Do you want to make a paralysis injury claim following a serious accident? Perhaps you’re looking to make one for someone close to you involved in an accident that wasn’t their fault. This guide examines the specific eligibility criteria you must meet to pursue a serious back injury claim.
An illustrative case study will be provided, looking at the compensation someone might be awarded if they become paralysed following an accident caused by a responsible third party. Additionally, you will learn about how your case could be assigned a value and what your settlement could include if successful.
To claim personal injury compensation, you must show the elements of the eligibility criteria present in your case. This guide will discuss how evidence can support your case and provide examples of what you could supply.
Lastly, we will explore the benefits of a particular kind of No Win No Fee contract our panel of solicitors offers and how this could benefit you if eligible.
A Guide To Making A Serious Paralysis Injury Claim
Our team of advisors can provide a free case assessment to discuss your circumstances and determine your eligibility. To make use of your free consultation, get in touch with our advisors now by:
- Phoning us on 0161 696 9685
- Filling in our Contact Us form
- Talking to us on our website over live chat
Browse Our Guide
- When Are You Eligible To Make A Serious Paralysis Injury Claim?
- Case Study: £3 Million Payout From A Paralysis Claim
- How Much Compensation Could You Receive From A Paralysis Injury Claim?
- What Evidence Could Help You Claim For Negligence?
- Can I Use Serious Injury Solicitors To Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
- Learn More About How To Make A Personal Injury Claim
When Are You Eligible To Make A Serious Paralysis Injury Claim?
Paralysis can have life-changing impacts on a person’s life. The symptoms of paralysis vary but can include being incapable of moving some or all of your body.
If you’re looking to make a paralysis injury claim, the negligent conduct of those responsible for the welfare of others must have been the cause of the accident that led to the injury. Therefore, to claim personal injury compensation, you need to show the following in your case:
- A duty of care was owed to you.
- A breach of this duty occurred.
- As a result of this breach, you suffered an injury.
Satisfying these points, which form the basis of negligence in tort law, will enable you to proceed with your case. We will now explore the duty of care owed by third parties in varying circumstances.
Road Traffic Accidents
Road users owe a duty of care to navigate the roads in a manner that prevents injury and damage to themselves and others. Complying with the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code will ensure they abide by this duty.
A failure to adhere to their duty of care could see them causing an accident that leads to someone becoming paralysed. You might be able to make a paralysis injury claim when:
- Someone driving over the limit loses control of their vehicle and hits you
- A drunk driver swerves into the wrong lane, causing a head-on collision
Accidents At Work
Your employer must take reasonable steps to keep you safe. This duty of care is established in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. If your employer breaches this duty of care, an accident that causes paralysis might result.
It might be possible to make a paralysis injury claim if:
- Your employer knowingly provides you with a faulty ladder, which means you fall from a height
- You aren’t provided with personal protective equipment, which proves to be harmful when a heavy object falls on your head
Accidents In A Public Place
The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 outlines that parties in control of a space must take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of visitors using it for its permitted purpose. Failure to comply with this duty may result in an accident that leaves someone paralysed.
You could potentially be entitled to make a paralysis injury claim if:
- You fall from a height after leaning against a faulty handrail
- No wet floor signs are displayed after mopping up a spillage, leading to you suffering a bad slip and fall accident
The above examples are not exhaustive, so speak with our advisors today to uncover the validity of your case. They will provide a free case assessment, and if eligible, you might be offered the services of a solicitor from our panel.
Case Study: £3 Million Payout From A Paralysis Claim
Mr Netal, 23, was a window cleaner who worked for a local business. He had been in the industry for 5 years and was becoming an expert in his trade. On one seemingly normal day, his life was changed forever.
When Mr Netal arrived at work on this particular day, he was given a ladder that his boss knew was faulty, following a detailed visual inspection. Whilst cleaning a house, the ladder broke, and Mr Netal fell from a considerable height.
