Watermans Top Tips for Seeking Genuine Legal Advice
Spinal Injury Solicitors — Scotland
Spinal injuries are devastating, and the chances of a full recovery are usually pretty slim. If your injuries were sustained due to the negligence of others, you may be eligible for spinal injury claims. At Watermans, our experienced spinal injury solicitors can guide you through the claims process with ease.
Simple and Straightforward
"I was nervous and unsure of the idea of getting into a complicated legal situation, but that turned out to be simple and straightforward. I was very impressed with the claim amount they managed to secure for me - more than what was anticipated!"
L Paterson, Personal Injury Claim
The Short of It
If you have sustained a spinal cord injury
that was not your fault within the last three years, you could be entitled to compensation.
Spinal injuries can be devastating for you and your loved ones.
At Watermans, we understand the financial, psychological and emotional effects spinal injuries can have on you.
Our specialised personal injury team are skilled
in working with serious injury claims. A spinal cord injury solicitor will help you achieve the emotional and financial results you deserve.
Everything we do at Watermans is about getting you the resolution you need
and providing straightforward legal advice. It should be that simple.
The Long of It
Spinal Injuries
What you need to know about spinal injury claims
Spinal cord injuries can prove life-changing and be devastating for you and your loved ones. In some cases, the damage can last a lifetime, and you may even fall victim to some form of paralysis.
The damage to an individual is just as much psychological and emotional as it is physical. Additionally, our spinal injury claims team is aware of how expensive medical expenses can be and the burden they can place on you and your loved ones.
That’s why it’s important to file spinal injury claims as soon as possible, so the negligent party is held accountable for their actions and you are financially compensated accordingly.
If you instruct us as soon as possible, we can arrange for you to receive treatment which may lead to a faster recovery.
We understand that spinal injuries may have a significant impact on your life and can result in long-term or permanent implications, including your ability to work and specialist care requirements.
Spinal injury compensation claims exist to support your journey moving forward and protect your financial future, and a Watermans spinal injury solicitor can help simplify the process.
Common Causes & Types of Spinal Injuries
Understanding how spinal injuries happen and what parts of the spine they affect can help you know when to seek medical and legal help.
How spinal injuries occur
Spinal injuries can occur as a result of the following incidents:
- A road traffic accident
- General falls
- Assault
- Sporting accidents
- Workplace accidents
If you suffered from a spinal injury from an accident at work or elsewhere due to negligent behaviour, our spinal cord injury lawyers will take care of the compensation claim process.
Spinal injuries are extremely serious, and we understand the destruction they can cause to your daily life. Our specialist team works closely with you and your family to get fair spinal injury compensation. We are dedicated to making sure that your spinal injury claim process goes smoothly.
Types of spinal injuries
We are experienced spine injury solicitors and handle claims with different types of spinal cord damage, including:
- Cervical spinal cord injury – This͏͏ affects͏͏ the͏͏ neck͏͏ area͏͏ and͏͏ can͏͏ lead͏͏ to͏͏ quadriplegia.͏͏ A͏͏ back injury lawyer can͏͏ help͏͏ you͏͏ make a claim for͏͏ this,͏͏ as͏͏ it’s͏͏ severe͏͏ and͏͏ has͏͏ potential͏͏ long-term͏͏ effects͏͏ on͏͏ blood pressure regulation.
- Thoracic spinal cord injury – The Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) recognises spinal injuries caused in road traffic accidents as one of the most common types. It affects the upper chest and mid-back and can lead to paraplegia.
- Lumbar spinal cord injury – Affects͏͏ the͏͏ lower͏͏ back͏͏ and͏͏ can͏͏ result͏͏ in͏͏ weakness͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ legs.͏͏ This͏͏ type͏͏ of͏͏ injury͏͏ may͏͏ be͏͏ accompanied͏͏ by͏͏ a͏͏ brain injury in͏͏ severe͏͏ accidents,͏͏ complicating͏͏ the͏͏ recovery͏͏ process.
Our serious injury lawyers receive ongoing training in all aspects of personal injury claims law, including courses accredited by spinal injury organisations.
If you or a loved one has sustained a spinal injury that you were not responsible for, speak to us today to get your life back on track. Our personal injury lawyers are well-equipped to help you receive the spinal injury compensation you are entitled to with a stress-free process.
Making a Claim
How do I make a spinal injury claim?
Making a claim for a serious back injury, like one of the spinal cord, may seem daunting and scary, but we are here to help. We take care of the legal side so that you and your loved ones can concentrate on the healing process, both physically and mentally.
Having a spinal cord injury will affect your day-to-day life greatly. You may require around-the-clock care and modifications to your home and transport methods. All of these consequences will result in expensive bills, like specialist rehabilitation services, occupational therapy, legal costs associated with court proceedings, and other support services.
All of these changes can prove costly. However, if you were injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to relieve that financial burden by starting a compensation claim against them.
