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Spinal Injury Solicitors.
Our Spinal Injury Solicitors are renowned nationally for their work on cases involving traumatic spinal injuries due to a serious accident, including spinal cord injury due to medical negligence.
Only a qualified Spinal Injury Solicitor is able to offer reliably effective advice on claiming compensation for a serious injury at this difficult time.
Talk to our Spinal Injury Claim specialists today about your rights to compensation.
If you, or a loved one, has suffered a damaged spinal cord or have sustained a serious back injury following an accident, it’s possible you now face life-changing consequences. If your spinal injury was caused by the actions or negligence of others, then you will be entitled to make a Spinal Injury Claim.
Successful and appropriate settlement of a Spinal Injury Claim will provide crucial support for you and your family members in various ways.
To ensure the best outcome, it is vital that you take immediate advice from a qualified Spinal Injury Solicitor. Our team is ready to help.
Compensation can provide support in many areas of day-to-day life, helping to make your recovery as positive, successful and stress-free as possible, or if full recovery is not possible, helping you to achieve financial well-being while surrounding you with a care package that helps to return the best quality of life as quickly as possible.
Spinal Cord Injury Compensation will provide support in the following areas:
- General damages – to compensate for the physical and emotional impact
- Private healthcare needs
- Supplementary rehabilitation and therapies
- Home & transport adaptations
- Loss of earnings
A spinal injury can have devastating consequences. If you have been injured due to an accident which was not your fault, you could be eligible to claim compensation and you should speak with one of our Spinal Injury Lawyers today.
What is a Spinal Cord Injury?
The spine impacts on all bodily functions, acting as the main pathway for communication between the brain and the rest of the body.
Protected by vertebrae, it carries signals to and from the brain via its complex network of nerve cells (neurons) and bundles of nerve fibre (axons). Along with the brain, the spinal cord makes up the central nervous system and is essential to the peripheral nervous system too. It is due to its fundamental role in all bodily functions that damage to the spinal cord can have such a devastating effect.
A Spinal Cord Injury often involves damage to neurons or nerve fibres leaving them unable to carry signals below the point at which the spinal cord has been damaged.
The higher up the body that damage occurs, the greater the impact is felt on bodily functions. Both muscle control and sensory responses can be lost and while advances in medical techniques are beginning to help more injured people recover to levels that once would have been unachievable, it is still the case that damage to the spinal cord can leave people with complex and life-changing issues.
People suffering from a Spinal Cord Injury can find every-day living is affected in basic ways surrounding sensory and involuntary bodily functions such as touch, speech, sexual function, blood pressure regulation, temperature regulation, breathing and swallowing.
On top of the physical effects of damage to the spine, many sufferers also unfortunately experience emotional hardship as well. Recent studies point to around 20% of people suffering Spinal Cord Injury going on to experience clinical depression.
Our Spinal Injury Claims Expertise
As a leading law firm, we regularly act for clients with Spinal Cord Injury Claims. We can represent you wherever you live in England or Wales.
Our Spinal Injury Solicitors have specialist and comprehensive expertise in representing clients through spinal injury compensation claims. We know only too well the devastating impact this kind of injury can have on the injured person, close friends, and the family unit.
The Serious Injury Lawyers here at Lanyon Bowdler have a wealth of experience guiding people through the process of claiming compensation following a spinal cord injury.
Our serious injury team are members of the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) and appear on their approved list of personal injury solicitors. We have many years’ experience in handling Spinal Injury Compensation Claims and have secured multi-million-pound pay-outs for many clients we have helped.
Our Spinal Injury Solicitors are adept at prioritising the most immediate needs for our clients at this most challenging of times. We aim to quickly review the facts and assess the viability of making a successful claim for compensation.
It is essential for you or loved ones to take early advice from a Spinal Injury Solicitor. We often make visits to the homes of our clients, or we can arrange for hospital visits if this is more appropriate and helpful, in order to progress the claim.
The complexities surrounding an individual Spinal Injury Claim can mean the claims process itself can often be lengthy. We have wide experience in securing early interim compensation payments helping ensure that any immediate needs surrounding financial or physical welfare are promptly catered for. At Lanyon Bowdler, the physical and emotional needs, as well as the financial security of our clients, is paramount to all that we do and how we approach a Spinal Injury Claim.
Lanyon Bowdler hosted a national conference, ‘Surviving Spinal Injury – The Journey’ which was held at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital, Gobowen, Oswestry.
The Personal Injury Team is recognised in Tier Two for the West Midlands in the 2024 edition of The Legal 500, which states: ‘The entire team is client focussed and will not hesitate to go the extra mile even if the costs of doing the same are not recoverable’.
