Spinal cord injury compensation: why you need to plan to manage your future now.
The impact of Spinal Cord Injury will demand resourcing for the rest of your life – prepare now to live the life you deserve.
Spinal Cord Injury is a life-changing experience. Irrespective of how it occurs, either through illness or accident, it will create both physical and psychological outcomes that need to be managed for the rest of a person’s life. If you have been the victim of an accident you may be entitled to spinal cord injury compensation, which will go some way to helping you rebuild your life. Recent research by leading UK charities Aspire, Back Up and the Spinal Injuries Association put a spotlight on just how much remains to be done to support people who experience it. This research estimates that there are approximately 50,000 people in the UK living with a spinal cord injury and around 2,500 additional people will be diagnosed every year.
The stereotype of spinal cord injury largely affecting young males who have a sports or traffic accident is also being challenged by this research. It outlines that the number of older people and women who presenting with injury is increasing. Accidents in the workplace, slips and falls outdoors, travel-related injuries and injuries related to defective products are quickly matching the sports and traffic accidents that are more commonly related to spinal cord injury. Experts put this growth in recognition down to better reporting, record keeping and a widening of the definition of this type of injury.
The team at Ross Aldridge have decades of experience in advising and working with people who are seeking spinal cord injury compensation due to an accident. This is often referred to as a traumatic injury, as opposed to a non-traumatic injury that might be caused by illness. (We recognise of course that all injury is traumatic. These are medical terms to differentiate between types of injury.)
If you or someone in your family has experienced injury specifically because of an accident, we may be able to help you seek spinal cord injury compensation. [link to get in contact form]
What is a spinal cord injury?
Your spinal cord is a delicate but vital collection of nerves and tissue that runs along your spine. It’s protected by vertebrae, the bones in your back, as well as spinal fluid. When it’s damaged, it interrupts the messages that run between your brain and every part of the body – your muscles and organs, for example. The point along your spine at which you receive an injury usually determines the severity of the injury. An injury at the top of the spine and just below the neck will often affect movement from that point downward. An injury at the base of the spine, near your hips, will often impact movement from that point downward.
Measuring the impact
Victims of spinal cord injury can experience paralysis or lack of feeling in parts of their body. They may need to use a wheelchair or other mobility aid. They may have bladder or bowel issues as well as the loss of sexual function. All of this is often accompanied by pain and ongoing stress. Beyond the physical symptoms, a person’s career or study options may be permanently changed and they will often experience depression and anxiety which will need to be managed too. The wider family unit may also require support as they adjust to a changed life experience. Parents, partners and children of people with a spinal injury often report a corresponding and immediate shift in their own life choices as they struggle to become carers.
What should I do next?
The very best thing you can do is get in contact with one of our expert advisors. This is a free service to help you understand your options and the opportunities for compensation. We’ll help you identify whether you might be due compensation and advise on procedures and timelines that you will follow. If you decide to move forward with your case with us we can then advise on areas such as levels of compensation, estimates for loss of past and future earnings, medical treatment expenses, costs of care, property adaptations or costs of moving to more suitable accommodation, therapy, and many other areas that will pertain to your individual experience.
Ross Aldridge operates on a No Win, No Fee basis, so there is no risk to you. We’re an expert, dedicated team but we also pride ourselves on offering a friendly, relaxed service that is there to help you. Please do get in touch – there are lots of ways we can help.
