Spine injury compensation claims

Rebuilding your life after a spinal cord injury

Over 1,000 people each year sustain a spinal cord injury and could seek compensation. The impact of a severe spine injury can turn lives upside down. The whole family will be faced with the challenge of coming to terms with the injury and then re-building their lives. To do so, you will need lots of help and support to first recover, and then secure your financial future.

There is often a stigma attached to bringing a claim for compensation, but by doing so, you give yourself the chance of securing the best possible treatment, rehabilitation, care and support that would otherwise be out of reach. We have experienced, specialist spine injury lawyers to advise you about the merits of bringing a claim and guide you successfully through the process

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Support far beyond your spine injury claim

Everything we do is focused on you and your needs. We see our role as not only to recover financial compensation, but to ensure you receive the best possible support and rehabilitation, during and after your claim. Our goal is to help you recover from your injuries and get your life back on track as soon as possible.

Treatment and rehabilitation

A spinal cord injury must be dealt with immediately to achieve the best outcome possible. The shorter the time between the injury and treatment, the better the long-term outcome. We can help you access rehabilitation services and medical treatment from some of the country’s top clinicians. This could include specialist consultants or surgeons, in-patient rehabilitation at a spinal treatment centre and rehabilitation following discharge from hospital.

Accommodation and support

We can explore the options for the accommodation and additional support that you might need, throughout your recovery and beyond. These options need to be flexible, so that you can move to more independent living as you re-learn life skills during the recovery and rehabilitation stages.

Where needed, we can also arrange a bespoke wheelchair that can greatly enhance your mobility, independence and comfort. We can obtain interim payments, so you do not have to wait until the conclusion of the claim to meet the costs of a bespoke wheelchair.

Other financial and legal advice

Clarke Willmott is a full-service law firm, so unlike many other solicitors offering spine injury advice, we can give you expert guidance on any other legal matters arising from your injury, such as employment issues, the purchase of a new home adapted for your independence and managing your financial affairs.

Reasons to choose Clarke Willmott

Free initial consultation – to discuss the grounds for your claim and the likelihood of success. There is no obligation to go any further after this initial meeting.
Where you need us – specialist solicitors on hand in Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Southampton, Taunton and London. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you.
Recognised spine injury experts – we are accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, Action Against Medical Accidents and the Law Society; independent bodies who rigorously assess us to ensure we provide quality and value for money.
Help to fund your claim – we can help you explore your funding options including ‘no win no fee’.
Winning record – excellent track record of winning spine injury compensation claims, some with compensation worth several million pounds.
Partner led service – where many firms use unqualified case handlers to run your claim, at Clarke Willmott it will be overseen by a partner who is also one our most senior lawyers, to ensure you receive the best possible service and advice.
Support step-by-step – we understand that questionnaires and form filling can be confusing and time consuming. That’s why we offer face to face meetings to talk you through the paperwork and help you complete it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a claim?

Start by seeking advice from one of our specialist spine injury solicitors. The initial consultation is free and will help you understand whether your claim is likely to have a positive outcome for you. In reality, not every claim is worth pursuing – some cases are simply too complicated or expensive and have a poor chance of success.

During your consultation, we learn about your case and outline our plan to achieve the best possible outcome for you, your rehabilitation, your recovery and your legal case. There is no obligation to go any further after this initial meeting.

How can I pay for the expenses of my claim?

It’s important to consider how you’re going to pay your legal expenses especially as the cost of pursuing a spinal injury claim can be high. However, there are funding options available that could help reduce the expense, such as an existing insurance policy covering claims of this nature, a Conditional Fee Agreement (often called ‘no win no fee’).

Before you embark on your claim, we will talk you through:

The potential cost of pursuing your injury claim
What percentage of these costs you might get back
What funding options are available to you.

How much compensation could I get?

Every case is different – the level of compensation you receive will depend on the seriousness and duration of your injuries, plus the effect they have on your everyday life and future.

In order to accurately value your claim, we will need to obtain independent evidence from medical professionals, experienced in dealing with spine injuries.

Compensation for a severe spinal cord injury can run into millions of pounds. The compensation can be either paid as a one-off lump sum, or a smaller lump sum upfront and annual payments for the rest of your life (which is particularly common where there are ongoing high cost care needs).

Can I get financial help whilst I am unable to work?

If you have suffered a serious spine injury, it is unlikely that you will be able to immediately return to work following your accident, which often creates financial problems. We can request an interim payment on your behalf from the Defendant’s insurer to ease financial pressures and allow you to concentrate on your rehabilitation. We can also advise you about state benefits that you may be entitled to.

Who will arrange my immediate care and treatment?

Once we have accepted your case, we will arrange for an immediate assessment from a medical professional experienced in the management of spine injuries. This report will set out your treatment needs and priorities. If required, we will instruct a case manager to co-ordinate your care and treatment needs. In most cases, the cost of this treatment will be met by the Defendant’s insurer.

How long will my compensation claim take?

The length of your compensation claim could take will depend on many factors, such as the type of injury you have sustained and whether you are suffering financial problems as a result. Your solicitor will give you a better idea of the likely timescale for your settlement once they have investigated your claim. If necessary, they can seek to obtain interim payments to cover your immediate financial losses and ongoing expenses.

Can you take over from my current solicitor?

The success of your compensation claim can be dependent on your choice of solicitor. If you are worried about how your claim is being handled, we would advise that you first raise any concerns with your current solicitor.

Then, if your issues cannot be resolved and you would like to change solicitor, we’d be happy to discuss your claim with you. If you transfer your injury claim to us, we can obtain your file from your current solicitor to help avoid any further delays in your case.

All Clarke Willmott’s spine injury lawyers are specialists in their field. Our partner led service ensures you will always receive the best possible advice. We also ensure there is always someone on hand to update and advise you on your case.

Contact our spine injury experts

Get in touch online now or call 0800 316 8892 to arrange a free, no obligation consultation with a specialist spine injury solicitor. We can meet wherever is convenient to you – either at your home, at one of our offices in Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Southampton, Taunton and London, or even in hospital.