts, wet rooms, ramps and access adaptations)
• Funding for a care package for ongoing healthcare support
• Ensuring all needs are catered for to provide independence

According to UK statistics, men aged between 20 – 29 and in older age at 70+ are most at risk of suffering traumatic spinal cord injury (spinal research org.). Women are most at risk in adolescence (aged 15 – 19) plus at older ages (60+), but with men suffering spinal injuries at rates generally around double than that of females.

The main causes of traumatic spinal cord injury are due to accidents such as falls from height, sporting injuries, and road traffic accidents.

Spinal Cord Injuries often carry the risk of developing further health complications which can be uncomfortable at best or life-threatening at worst, problems such as chronic pain, respiratory problems, muscle spasms, DVT, urinary tract infection & pressure ulcers.

• Compensation for Quadriplegia / Tetraplegia: Spinal Injury Claim Compensation settlement values for these kinds of paralysis are contingent with the injured person experiencing ongoing physical pain, and whether the senses have been impaired to varying degrees. Whether there is a lack of self-awareness and potential impact on living an independent life and whether life-expectancy has been cut short. The age of the injured person will also play a role. Compensation pay-outs should average £284,000 – £354,000
• Compensation for Paraplegia: Spinal Injury Claim Compensation for Paraplegia depends on numerous factors, such as; age of the injured person and any reduced life expectancy, impact on sexual function, the possibility of the degree of paralysis increasing in time, the possibility of leading an independent life, possible effects of depression and any ongoing sensations of physical pain. Compensation pay-outs should average £192,000-£250,000

• Compensation for back injuries that include some damage to the Spinal Cord or nerve fibers, such back injuries would include different combinations of physiological effects not seen in most back injuries. Compensation pay-outs would average £76,000 – £135,000
• Injuries that include distinct features that exclude them from the lower bracket of orthopaedic back injury. Physical impairments could include physical scarring, sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel problems. The possibility of future surgery would also be a factor. Compensation Pay-outs would average between £62,000 – £74,000
• Injuries to intervertebral discs, including lesions, fractures. Where physical impairment and pain will remain even following treatments. Such case would include situations where mobility or agility remain affected. A heightened risk of arthritis and the psychological impact of the injury such as personality change or depression and impact on employability. Compensation payouts for these kinds of back injuries could average £32,000 – £59,000

Such classification of an injury would obviously include those with ongoing or future physical impairments of less severity than those set out above. Examples of injuries that may fall into this bracket would include:

• Prolapsed or damage spinal discs requiring surgery with nerve issues and the potential for slightly reduced mobility
• Crush fracture injuries of the lumbar vertebrae giving rise to the potential for constant pain, or impairment with sexual function. Possibility of increased susceptibility to osteoarthritis
• Cases where spinal fusion surgery may be required, i.e. Traumatic spondylolisthesis

Moderate back injury claims could see average compensation pay-outs in the region of £23,000 – £32,500.
Slightly less severe back injuries (but still categorised as moderate) can expect compensation claim settlement values of between £10,000 – £23,200. Injuries would include damage to muscles or ligaments in the back, soft tissue injuries that exacerbate pre-existing conditions, or injuries that lead to recurrences of problems such as repeated relapse of discs.