If you injure your back or spine and it happens because someone else acted negligently then you may be able to claim compensation. The experts at Beacon Law deal with back and spinal injury claims related to events such as road traffic accidents, workplace accidents and medical negligence.

A back or spinal injury could range from a minor strain to a serious issue that requires long term medical care and stops you working or taking part in hobbies and family life. Compensation won’t make everything better but it will reflect the pain and distress you’ve been put through, as well as making sure that you aren’t financially impacted.

If you’ve injured your back or spine and think it happened because someone else was negligent in some way then contact Beacon Law today. We’ll explain how the claims process works and do our best to win the compensation we think you’re entitled to.

When can I make a back or spinal injury claim?

You are eligible to make a back and spinal injury claim for compensation if your back or spine was injured because another party acted in a negligent manner. The criteria for making a claim are as follows:

• Another party owed a duty of care to you. This could be your employer, the driver of a car or a medical professional, for example.
• The other party failed to meet their duty of care to you and acted negligently.
• As a result of this negligence you suffered harm in the form of a back or spinal injury which caused pain, distress and financial losses.

A successful back or spinal injury claim could help with the process of recovery as well as making sure that you aren’t left financially worse off as a result of another party’s negligence.

What does compensation for a spinal injury claim cover?

The compensation for a back or spinal injury claim is intended to cover the pain and distress caused by the injury and the financial impact it might have had.

Pain and Distress

The compensation for pain and distress is paid on the basis of physical and psychological pain. The psychological pain could be depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress caused by your back or spinal injury.

This part of the compensation will also be meant to reflect the degree to which your back or spinal injury has stopped you from doing things like pursuing hobbies and interests or simply living family life.

Financial Impact

The financial impact of the back or spinal injury will include any earnings lost because the injury stops you working as much as you used to, or forces you to stop working altogether, and also any expenses which are directly linked to the injury.

As soon as our personal injury solicitors have a full picture of the nature and severity of your back or spinal injury and the impact it has had we will be able to estimate the level of compensation payment we think you could be entitled to.

What are Common Examples of Back and Spinal Injuries?

Any accident which involves a significant impact could cause a back or spinal injury, but some of the more common examples of spinal injuries which we deal with at Beacon Law include the following:

Road Traffic Accidents – Accidents involving cars can cause back or spinal injuries due to sudden violent impacts and whiplash. In the worst cases, these injuries could lead to paralysis or other long term mobility issues.

Motorcycling Accidents – High impact back or spinal injuries are more likely in motorcycle accidents because of the lack of protection for riders when they come off their bike and collide with other vehicles or the road surface.

Cycling Accidents – Cyclists are particularly likely to suffer back or spinal injuries in accidents caused by collisions with other road users or poor road conditions.

Slips, Trips and Falls – Even a relatively minor slip or trip can cause a serious back or spinal injury if the impact on landing is centred on an area such as the lower back.

Accidents in the Workplace – Accidents in the workplace can lead to back or spinal injuries due to unsafe working practices, particularly if they involve falls from height, lifting heavy objects without the proper training or equipment, or accidents with machinery.

Falls From Height – Falling when working up a ladder, a raised platform or scaffolding, could cause severe back or spinal injuries leading to paralysis in the worst cases.

Medical Negligence – Some back or spinal injuries are the result of medical negligence such as errors when performing surgery or failure to diagnose an existing condition.

Sports Injuries – Extreme or contact sports could cause back or spinal injuries if they aren’t carried out safely or with the correct training and supervision.

No matter how your back or spinal injury happens it could have a huge negative impact on your life and the life of your family. In the most extreme cases it could lead to some degree of paralysis or problems with mobility, forcing you to change jobs or stop working altogether.

If this happens because another party acted negligently – such as another driver, a medical professional or your employer – then you have the right to seek compensation to help you with the process of getting your life back on track.

How much compensation could I get for a back and spinal injury claim?

The amount of compensation you could get for a successful back and spinal injury claim will vary from a few thousand pounds for a minor injury which you recover from quickly, up to hundreds of thousands for a more serious back and spinal injury with long term ramifications. In all cases the amount will be made up of general damages and special damages.

General Damages

General damages reflect the physical and psychological pain and suffering you’ve been through as well as the way in which the back or spinal injury has stopped you from living your life as you did. They will be calculated using a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines.

The JCG sets out suggested compensation ranges for injuries to specific parts of the body, including back and spinal injuries. Examples in the latest edition include:

• Back injury with recovery expected in up to 5 years – £2,090 to £10,670
• Back injury with serious permanent symptoms – £26,050 to £36,390
• Paraplegia (partial or complete paralysis in the lower parts of the body) – £186,890 to £242,490
• Serious spinal injury with a significant permanent impact – £69,600 to £82,980

Once we’ve established the nature and severity of your back or spinal injury we’ll be able to estimate the amount of general damages we think you are entitled to.

Special Damages

Special damages are intended to compensate for any financial impact your back and spinal injury might have had. This will include earnings or pension provision lost because the injury has stopped you working or has changed the kind of work you are able to do.

It will also include amounts to compensate for any expenses directly related to your back and spinal injury. These will include, but not be limited to:

• Medical costs linked to your back or spinal injury now and in the future
• Any care costs linked to your back or spinal injury now and in the future
• An amount to compensate for time spent by friends or family caring for you free of charge as a result of your back or spinal injury
• Any money you have to spend on special equipment such as mobility aids as a result of your back or spinal injury
• Any money you have to spend adapting your home or your vehicle as a result of your back or spinal injury
• Any money you have to spend on therapy or counselling as a result of your back or spinal injury
• Money spent on travelling to and from medical appointments relating to your back or spinal injury

Once we have a full understanding of the extent and impact of your back or spinal injury we will be able to estimate the amount of compensation we think you are entitled to. We’ll keep you fully informed if this figure changes at all, and we never negotiate for anything less than 100% of the amount.

