£2 Million Compensation For Broken Back Claims: A No Win No Fee Guide
If you suffer a broken back injury, you may decide to seek legal advice about a compensation claim. But what goes into that process, and what are the various scenarios in which such an injury could happen? This guide provides an example case study for a £2 million payout in a claim for a broken back injury. In addition, we’ll be covering care claims, special damages, compensation calculations and our No Win No Fee service.
Before reading on, though, remember that you can discuss a claim for your broken back with our expert team. They can put you in touch with our specialist panel of personal injury lawyers. And they could handle your case from there.
So, call 0800 408 7827, use our Live Chat service or complete our online form. Also remember that our call centre staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Meanwhile, you can click the headings below to read a particular section.
Choose A Section
- A Guide To Compensation Estimates For Broken Back Claims
- What Is A Vertebral Fracture?
- Broken Back Financial Repercussions
- How Much Is A Care Claim Worth?
- Compensation Calculation Estimates For Spinal Fractures
- Case Study: £2 Million Compensation Payouts In A Claim For A Broken Back
- Find Out Your Compensation Estimate For Free
- No Win No Fee Solicitors Can With A Claim For A Broken Back
- Where Are The Best Quality Personal Injury Solicitors?
- Contact Us
- More Information
A Guide To Compensation Estimates For Broken Back Claims
So, you’re planning to speak to a personal injury lawyer about making a claim due to your broken back. But what do you need to know? This guide will cover:
- What a vertebral fracture is
- Potential financial repercussions
- Care claims
- General and special damages
- A case study of a £2 million compensation payout
- Our free compensation calculation estimate
- The benefits of Our No Win No Fee service
There is a personal injury claims time limit in place. You have 3 years to claim from the date when your fractured vertebrae injury occurred.
As for a child or someone who lacks the mental capacity to claim, a close relative or another appointed representative can act as their litigation friend. The litigation friend is able to then process the claim on their behalf. For minors (under 18), if no claim is made by the time they turn 18, the 3-year clock will begin to tick from that point. For those who lost the mental capacity to claim, the 3 year period will be frozen until they make a recovery.
You can talk to us anytime if you require further knowledge of any subjects covered here.
What Is A Vertebral Fracture?
A vertebral fracture occurs when the spinal column is in a position of pain, swelling or in some way deformed in its appearance. A bone may stick out through the skin, with a potential snapping or grinding noise upon impact. A vertebral fracture has the potential to be life-changing. In very severe cases, it could even be life-threatening.
To make a successful negligence claim for a broken back, the following 3 criteria have to be met:
- You were owed a duty of care by a third party
- But that duty of care was breached, which caused an accident
- And the outcome of that accident was you suffering a broken back.
There are three common scenarios which could result in a broken back accident. One such example is employers’ liability (EL). That covers any workplace accidents. According to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer should so far as reasonably possible uphold the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees. Should they fail in that obligation, it could lead to an accident such as somebody falling from a defective ladder and landing on their back.
Another situation concerns public liability (PL), which would represent any accidents in a public place. The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 notes a duty of care designed to prevent accidents in public places. If someone is injured in a public place (perhaps via an accident while shopping), it could lead to a public injury claim against the party in control of the area in question.
The other instance is a road traffic accident (RTA). The Highway Code sets out a driver’s duty of care towards other motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. A car accident claim is a possibility if you break your back in a road incident. If you were to suffer multiple injuries, there is potential to file a multiple injury claim. Instead of speaking to a car accident lawyer in such circumstances, though, speak to our expert team. They’ll put you in touch with our panel of specialist personal injury lawyers, who could then handle your broken back claim. You can use our contact form to get in touch.
Broken Back Financial Repercussions
There could be numerous financial repercussions brought about by you breaking your back. They could include medical costs, loss of income, transportation expenses, physiotherapy, and loss of future income if you’re no longer able to work.
Any significant money spent as part of your rehabilitation could be considered. We’ll discuss these elements in further detail shortly. Meanwhile, you can talk to us by calling the number at the top of the page.
How Much Is A Care Claim Worth?
A care claim could be worth whatever your injury-related care needs would require. If you receive additional support from relatives or friends to assist you, that could be included in a care claim.
It could especially consider nursing services, along with the likes of professional cleaning or gardening. To find out more about the details and potential value of a care claim, you can use our Live Chat or call us.
Compensation Calculation Estimates For Spinal Fractures
Any compensation calculation estimate for a spinal fracture relies on an independent medical examination. This would take place as part of the claims process, and if you opted to work with us, we could utilise our extensive network of experts to arrange an appointment close to your home.
A medical assessment could provide a complete diagnosis of your injury, along with your projected recovery time. What’s more, it may confirm the connection between your present-day condition and the accident.
The report the expert subsequently provides will be used to value one aspect of your claim, called general damages. The other aspect is special damages. Let’s look at both.
General Damages
General damages focus on the pain, suffering and impact on your life the broken back injury has caused. They are based around the physical and psychological impacts of the injury.
Special Damages
Special damages handle any other consequence of the accident. These could include lost earnings, medical and transportation costs. They also include any rehabilitation such as physiotherapy. Nursing care costs could comprise special damages as well.
