Suffering from any injury can be an extremely challenging time for you and your family; however, it can be harder to adjust to life if you are a victim of paralysis injury. Although it may be difficult to talk about traumatic accidents, it is essential that you contact our personal injury solicitors to make a compensation claim.

We understand that lifelong injuries can have both an emotional and physical impact on your well-being. If you or a loved one has been affected by paraplegia, Wildwood Legal can help you get access to rehabilitation so that you get back some sort of normality.

 

What is Paraplegia?

 

There are many types of paralysis claims and different forms of paralysis, such as the following: monoplegia, hemiplegia, and tetraplegia.

 

The two types of paralysis are:

Localised paralysis affects a specific section of the body, such as the face or hand.

Generalised paralysis where a large part of the body is affected.

 

Paraplegia affects the legs and lower body, such as the pelvis, which is most often caused by spinal cord injuries. Many people believe that paraplegia is the total loss of feeling in the legs, but it can vary from a slight loss of leg movement to full paralysis of the legs, as well as up to the chest.

Individuals diagnosed with this condition tend to experience varying degrees depending on which part of the spinal cord had been injured. As a result, previously healthy people are left without being able to register sensations such as heat or pain if their legs are paralysed.

 

Most people experience:

· Unable to control the muscle or movement in the feet, toes, or legs

· Loss of feeling within the lower half of your body

· Tingling in legs, toes, or feet

· Sexual difficulties

· Loss of bowel and bladder control

· Problems with digestion

· Respiratory diseases such as pneumonia may occur if there is a loss of control in the chest

 

What are the common causes of paraplegia?

 

Any type of impact to someone’s back or neck which resulted in paralysis is usually a result of a traumatic accident. Types of accidents include:

· Road traffic accidents – Accidents on the road cause serious injuries due to the force involved in a collision. Although cyclists and motorcyclists are more likely to suffer from catastrophic injuries, they can happen to anyone in any vehicle.

· Accidents at work – You could sustain paraplegia injuries while working in dangerous environments, such as factories or construction sites, such as falling from a height due to unstable scaffolding or defective ladder. Employers have a duty of care, so if you were injured at work, your employer might be liable under the Health and Safety at Work 1974 Act.

· Accidents in public places – Serious injuries could take place in any public place on the street or even on private premises because of slips, trips, and falls.

· Criminal assault – Severe injuries could occur due to a violent attack, resulting in a spinal injury that could lead to paralysis.

· Sports-related injuries – Another way of enduring paraplegia is injuries related to sports due to a fall. Sports clubs are also covered by the Health and Safety at Work Act unless it is run by volunteers, though they also have a responsibility for the safety of the premises or equipment over which they have control over.

· Medical negligence – Medical negligence caused by a doctor’s mistake, inaction, or poor advice is very rare, but it can be common. This could include delays in treatments, misdiagnosis, and surgical errors.

Precise details of your claim will vary depending upon the exact circumstances. However, if the injuries you have sustained are not your fault, you are entitled to make a claim.

 

Why should you make a paraplegia compensation claim?

 

Paraplegia is a serious life-altering injury that will impact the quality of your life, both now and into the future. In addition to the loss of mobility, individuals can face extreme financial pressure due to required care assistance or significant home adjustments, along with the loss of income when they are unable to work.

While legal teams determine the extent of your claim, early requests for interim payments (paid by the responsible party before you receive the rest of your compensation) can be made, which can help ease the financial burden during a stressful time. This can help people meet normal daily bills and purchase specialist equipment for rehabilitation needs.

A diagnosis of paraplegia can also severely affect a person’s psychological health. Statistics have proven that one in five people will become clinically depressed after experiencing a paralysis-inducing injury.

 

Personal injury claims and injury lawyers can help you secure the highest level of compensations to recover:

· Loss of income (while you took time off work and the loss of future earnings)

· Pain and suffering

· Medical costs for physiotherapy and rehabilitative care as well as specialist equipment such as wheelchairs

· Travel expenses for you and your family

· The cost of adaptations to your home or vehicle

· Cost of counselling and support needed to help you and your family

 

Each case is determined based on the seriousness of the injury following an independent medical examination. Our team of serious injury solicitors will guide you through the process of starting your claim.

 

How are paraplegia compensation claims calculated?

 

A paraplegia compensation claim will have the same basic components as any other personal injury claim. Seeking a medical opinion will help your case as this will prove that you have suffered an injury as well as gathering as much information from witnesses, accident reports, and police statements, and pictures of how the accident occurred.

Arguably, paraplegia accident claims are one of the most expensive in the UK due to the irrevocable nature of paralysis and permanent damage causes, so the amount of compensation you could receive is substantial. It will vary based on how the accident occurred, whether that was a mishap on the rugby field, a high-speed car collision, or an issue caused by dangerous equipment at work.

This will depend on several factors, including the severity of your injuries, how the condition hinders your work, travel, socialising, and general everyday activities, and the specifics of the accident. A detailed account will help determine your compensation claim and how much you are entitled to. Compensation calculators, available online, can give you an idea of the award you may receive from the party who was negligently responsible for the accident.

 

Time limit for making paraplegia compensation claims

 

The general rule on time limits for making a paraplegia injury claim is that you have three years from the date of the injury to have either settled your claim or started court proceedings once the accident has happened.

The three-year deadline begins on the date that the accident occurred or from the date on which you realised that your injuries were associated with your accident.

 

How much do paraplegia compensation claims cost?

 

We will always be 100% transparent about what our charges are, and if we take on your case, we will almost always do so on Conditional Fee Agreements (also known as a no win, no fee basis).

This means that if you do not win your case, you do not pay us any fees at all. If we win the case, we take a small percentage of your compensation, which we will agree with you beforehand, to cover our costs.

We will never ask you to sign anything until you are completely happy with what it is that we are proposing.

 

How can Wildwood Legal help with paraplegia compensation claims?

 

Becoming paralysed can have significant devasting consequences to you, so if you are suffering, get in touch with our personal injury solicitors. Wildwood Legal will ensure you receive the maximum amount of compensation to help you live a fulfilling, deserved, and comfortable life after the accident.

Our core strength is in personal injury claims. We are experienced in helping you with any negligence claims that you may want to make. We aim to give you not only quality aid but flexibility and clarity as we know that these qualities are just as important.

Our law firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority; therefore, we provide everything that is needed to meet their high standards meaning that we are a trusted law firm. We offer services to individuals located in England and Wales.

We value the opinion of our clients, and we will always listen to you and take on board what you say. To make an enquiry, get in contact with us either email us info@winstonsolicitors.co.uk or call us 0113 320 5000 to speak with a specialist spinal injury solicitor.