Testimonials
The 2024 edition of The Legal 500 includes the following testimonials: ‘This team have wide ranging skills and provide a very good service. They have a very personal touch with their clients. They are very approachable and supportive‘. ‘The team at Lanyon Bowdler are very easy to talk to and are always there to help when needed. No question went unanswered’. ‘They actually listened and go through everything thoroughly explaining any jargon’.
Work Highlights
The 2024 of The Legal 500 includes the following work highlights:
Acted for a claimant who was injured during the course of his employment after falling down a stairwell void. This resulted in him sustaining life changing brain injury involving 47 fractures to the right temporal bone and organic injury to the frontal lobe. Awaiting a pathways meeting and case is still ongoing.
Acting for a claimant who had worked at the same company for 18 years and sustained stress-related injuries. This matter is of significant importance to the client, as he thought he had a job for life with the company, before being forced out, also medical evidence indicates it is unlikely he will be able to return to an employed role, though he has recently set up his own small business.
Chambers UK 2024 rank the department in Band One in the Midlands and states ‘Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors is a leading Shropshire firm advising on an extensive breadth of personal injury cases, including high-value RTA and accident-at-work claims. The firm is particularly experienced in acting for clients with Cerebral and Spinal Injury Claims. The team is skilled in handling military cases and accidents abroad. It also works alongside clinical negligence and Court of Protection teams to fully support clients’.
Strengths
“The Lanyon Bowdler team are very competent at handling complex cases.”
“A dedicated team who are all specialists in their field.”
“The group does brilliant work for their clients.”
Notable practitioners
Dawn Humphries handles a wide range of orthopaedic and spinal injury claims. She is active on an array of personal injury cases, including those relating to workplace accidents and RTAs.
“She is very thorough, extremely welcoming and understanding.”
“Dawn is knowledgeable, experienced and good with claimants.”
Debbie Humphries is highlighted for her experience in handling a full range of severe injury matters, including motor incidents and accidents at work.
“She has an excellent reputation.”
Your Spinal Injury Claims Questions Answered
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.
What our clients say.
Spinal Injury Claim Compensation Settlement Values
Calculating Compensation for a spinal Injury or a serious back injury is never straightforward. It may not be possible to value your claim for a significant amount of time following your injury until the full effects and any lasting impact on your mobility and quality of life can be understood. In cases such as this, interim payments forming part of your Spinal Injury Claim for compensation can be made in order to ensure you or a loved one are suitably catered for financially.
The final compensation settlement value associated with you Spinal Injury Claim will comprise of two elements ‘general damages’ and ‘special damages’ Special damages must take in to account all financial elements connected to losses or costs incurred, following your injury both in the short term but also taking in to account your future-life.
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Obviously, for those people suffering the most serious of spinal injuries that could involve some form or paralysis, the potential need for home adaptations and care-packages must therefore also be considered.
General damages seek to compensate for the pain & suffering caused by the injury itself. Compensation values for general damages are stipulated by the Judicial College guidelines.
The bullets below reflect the current guidelines on compensation settlement amounts for pain and suffering caused by Spinal Injuries or back injuries.
- 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.
No Win No Fee Spinal Injury Claims
Each year Lanyon Bowdler supports people and families through making Spinal Injury Claims and on most occasions, we provide this service as “no win no fee”.
“No win no fee” means that if a Spinal Injury Claim proves unsuccessful, there is no financial risk or liability to you as the claimant.
Claiming Compensation For Spinal Injury
A spinal cord injury can be devastating, but compensation can be a huge help when trying to rebuild your life. Financial compensation can help to cover the cost of medical bills, care, rehabilitation, accommodation and equipment, as well as the pain and suffering and loss of earnings if you are no longer able to work.
Lanyon Bowdler’s Serious Injury Specialists have dealt with a wide range of severe injury claims over many years and have the knowledge and experience to ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to.
Contact our Spinal Injury Claim Solicitors
We strive to help make it possible for you to enjoy an independent life following a Spinal Cord Injury. Please give us a call for a friendly, confidential, chat about how we can help support you with a serious injury claim. There is no commitment or charge for our initial assessment. Please contact a member of the team or complete our online enquiry form.
Lanyon Bowdler have established offices with expert teams of solicitors in Shrewsbury, Bromyard, Hereford, Ludlow, Oswestry, Telford, and Conwy in North Wales.
We are among the most recognised law firms in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Mid and North Wales, Birmingham and the Midlands. We are able to offer a wide range of pricing options including fixed fees and service level guarantees.
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