Here are some of the steps you may need to take to make a claim:
- Initial contact – If your accident has occurred within the last three years, then now may be your time to contact a spinal injury lawyer here at Watermans. A family member can do this on your behalf if needed. We understand that every spinal cord accident is unique, and we put care and effort into securing the maximum compensation for you.
- Consultation – The process starts with a consultation with our spinal injury lawyers in Scotland. We’ll determine whether you are eligible to make a spinal cord injury compensation claim. From there, we take care of the entire legal process for you.
- Case evaluation – Our͏͏ law firm will͏͏ thoroughly͏͏ investigate͏͏ your͏͏ case,͏͏ gathering͏͏ evidence͏͏ and͏͏ medical͏͏ reports͏͏ to͏͏ support͏͏ your͏͏ claim.
- Filing the claim – Your͏͏ spinal injuries solicitor will͏͏ file͏͏ the͏͏ claim͏͏ against͏͏ the͏͏ responsible͏͏ party͏͏ or͏͏ their͏͏ insurance͏͏ company.
- Negotiation – We’ll negotiate with the other party to secure fair spinal injury compensation cover for medical expenses, lost wages and other costs.
- Settlement or court proceedings – Most cases settle out of court, but if necessary, we’re prepared to represent clients in court proceedings.
Our expert personal injury solicitors are here to help. We can provide an effortless and professional service to get the result that you deserve during such a harrowing time. At Watermans, we operate on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning that you won’t be charged solicitors fees if we don’t succeed in winning your case.
How Much Compensation?
How much compensation can I claim for spinal injury?
Spinal injuries will often attract very substantial compensation awards — and deservedly so.
Claimants are entitled to be financially compensated for:
- The physical pain and suffering of the injury itself – Our spine injury lawyers ensure that the full extent of your pain and suffering is accurately reflected in your claim.
- Rehabilitation costs – This͏͏ includes͏͏ expenses͏͏ for͏͏ physical͏͏ therapy,͏͏ occupational͏͏ therapy͏͏ and͏͏ other͏͏ necessary͏͏ treatments.͏͏ A͏͏ specialist solicitor will͏͏ work͏͏ to͏͏ secure͏͏ compensation payments that͏͏ cover͏͏ both͏͏ current͏͏ and͏͏ future͏͏ rehabilitation͏͏ needs.
- Specialist care and equipment – Compensation͏͏ can͏͏ cover͏͏ costs͏͏ for͏͏ professional͏͏ caregivers,͏͏ adaptive͏͏ equipment͏͏, medical͏͏ devices, and any other relevant financial losses.
- Cost of home modifications – We help calculate the full cost of making your home accessible and comfortable. This may include wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, etc.
- Lost income – Our experienced spinal cord injury solicitors will advise on the complex issues of past and future wage loss and pension rights — often forming the largest part of the eventual financial settlement.
Additionally, compensation for accidents leading to paralysis will be far higher due to the consequences suffered and the specialist care and support required by the injured person.
We will also advise on interim payments that may be required to meet immediate costs, including specialist care, accommodation and equipment. We simplify the process of claiming spinal injury compensation in the UK to ensure that you get the money you deserve during these difficult times.
When you hire a spinal injury claims solicitor from Watermans, we do our best to ensure your spinal cord injury claim is as cost-effective and efficient as possible. We are able to offer our spinal injury compensation claim clients private rehabilitation and medical care through our unique Total Care programme.
Why Watermans?
Why should I choose Watermans to pursue my spinal cord injury claims?
Watermans makes legal services look and feel easy so you can move forward in life.
Watermans is your modern personal injury law firm in Scotland. Our expert team is committed to doing everything to make the claims process straightforward for our clients following an accident.
We take the hassle from you and fight each case to secure the maximum level of compensation. We also provide access to a range of additional services, such as physiotherapy and psychological treatment, to ensure you recover from your injuries as soon as possible and get your life back on track.
Specialist Spinal Injury Solicitors in Scotland
Our expertise in personal injury covers a wide range of areas, including:
- Accidents at work
- Public liability claims
- Road traffic accidents
- Fatal and serious injury claims
- Cases relating to abuse
We represent thousands of clients throughout Scotland each year, securing millions of pounds in compensation for our clients. Our spinal injury claims solicitors work on a no-win, no-fee basis, which means that if your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t end up out of pocket.
Spinal Injury Claims - FAQs
If you’ve experienced spinal damage or paralysis due to a spinal injury, a claim can be made by you or a loved one. Spinal injury solicitors can also help you receive compensation for car accident spinal injury claims where the other party involved is responsible. Legal guardians can also file claims for minors or individuals who lack the mental capacity to manage their own affairs.
As with all personal injury claims, spinal cord injury claims have to be supported by evidence. You have to be able to prove that the other party was at fault or negligent in order to receive compensation, just as you would with any other personal injury claims.