Is there a time limit on making a back and spinal injury claims?

Yes, there is a limit of 3 years on making a back and spinal injury claim. The 3 year limit runs from the date on which the injury took place, such as the date of a slip trip or fall or road traffic accident.

In some cases the 3 years will be dated from the date on which you become aware of a back or spinal injury caused by negligence, such as when a case of medical misdiagnosis occurs. Once the 3 years have passed you will no longer be able to start a compensation claim, with a few exceptions:

If you are under 18 when the back or spinal injury happens the 3 years will run from your 18th birthday to your 21st.

If you lack the ‘mental capacity’ to start a compensation claim during the 3 years then the time limit will run from the date on which you regain capacity.

Despite the 3 year limit being in place it is always best to start a claim as soon as possible after the injury happens. The details of how it happened will still be fresh in your memory, and the sooner you start the claims process, the sooner you will get any compensation you are entitled to.

What is the claims process for back and spinal injury claims?

The claims process for a back and spinal injury claim starts immediately following any accident, when you should seek medical help. Prompt medical attention will increase your chance of recovering from any back or spinal injury, and will also create an official record of the back or spinal injury and how it happened.

If you think your back or spinal injury was caused by negligence then contact Beacon Law for a free initial consultation. If we think you have a good case for compensation we’ll talk you through the process of making a claim.

We understand that taking legal action can seem daunting, especially when you’re busy recovering from a painful back or spinal injury. We keep things as simple and stress free as possible by breaking the claims process down into simpler individual steps:

We’ll take a detailed statement from you, letting you explain how the injury happened and the impact it has had on your lifeWe’ll arrange a medical examination with an independent expert. They will produce a medical report setting out the extent and nature of your back or spinal injury, the prognosis for any recovery and whether further treatment will be needed.

We’ll pull together the evidence needed to support your back or spinal injury claim. Depending upon the circumstances this could include the following:

• An entry in a workplace accident book
• A police report if your back or spine was injured in a road traffic accident
• CCTV footage of an accident
• The details of any other drivers involved
• Photographs of the scene of the accident
• Any relevant dash cam footage if the back or spine injury was caused by a road traffic accident

In all cases the evidence we gather will include:

• Statements from any witnesses if an accident caused your back or spinal injury, and from friends and family who can describe the impact the injury had on you
• Your medical records from before and after your back or spine was injured. These are particularly relevant if the injury was caused by medical negligence.
• Documentation covering the financial impact of your back or spinal injury, such as wage slips, bank statements and receipts for any expenses directly related to your injury

We’ll contact the other party to inform them that you intend to seek compensation. In the majority of cases the other party admits liability at this stage.

We pride ourselves on the fact that only a small minority of the back or spine injury claims we handle have to be settled in court, thanks to the strength of the evidence we present and our commitment to swift dispute resolution.

We will negotiate a fair compensation settlement. Although we settle claims as quickly as possible we never settle for anything less than 100% of the compensation we think you’re entitled to.

In the small number of cases in which liability is denied or fair compensation can’t be agreed, your claim will have to be settled in court. If this happens the Beacon Law team will be by your side throughout, offering support and presenting your claim clearly and persuasively.

Can I make a no win no fee back or spinal injury claim?

Yes, you can make a no win no fee back or spinal injury claim with Beacon Law. The no win no fee system means that you don’t have to pay anything to us up front or while we gather evidence and negotiate your compensation settlement.

If we win compensation then we’ll take a success fee, but it will never be more than 25% of the money awarded, and will only be taken after the compensation has been paid. If the claim is unsuccessful then expenses like the costs of the other party will be covered by After the Event (AtE) insurance we take out on your behalf.

We work on a no win no fee basis so that you can make a back or spinal injury claim on the basis of fairness, and not whether you think you can afford it. You can seek a fair compensation payment without worrying about spiralling fees or hidden charges, because there are none.

How long will my back or spinal injury claim take?

The simplest back or spinal injury claim could be settled in just a few months, but the complex nature of most back and spinal injuries mean that your claim could take longer than 18 months. Once we have a full understanding of your circumstances we’ll be able to estimate exactly how long we think your claim is likely to take.

Why should I choose Beacon Law for my claim?

You should choose Beacon Law for your back or spinal injury claim because we have more than 200 years of combined legal experience and a track record of success in cases of this kind. We’ll treat you as a person coping with difficult circumstances and not just another case number, providing tailored advice and support in an empathetic manner, and communicating in an accessible, jargon-free way.

We understand how distressing it can be to suffer a painful back or spinal injury because someone else acted negligently, and we work to take the stress and anxiety out of making a compensation claim. We handle the work of gathering evidence and negotiating a fair compensation amount, so that you can take the time and space to concentrate on your recovery.

We work on a no win no fee basis so you can make a compensation claim if you’ve been let down without having to worry about how much it could cost. It won’t cost anything unless you win, and even then you’ll keep the majority of your compensation.

If you’ve suffered a back or spinal injury that wasn’t your fault then contact us to talk about making a compensation claim. We’ll build the strongest possible case, and we won’t settle for anything less than 100% of the compensation we think you’re entitled to.