Passers-by who witnessed the accident immediately called an ambulance. Shortly after his hospital admission, Mr Netal was informed that he’d suffered severe spinal cord damage and was paralysed from the waist down. Due to his injuries, he won’t ever be able to walk again.
When able, Mr Netal contacted solicitors to begin a paralysis injury claim. The solicitors collected evidence to support his claim, including witness statements, medical records and photographs of the accident site. This ensured the case was successful, and Mr Netal was awarded £3 million, comprised of general and special damages (detailed below).
To learn more about how we might be able to help you, contact our advisors today.
How Much Compensation Could You Receive From A Paralysis Injury Claim?
If you make a successful paralysis injury claim, you will receive a settlement. This could include up to two heads of claim, of which one is general damages. This is awarded in all settlements and compensates for the pain, suffering, loss of amenity and impacts on life overall.
To help work out your case’s value, legal professionals might turn to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). They may also obtain medical evidence to compare with the JCG to help more precisely value your case.
The table below includes guidance valuation brackets extracted from the JCG. These should only be used as a guide since the facts in each case differ, leading to varying compensation levels.
Compensation Table
Injury | Severity | Valuation Bracket | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Paralysis | Quadriplegia | £324,600 to £403,990 | Loss of voluntary movement in the body from below the neck. |
Paraplegia | £219,070 to £284,260 | Loss of voluntary movement in the lower part of body. | |
Brain Damage | Moderately Severe | £219,070 to £282,010 | The person will be seriously disabled, with disabilities including limb paralysis. |
Back | Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | Spinal cord damage that results in incomplete paralysis. |
Neck | Severe (i) | In the region of £148,330 | associated with incomplete paraplegia. |
Severe (ii) | £65,740 to £130,930 | Involving serious fractures, leading to loss of function in one or more limbs. |
Special Damages When Claiming For Serious Back Conditions And Injuries
The second head of claim is special damages, which, in serious injury claims, often exceeds the amount awarded for general damages. This is because the injuries caused could lead to you experiencing heavy costs and losses.
Special damages seek to address such losses incurred due to the injury. Providing you have relevant evidence, compensation could be awarded for:
- Loss of earnings due to no longer being able to work
- The costs of adapting your home to increase your independence
- Expenses associated with travel because you’re now incapable of driving
Speak with an advisor from our team today to better understand the potential serious spine injury compensation you could be awarded. They could estimate the value of your paralysis injury claim and answer your questions.
What Evidence Could Help You Claim For Negligence?
To pursue serious injury compensation, you must show that you meet the eligibility criteria. Evidence can help prove: third-party negligence, your injuries and outline the impacts these have had on you.
Examples of evidence you could supply include:
- The contact details of witnesses
- Your medical records
- CCTV footage of the incident
- Photographs of your injuries and the accident site
- Diary entries of your symptoms and treatments
Providing your paralysis injury claim is eligible, a solicitor from our panel could collect the evidence as part of their service. Contact our advisors now to see if you can get this help.
Can I Use Serious Injury Solicitors To Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis
You should consider instructing a solicitor if you have an eligible paralysis injury claim and want expert advice. Our panel of solicitors offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement.
This means they work on a specific No Win No Fee basis, providing you with several benefits. The benefits include not having to pay any fees upfront or during your case for their service. Moreover, if your case is unsuccessful, no fees for your solicitor’s service will be payable.
Your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation if it wins. However, the percentage they take from your compensation is small and legally capped.
If you like the sound of this and want to find out if you’re eligible to take advantage of it, contact our advisors now. You can speak with them today by:
- Phoning us on 0161 696 9685
- Filling in our Contact Us form
- Talking to us on our website over live chat
Learn More About How To Make A Personal Injury Claim
We hope this guide has answered your questions about making a paralysis injury claim. For more of our helpful guides, please look here:
- Information about how serious injury claims lawyers could help you
- A guide about when serious injury claim payouts are available
- What is the time limit for personal injury claims
For external help, please look below:
- Information on inspecting the condition of ladders from HSE
- Advice for road users from Think!
- A guide about statutory sick pay from Gov UK