Some kinds of injury are severe enough that the victim will never fully recover. This might mean that the quality of your life is impacted in a lasting way, or even that your life is shortened.
If you’re in this situation, or someone you love is in this situation, then you’ll want to be aware of your rights, and the legal processes involved in protecting them.
Recognising Life-Changing Injuries and Your Legal Entitlements
Life-changing injuries can come in many forms. Injuries to the brain and central nervous system can be severely debilitating. These might prevent a person from communicating, thinking clearly, or even moving. In other cases, like amputations, the victim might be prevented from enjoying a specific aspect of life. Sometimes, severe facial injuries can have a massive impact on a person’s self-image and social life, even if there is no lasting impact on the way that the body functions.
In some cases, sufferers might require constant care and attention to live a fulfilling life. This support is often facilitated through the benefits system. The Personal Independence Payment, for example, might provide you with a welcome cash injection if you have difficulty performing everyday tasks because of your injuries. You might also seek to hold any responsible party accountable for your injury through the courts.
The Claims Process: From Incident to Compensation
A successful claim will unfold over several distinct steps. Evidence will need to be gathered and examined, and then liability established. This means collating any correspondence between you and your medical provider. The extent of your injury will need to be determined by medical professionals, whose opinion can be presented to the relevant court.
It’s worth entering into this process with the backing of a skilled, specialised solicitor. If you’ve suffered a brain injury, for example, a solicitor with a track record of dealing with brain injury claims is essential. In most cases, you’ll have a time limit of just three years from the point at which you became aware of the injury to start the ball rolling.
Calculating Compensation: What You Might Be Entitled To
The damages you are awarded will be commensurate with the severity of your injuries and their impact on your life.
The court will consider the pain and suffering you have endured, as well as financial factors. If you’ve spent money on things like travel to the hospital, parking, and private care, then this will be considered. The same is true of any loss of earnings you’ve suffered. Make sure that you can evidence these losses clearly when called upon to do so.
Support Beyond Compensation: Accessing Rehabilitation and Welfare
If you’ve suffered a life-changing injury, then you’ll need access to the right care. This might mean not just physical rehabilitation, like physiotherapy, but mental health support from professional counsellors, friends, and family members.
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