Our spinal injury specialists will help you collect and organise all necessary evidence — you don’t have to do it yourself.
We’ll collect medical records and have another medical professional weigh in on the matter. Other evidence can include police reports, photographs of the accident scene and witness statements.
To make a legal claim, you have to start the process within three years of the date you suffered a spinal injury. However, there are some exceptions to this rule:
- Children suffering back injuries in the spinal column can raise a Court action in the three years following the date they turn 16. However, it is important that a claim is intimated as soon as possible.
- Injuries that occurred abroad may have a shorter time limit.
- If you don’t have the mental capacity to make a claim, there is no time limit. Mental capacity in this context means a brain injury or learning disability. Medical evidence would need to be produced to show that you lacked the capacity to make the claim within three years.
Our serious injury experts recommend that you make spinal injury claims and seek compensation as soon as possible.
If you suffered from a back injury abroad, you can still claim compensation. However, it’s best to reach out to our spinal cord injury solicitors to make a claim as soon as possible. This is because the time limit for making a spinal injury claim may be shorter with foreign cases.
The͏͏ spinal cord injury compensation claims process can͏͏ often͏͏ take͏͏ several͏͏ years͏͏ to͏͏ reach͏͏ a͏͏ final͏͏ settlement.͏͏ As͏͏ your͏͏ spine injury lawyer, we͏͏ advise͏͏ against͏͏ rushing͏͏ this͏͏ process.͏͏ It’s͏͏ best͏͏ to͏͏ allow͏͏ sufficient͏͏ time͏͏ for͏͏ your͏͏ rehabilitation͏͏ to͏͏ progress͏͏ and͏͏ for͏͏ the͏͏ full͏͏ extent͏͏ of͏͏ your͏͏ injuries͏͏ and͏͏ long-term͏͏ needs͏͏ to͏͏ become͏͏ apparent.
If͏͏ you͏͏ settle͏͏ your͏͏ back injury claim too͏͏ early,͏͏ we͏͏ risk͏͏ underestimating͏͏ the͏͏ long-term͏͏ impact͏͏ of͏͏ your͏͏ spinal injury.͏͏ This͏͏ can͏͏ leave͏͏ you͏͏ without͏͏ adequate͏͏ compensation͏͏ for͏͏ future͏͏ care͏͏ and͏͏ ongoing͏͏ medical͏͏ treatments.
The͏͏ timeline͏͏ for͏͏ receiving͏͏ compensation͏͏ for͏͏ a͏͏ spinal cord injury can͏͏ depend͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ complexity͏͏ of͏͏ your͏͏ case.͏͏ Our͏͏ specialist solicitors are͏͏ committed͏͏ to͏͏ ensuring͏͏ you͏͏ receive͏͏ the͏͏ right͏͏ medical͏͏ treatment͏͏ and͏͏ maximum compensation for͏͏ your͏͏ spinal͏͏ injury.͏͏
While͏͏ the͏͏ full͏͏ settlement͏͏ process͏͏ can͏͏ take͏͏ some͏͏ time͏͏ to͏͏ complete,͏͏ as͏͏ we͏͏ assess͏͏ all͏͏ aspects͏͏ of͏͏ your͏͏ injury͏͏ and͏͏ its͏͏ long-term͏͏ impact,͏͏ we͏͏ understand͏͏ the͏͏ immediate͏͏ financial͏͏ pressures͏͏ you͏͏ may͏͏ face.͏͏
To͏͏ address͏͏ this,͏͏ we͏͏ can͏͏ often͏͏ secure͏͏ interim payments in͏͏ complex spinal cases while͏͏ your͏͏ claim͏͏ is͏͏ ongoing.͏͏ These͏͏ partial͏͏ payments͏͏ can͏͏ help͏͏ cover͏͏ expenses͏͏ such͏͏ as͏͏ medical͏͏ bills,͏͏ rehabilitation͏͏ costs,͏͏ and͏͏ necessary͏͏ home͏͏ modifications,͏͏ providing͏͏ you͏͏ with͏͏ financial͏͏ support͏͏ during͏͏ the͏͏ claims͏͏ process.
Spinal injuries have a life-changing impact and can alter your way of living in a number of different ways. Depending on your condition, there is a wide range of support services you may require.
This could include ongoing private medical treatment, physiotherapy for your back injury, a wheelchair, therapy and more. As your back injury solicitor, we will do everything in our power to ensure your spinal injury compensation claim supports your individual needs.
Trust Watermans to ensure your financial needs are met after a spinal injury.
Complete our enquiry form, and our expert spinal injury solicitors will be in touch.
Get in touch with us
Everything we do at Watermans is about getting you the resolution you need and making that process straightforward. Start the process by sending us your details below or calling us on 0131 555 7055
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Our personal injury claims expert
“Making a claim for compensation can be such a daunting process for people, so I try to make it as straightforward and easy to understand as I can for them.”
Susanne McGraw, Head of Personal Injury