Spinal Injury Claims Solicitors

The level at which the spinal injury occurs will dictate the potential impact of the injury. For example, an injury to the lumbar region (the lower back) will affect the lower body, such as loss of movement of the legs to bowel and bladder problems.

Comparatively, a substantial back injury sustained higher up, such as the cervical region, can result in loss of function of all limbs, known as quadriplegia.

Spinal injury cases will often involve:

• Slipped discs as the result of an accident or trauma or the aging process

• Sustained pressure on the spine

• Bleeding causing a hematoma or bruising of the spine

There are also several syndromes associated with spinal cord injuries, including:

• Central Cord Syndrome

• Brown-Sequard Syndrome

• Posterior Cord Syndrome

• Conus Medullaris Syndrome

• Cauda Equina Syndrome

In the first instance, a failure to diagnose or a significant delay in diagnosing a problem can allow a condition to worsen, which may result in a patient sustaining long-term damage that could have otherwise been avoided.

There are many symptoms that can be a sign of compressed nerves, including loss of bladder, bowel and sexual function. When these symptoms are brought to the attention of a healthcare professional, there may be a small window of opportunity to identify and resolve the underlying issue.

If they fail to recognise the symptoms, or do not consider the true cause of symptoms as one of their differential diagnoses, it may lead to the patient losing control of certain body functions, and potentially even result in paralysis.

Often spinal cord injuries sustained during treatment will be related to surgery. However, a patient may receive injuries as a result of the incorrect application of pain-relieving injections by an orthopaedic surgeon, or substandard chiropractic adjustments.

Spinal procedures are performed for countless reasons, including for those requiring decompression surgery or fusion surgery. There are numerous ways that the negligence of a surgeon can lead to an avoidable injury, including:

• Wrong-site surgery which misses the affected area entirely

• Overstretching or cutting a nerve

• Not noticing internal bleeding

• Cutting a vessel which may cut off the blood supply to a nerve

• Retained surgical bodies (RSBs) – any foreign bodies left inside a patient after surgery

In addition, a patient could make a spinal cord injury claim if their healthcare professionals fail to identify or respond to issues caused during the operation until it is too late. In many cases, mistakes made in surgery can be reversed if addressed soon enough.

The consequences of a spinal injury caused by clinical negligence can range from temporary loss of sensation or foot drop, to someone facing life-altering paralysis and needing long-term care.

Often following spinal injuries, the implications can be split into two areas:

1. The amount of pain the patient endures

2. The impact of the injury on their mobility

Both can be greatly limiting to a person, and noticeably affect their personal, work and social lives, including:

• They may be unable to perform their job, travel to work, or their workplace may not be accessible anymore, potentially leading to lost earnings

• They may no longer be able to go out with friends frequently, or take part in physical activities

• They may need help moving around their home, or find it hard to perform tasks like cooking, washing or housework

Fundamentally, serious spinal injuries can make every aspect of a person’s life more challenging and require more forward-planning. For example, if the injury has affected bowel or bladder control, they will likely need to know where toilets are at all times.

Consequently, these injuries can have a huge impact on a person’s mental wellbeing. They may not want to go out for fear of embarrassment, or feel as though they have become a burden on their family and friends. If they had a particularly active lifestyle before the injury, the psychological ramifications can be significant.

In most cases we would expect a spinal injury claim to take between 2 and 5 years to reach final settlement. This depends on the stance taken by the defendants and how long it takes for medical experts to determine an accurate prognosis for the claimant.

For example, a medical expert may need to wait several years to see if certain nerves recover or improve before they can assess how great an impact the injury has had on the claimant’s prognosis, which in turn will quantify the value of their claim.

During this wait, if the defendants have admitted liability or there is a high likelihood that the defendants will be found liable, it is possible for a claimant to apply for interim payments.

We understand that the claims process can be overwhelming, and that is why we are transparent about what to expect and are there to help you every step of the way.

As specialists in medical negligence, we commit the time and resources necessary to thoroughly investigate your spinal injury claim. Once you have been allocated with one of our experts, we will examine all available evidence to assess whether the care you received was substandard, including:

• Medical records

• Claimant statements

• Witness statements

• Complaint correspondence

• Independent medical opinion

If we believe you have a viable claim, we will communicate with the defendants on your behalf, conduct further investigation to quantify the value of your claim, and keep you informed every step of the way.

We will decisively pursue the compensation, answers and justice that you deserve, and seek to reach a fitting settlement. 96% of our cases settle without going to court, but we will staunchly argue your case in the unlikely event of a court hearing.