Serious injury solicitors are specialist legal professionals who assist clients who have suffered serious, traumatic and sometimes life-changing injuries that have resulted from an accident or negligence that wasn’t their fault.
When seeking a serious injury solicitor, it’s important to find someone with experience and expertise in handling cases similar to yours. Our member firms have specialist teams of serious injury solicitors, all of whom possess a strong track record of overseeing successful settlements. We understand that suffering a serious injury can have a profound effect on both the victim and their family; we provide our services in a compassionate manner, offering personalised legal advice to ensure you receive the support you need during this difficult time.
If you are looking to make a claim for a serious injury, Major Trauma Group are on hand to assist. We offer our personal injury services on a no win no fee basis, meaning you do not need to worry about the costs that can come with making a claim. Please get in touch with us today to find out more.
What is a serious injury?
A serious injury is typically defined as an injury that has significant and often long-lasting physical or emotional consequences for the victim. Such injuries generally require immediate and urgent medical attention as soon as they have been sustained. Sadly, many victims who suffer serious and traumatic injuries will have to adapt to a new way of life and deal with ongoing health issues for an extended period of time.
Injuries that are generally considered serious due to their severity and potential long-term impact may include:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A TBI occurs when there is a blow to the head that disrupts brain function. Depending on the severity, TBIs can result in cognitive impairments, memory loss, personality changes, and motor skill deficiencies.
- Spinal Cord Injury: Injuries to the spinal cord can lead to partial or complete paralysis, affecting mobility and sensation in various parts of the body.
- Severe Burns: Third-degree burns that damage multiple layers of skin can cause permanent scarring, disfigurement, and physical limitations.
- Amputation: The loss of a limb due to an accident or medical necessity can have profound physical and psychological effects on an individual.
- Organ Damage: Injuries that cause severe damage to internal organs can lead to ongoing health complications and require ongoing medical care.
- Loss of Vision or Hearing: Significant loss of vision or hearing due to injury can impact an individual’s ability to communicate, work, and navigate the world.
- Internal Bleeding: Serious internal bleeding can lead to organ failure, shock, and even death if not promptly treated.
- Crush Injuries: These injuries occur when a body part is trapped between two objects, causing severe damage to tissues, nerves, and blood vessels.
Examples of accidents that commonly lead to serious injuries
There are many types of accidents that commonly lead to serious injuries due to the nature of the events and the potential for significant physical harm. Here are some examples:
- Road traffic collisions: Motor vehicle accidents, especially high-speed collisions or accidents involving multiple vehicles, can lead to serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal organ damage.
- Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcyclists are vulnerable to severe injuries due to the lack of protective barriers. Accidents can result in fractures, head injuries, and more.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Pedestrians struck by vehicles can suffer from traumatic injuries, including head injuries, fractures, and internal injuries.
- Workplace Accidents: Industrial accidents, construction site mishaps, and other workplace incidents can lead to severe injuries like amputations and burns.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: Falls from heights, on slippery surfaces, or down staircases can result in serious fractures, head injuries, and spinal injuries.
- Medical Negligence: Errors or negligence in medical treatment can lead to severe injuries. Negligence can derive from surgical errors, medication mistakes, and misdiagnoses.
- Fires and Explosions: Accidents involving fires, explosions, or hazardous materials can cause severe burns, respiratory injuries, and trauma.
- Falls from Heights: Falls from ladders, scaffolding, roofs, and other elevated areas can result in serious injuries like spinal cord damage, fractures, and internal injuries.
It’s important to note that these accidents can vary widely in their outcomes depending on factors such as speed, impact, safety measures, and the individuals involved. Regardless of the type of accident, if you or someone you know has been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence or actions, please get in touch with our panel of personal injury lawyers at Major Trauma Group to discuss how we can help you.
How to make a serious injury claim
Making a claim for serious injury compensation can be an overwhelming thought to many people due to the complex nature of the legal system. However, our specialist serious injury solicitors are more than capable of guiding our clients through the process and ensuring all steps are taken to ensure you receive a fair amount of compensation for your injuries.
The first step in making a serious injury claim would be to seek medical attention for your injuries. Medical reports and records stating the extent of your injuries will be helpful in the claiming process. Generally, when you are ready, you would then reach out to a personal injury solicitor to discuss initiating your claim.
Your serious injury solicitor will then investigate the circumstances surrounding your accident or medical negligence that has caused your injuries, gathering reports, records, witness statements and CCTV footage to support your claim.
Your claim will then be submitted to the defendant, explaining the damages you are seeking. Negotiation will take place shortly after to come to an agreed settlement. In cases in which the defendant and your solicitor fail to come to an agreed settlement, then your case may progress to court proceedings in which a judge will review all of the facts of the case and come to a decision on your settlement amount.
It is also worth noting that though a victim can instigate a claim for themselves, a family member may also initiate a claim on their behalf if they are unable to due to their injuries.
Access to specialist rehabilitation following a serious injury
At Major Trauma Group, we are passionate about advocating for specialist rehabilitation treatment and therapies following a serious injury. We understand how devastating it can be for a victim and their family to adjust to life with traumatic injuries, and we know how valuable rehabilitation can be to improve recovery.
Rehabilitation after a serious injury plays a crucial role in helping individuals regain their physical, emotional, and functional well-being. The goals of rehabilitation are to maximise recovery, improve quality of life, and enhance independence. The specific rehabilitation process varies depending on the type of injury, as well as individual needs.
There are a wide range of therapies available, from physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to assistive devices, vocational rehabilitation and psychological support.
Rehabilitation is a dynamic and often ongoing process that requires patience, determination, and collaboration between the individual, healthcare professionals, and support networks.
Our panel of serious injury solicitors can negotiate on your behalf to have rehabilitation therapies included in your claim for compensation. Additionally, we can also advocate for you to receive such treatments before your claim for compensation is finalised, ensuring you get to focus on your recovery as soon as possible.
How much could your serious injury claim be worth?
It is difficult to give an exact estimate of how much compensation you may expect to receive for a personal injury case, as the amount will depend on many different factors, from the severity of your injuries to the impact it has had on your daily life.
Compensation for serious injury claims typically falls into two main categories: general damages and special damages.
General damages refer to compensation for the non-monetary losses you have suffered, such as pain, suffering and loss of amenity. General damages are typically determined by assessing the extent of your injuries and how your injuries are going to impact your life moving forward.
Special damages refer to compensation for financial losses you have suffered as a result of sustaining your injuries, such as loss of earnings, travel expenses, and prescription costs. Keeping hold of receipts and bills during the claims process for additional expenses can significantly assist with claiming special damages.
What are the time limits for making a serious injury claim?
Typically, you have a period of three years to make a claim for compensation following an accident or negligence as governed in the Limitation Act 1980. There are, however, certain exceptions to the rule, including if the person injured was under the age of 18 or lacks the mental capacity to make a claim for themselves.
Additionally, in certain circumstances, such as if an accident took place on a plane or ship, the time limit is two years, not three. The two-year time limit also applies to claims made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Why choose Major Trauma Group?
Suffering a serious injury can have devastating consequences on your physical and mental well-being. Making a claim for compensation with a specialist serious injury solicitor can increase your chances of obtaining a fair settlement for the pain and suffering you have experienced, as well as equip you with the tools you may need to adapt to a new way of life moving forward.
Our member firms at Major Trauma Group are highly experienced in personal injury compensation claims and work tirelessly to ensure clients are supported throughout the claims process.
Our lawyers work on a no win no fee basis, meaning you don’t have to worry about the costs that can come with making a claim. If you have any queries surrounding any of our services or wish to speak to a member of our team for more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today using the online contact form below.