With such a significant injury as a broken back, it will also be possible to claim for any future losses, such as if you’re no longer able to work.
Call us on the number at the top of the page to discuss general damages and special damages in more detail.
Case Study: £2 Million Compensation Payout In A Claim For A Broken Back
Becky Lovell, 29, worked as a dance teacher in Reading. She lived with her fiancé Stuart, and they planned to start a family in the next few years. Becky had been a dancer all her life, and she hoped to eventually open her own dance academy.
One Friday evening, Becky was driving home from work via the M4. Suddenly, her car was struck by another vehicle that was in the midst of a police chase. She had not expected the collision, and the impact was devastating.
Becky suffered severe spinal fractures, and she was totally unresponsive. An ambulance was quickly called, and she was rushed to the nearest hospital. She was unconscious yet breathing, though emergency surgery was required to save her life.
Thankfully, doctors were able to save Becky’s life, albeit with a projected maximum life expectancy of 25 years. But, in return, she had very limited mobility. Becky was now left in a tetraplegic state. This meant she was no longer able to move any parts of the body below her back and shoulders. In addition, she suffered brain damage from the incident.
Both Becky and Stuart were left devastated by the situation. This contributed to her also suffering severe psychiatric damage. Stuart, too, was totally distraught by the situation.
As a result, Becky’s career as a dance teacher had been cut short. Stuart’s own career as a solicitor was put on hold as the couple adapted to their new life. Professional round-the-clock nursing care was quickly implemented. The couple received a Disabled Facilities Grant to make appropriate changes to their home to cater for Becky’s condition. Medical expenses were very high, both in the short- and long-term. Stuart also purchased a new specially-designed car to allow his fiancée to be transported to and from the hospital.
After seeking legal advice, Stuart acted as Becky’s litigation friend to file a claim. The driver who caused the accident was uninsured, so with the help of their personal injury lawyer, they made a claim through the Motors Insurers Bureau, who subsequently compensated Becky.
Becky received £2 million in compensation, consisting of £750,000 in general damages and £1,250,000 in special damages.
Type Of General Damages Includes: How Much?
Tetraplegia Costs relating to a back injury resulting in no movement below the neck and shoulders £375,000
Severe Brain Damage Costs relating to an accident which resulted in severe brain damage £375,000
Type Of Special Damages Includes: How Much?
Current & Potential Loss Lost earnings from being unable to work for the remainder of her life expectancy £825,000
Professional Care Regular professional care costs for the rest of her life £365,000
Home & Car Costs Required adjustments to the home & a new specially-designed car catering to her condition £40,000
Medical Expenses Costs of medical care relating to the accident £20,000
The case of Miss Lovell is purely an example. It is based on our past experiences of handling and valuing claims and serves to illustrate how accidents can happen and how they are valued.
Find Out Your Compensation Estimate For Free
You may be asking “what is the average payout for a back injury?” Now, we prefer not to use personal injury claims calculators when estimating compensation amounts. That’s because a compensation calculator only provides “one size fits all” figures. And that isn’t what we like to do.
Instead, we wish to learn about your exact circumstances. Indeed, we want to know the precise nature of your accident, your injuries and your present-day condition. As a result, we can provide a much more accurate broken back compensation estimate for your personal injury claim.
Above all, it’s free, and you don’t have to pursue your claim if you don’t wish to.
No Win No Fee Solicitors Can Help With A Claim For A Broken Back
You could benefit from our No Win No Fee service if you’re making a broken back claim. Now, if you do work with a No Win No Fee solicitor, it means that:
- No legal fees upfront
- And no legal fees before or during the case
- If your case fails, you won’t have to pay any of your solicitor’s fees.
- Only if you receive compensation would your solicitor take a nominal amount of the compensation award to cover their costs. This is called a success fee and is capped by law.
So, you don’t pay your personal injury solicitor anything unless your case wins. And that results in less stress and higher savings for you. So what are you waiting for? To learn more about No Win No Fee, use our Live Chat to talk with us 24/7, or give us a call.
Where Are The Best Quality Personal Injury Solicitors?
This is a question you may ask yourself. But what is the answer? Sure, it helps to read up on previously-successful cases. If you spot any positive reviews, they may be beneficial. And, yes, any specialities pertaining to broken back injuries would be useful.
However, to find the best, you shouldn’t stick to your top local searches on Google Maps. After all, we have a nationwide service that helps claimants across the UK. And our panel of personal injury lawyers specialise in every serious injury imaginable.
What’s more, we determine the likelihood of a case being successful before taking it on. This means, if you work with us, your odds of receiving compensation could be favourable. So speak to our expert team today. We’ll handle your case from there.
Contact Us
Now it’s time to speak to us! We are available anytime to chat if you wish to claim for a broken back. And we want to help you! So get in touch by using the following methods:
- Call 0800 408 7827
- Use our Live Chat option
- Complete our contact form
Don’t forget that our call centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
More Information
Hopefully, this guide has provided a real understanding of making a compensation claim for a broken back. Find out more information by visiting the links below.
To read the full NHS guidance on back injuries, click here.
You can click here for further information about identifying broken bones.
For information about suffering back injuries in the workplace, you can click here.
Guide by MR
Edited by RI