Spinal Injury Claims Solicitors.

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 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.

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.

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 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

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.

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.

According to WHO 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 that of females.

All injury compensation claims made in the UK are subject to time limits. In most circumstances, the spine injury claims process must be started within 3 years from the date of the accident. However, there are some exceptions, such as:

• Undiscovered injury: if you weren’t aware of the full extent of your injury, you may make a claim up to 3 years from the date of discovery.
• Injury to minors: if someone suffers a spinal injury as a minor, they may make a claim up to 3 years from their 18th birthday.
• Criminal assault: injuries resulting from an assault or violent crime must be claimed for within 2 years.

Other factors may play a role in the time limit for your specific spinal cord injury claim. If you’re unsure about the validity of your claim, contact Lanyon Bowdler today for a no-obligation assessment of your case.

• 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, there is a lack of self-awareness, 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 fibres, 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 cases would include impact on mobility, heightened risk of arthritis, psychological effects, 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.