Life Changing Injury Claims

What is a life changing injury claim?

Life changing or catastrophic injuries are those that have a major impact on the person affected – either through permanent disability, ongoing health problems or reduced life expectancy.

If you’ve suffered a life changing injury due to someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation. This might apply if you’ve sustained an injury such as:

• Brain damage
• Full-body or partial paralysis
• Loss of vision
• A spinal injury
• Amputation or the loss of a limb

This isn’t an exhaustive list, though. Whether you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, a road collision or through medical negligence, you could have grounds to make a claim.

It’s also possible to start the claims process on someone else’s behalf. So if your loved one is unable to bring a claim due to their injuries, you could do this for them as a litigation friend.

Get in touch with our team for a free initial chat to find out if we can help you.

Why should I make a life changing injury claim?

We understand that the thought of making a claim can seem overwhelming when you’re already dealing with such a significant life change. But if your injuries were caused by someone else, it’s only right that you seek the compensation you deserve.

While making a claim won’t undo what happened, it could help you as you come to terms with your injury.

As well as accounting for your pain and suffering, any compensation you receive will cover financial losses like lost earnings, the cost of further medical treatment and specialist equipment.

Taking legal action will also highlight the negligence that led to your injuries. So you could be helping to prevent the same thing from happening to someone else.

How do I prove someone else caused my life changing injury?

For your life changing injury claim to be successful, your solicitor will first need to prove that your injuries were caused by the negligence of another individual or organisation.

Then, it will need to be demonstrated that the other party’s actions led directly to your injuries.

To do this, your solicitor will gather evidence including:

• Accident record books – this will usually apply in a workplace accident claim
• Medical records
• Photos of your injuries
• Witness accounts
• Your own recollection of what happened

Our solicitors are experienced in claims of this nature and know what it takes to achieve a positive result. So you shouldn’t worry about having to go through this part of the process alone.

How can First4Lawyers help?

We work with experienced and compassionate personal injury solicitors who will work to get the best possible outcome for your claim.

They’ll assess the extent of your injuries and gather evidence, giving your case the best chance of success.

For these types of claims, we work on a No Win No Fee basis. So there will be no upfront costs to pay and if your case is unsuccessful, there won’t be any legal fees to cover.

To learn more about how No Win No Fee works, give our knowledgeable advisors a call.

Life changing injury claim FAQs

How long do I have to make a life changing injury claim?

You’ll generally have three years to make a claim after suffering a life changing injury.

This could be three years from the date of your accident, or from when you first became aware of it – for instance – if the full extent of your injuries wasn’t immediately clear.

There are some exceptions to the time limits, though. If you’re claiming on behalf of a child, you’ll have until their 18th birthday to take legal action. After this, they’ll have until they’re 21 to start a claim themselves.

If you’re making a claim for someone who is lacking mental capacity, you won’t face any time limits. This could apply if your loved one has suffered a brain injury and they’re unable to start a claim themselves.

We would always suggest seeking legal advice as soon as you’re able to. This can make it easier for your solicitor to access key evidence such as CCTV, witness testimonies and medical records.

It may also be easier for you to recall the details of what happened if you start your claim sooner rather than later.

How much life changing injuries compensation could I claim?

Life changing injury compensation can vary widely, as every case will be unique. For example, someone who has undergone an amputation will receive a different settlement to someone who has sustained a severe head or brain injury.

But if your claim is successful, your compensation will likely be split into two categories: general damages and special damages.

General damages* will consider the pain and suffering caused by your injury, as well as the negative impact this has had on your life. For instance, you may have had to give up a favourite hobby or sport.

Special damages are different as they’ll cover the financial losses associated with your case. This could include lost earnings if you’ve had to take time off work, or the cost of medical treatment like physiotherapy.

*For a rough estimate of how much your claim could be worth in general damages, try our free compensation calculator.

I’ve suffered a life changing injury – what should I do?

If you’ve sustained a life changing injury, the most important thing to do is get the medical attention you need. Your wellbeing comes first, so this should be put before anything else.

After this, you could consider making a life changing injury claim. Our advisors are here to talk through your case with you and answer any questions you might have. We’ll then let you know if you have a strong claim.

If we think you could have a case for compensation, we’ll ask if you’d like to be put in touch with one of our dedicated solicitors. This decision will be completely up to you, and there will always be the option to call us back.

To find out more about the services we offer, give us a call on the number at the top of the screen, request a callback or start your enquiry online.

We’re here to help you through this difficult time.