Spinal Injury Claims

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Spinal cord injuries are defined as damage or trauma to the spinal cord, resulting in a loss or impairment of functions, including reduced mobility of feeling. Under 500 major spinal cord injuries occur at work every year, but they are one of the most serious types of injury, and can change an individual and their family's life beyond comprehension. A severe spinal cord injury can lead to partial or complete paralysis, defined medically as paraplegia, or tetraplegia (quadriplegia). The victim may be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of their life, be unable to work again, and need round the clock assistance to lead any semblance of a normal life. Due to these factors damages awarded following a successful spinal injury claim are far higher than for other injury types.

Typical Causes Of Spinal Injury

The spinal cord is the critical link between the brain and body, carrying electrical impulses and 'messages' between the two, and hence controlling sensation and movement. Though a broken back or broken neck may only damage the bones in the spinal column (essentially a protective wall around the spinal cord), they may also cause damage to the nerves in the spinal cord. Where the spinal cord is damaged, communication between the brain and body breaks down resulting in a loss of bodily functions, and some level of motor and sensory paralysis. Physical trauma is not the only form of damage that the spinal cord can sustain. Bacterial and viral infections, tumours, and certain pre-existing medical conditions such as polio or spina bifida can also attack the nerves in the spinal cord, causing the same catastrophic results. These nerves do not regenerate, as they do in other parts of the body, and the effects are therefore permanent. Recent research has raised hopes that stem cell treatment might eventually allow tissue regeneration, but this could be many years in the future.

Types Of Spinal Injury

Spinal cord damage may be caused by a physical injury (traumatic), an infection or disease (non-traumatic), or in the course of medical surgery. A distinction is drawn between a 'complete' injury, where there is no function or sensation below the level of the injury, i.e. complete paralysis, and an 'incomplete' injury, where there is some level of function and sensation below the level of the injury. In either case bodily functions are impaired, and this often leads to secondary issues, such as loss of muscle control, impairment of sexual functions and breathing difficulties. There are a number of charity and support groups who specialise in helping people who have suffered a spinal injury, and can assist with the prearation of a spinal injury claim, including Back-Up, Aspire, The Spinal Injuries Association, International Spinal Research and The Brain and Spine Foundation.

Who Is Affected By Spinal Injuries?

The majority of spinal injuries are caused by road traffic accidents and sporting accidents. However work related accidents also make a significant contribution to statistics. Slips and trips leading to falls onto hard surfaces or where the victim lands in an awkward position can lead to spinal cord damage. Falls from height, for example a construction worker falling from scaffolding, or a person being struck by a falling object of any kind can have the same result. Spinal injuries, without immediate harm to the spinal cord can be caused by manual lifting, twisting, pushing and pulling. These injuries increase the possibility of a secondary infection developing, potentially damaging the spinal cord.

Spinal Injury Claims And Compensation Awards

At Bartletts we recognise the effect that this type of injury has on you, and your families, and we offer support in the short term, for example by getting a rehabilitation team involved as soon as possible, and in the long term, for example by arranging specialist accommodation and private nursing care. During a spinal injury claim, we will push your opponent for an early admission of liability, so that we can obtain interim payments for you if you are out of work and not getting paid. Whilst our primary aim is to obtain compensation for you following your spinal injury, we will also guide you along the way and point you in the right direction so that you can get as much help as possible to enable you to cope, as far as possible with your injury. Bartletts Solicitors are specialist spinal injury claim solicitors.We work on a no win no fee basis meaning you will receive 100% of your compensation if you win and won't have to pay us a penny if you lose.

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