Nerve Damage Compensation Claims

Make a Nerve Damage Compensation Claim

You can contact our team to find out if you may have a claim, and we can help you begin the process of outlining your claim and requesting any medical records that you may need.

Nerve damage can have a significant impact on a person’s life. It can affect their ability to work, and drive or could even result in permanent paralysis of the affected limbs.

Claiming compensation can help you get back on track and pay for ongoing treatment and adaptations to your life, future loss of earnings and any potential changes to your home that you now require.

Types and Causes of Nerve Injury

Several different types of nerve damage can happen. The most likely to occur are ‘stretch-related nerve injuries, ‘lacerations’ or cut-related injuries and ‘compression nerve injuries.

Stretch

These types of nerve injuries when the nerve becomes stretched beyond its usual amount. This could lead to an eventual tear of the nerve. This type of nerve injury could be caused by a sports injury for example, or a road traffic accident.

Stretch nerve injuries are most often caused by sudden or violent movement to the body, or if a body part is moved in a direction that it is not supposed to.

Laceration

Laceration or cut nerve injuries are partial or total severing of the nerve, usually by a sharp object.

These types of nerve injuries are most often caused by sharp objects like broken glass or knives. Laceration injuries can be caused by physical attacks, road traffic accidents or other types of personal injury that could involve cuts to the body.

Compression

Compression nerve injuries occur when the nerve is compacted against another part of the body or itself. These injuries are often caused by repetitive actions or injuries. They can also be caused by fractures or breaks to bones that can affect the surrounding nerves.

Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, tumours or high blood pressure could increase the likelihood of nerve damage. Failure to monitor these conditions properly could lead to nerve damage and a resulting compensation claim

Symptoms of Nerve Damage

The symptoms of a nerve injury can depend on the severity of the damage and the location of the body where the injury has occurred. The most common symptoms include:

• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
• Burning sensations
• Muscle weakness
• Abnormal sensitivity
• Sharp pains or throbbing

More severe nerve damage could lead to a total loss of sensation in the affected limb or even paralysis.

Compensation for nerve damage after surgery

Nerve damage following surgery can be normal. Often temporary nerve damage can be expected at the site of a recent surgery and will usually return to normal after a few weeks or months.

However, negligent surgical practices can cause serious and even permanent nerve damage. It is these instances of medical negligence where you could make a compensation claim.

The most common cause of nerve damage following surgery is scarring that could cause compression of the nerves in the affected area.

Nerve damage after surgery could also be caused by a surgeon mistakenly severing or damaging a nerve when operating on a part of the body.

Depending on the severity of the damage caused by the negligent surgery, the ongoing effects of the nerve injury could be severe and potentially permanent.

If you have suffered nerve damage as a result of medical negligence, then it is possible to claim compensation for nerve damage after surgery.

How much compensation for nerve damage?

As with any claim for medical negligence or personal injury, the amount of compensation that you could receive will entirely depend on the type and the severity of the nerve damage that has occurred, as well as the limb or limbs that have been affected

If the severity of the nerve damage that has occurred means that you are no longer able to continue in the line of work you were in before, or even work at all, then you could be entitled to claim for a loss of earnings. This will secure your financial future if you are no longer able to work

Your compensation will be broken down into what is known as General Damages and Special Damages. General Damages are compensation for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity that you have endured and include the psychological trauma that often follows a serious injury or incidence of medical negligence

Special damages are paid to account for out-of-pocket expenses/financial costs you incur because of the negligent accident or medical treatment, such as the aforementioned loss of earnings, and include ongoing costs to you such as medical costs, the cost of care and assistance and any changes that are required to your home or vehicle for example.

How long do I have to make a nerve damage compensation claim?

Generally, you have 3 years to bring forward a claim for serious personal injury or medical negligence. This can be 3 years from the incident itself, or if it was not until later that you became aware of negligence, then it is 3 years from the date you became aware you had suffered an injury due to negligence.

There are some exceptions to this time limit. Notably, if the person in question is under the age of 18, then the 3-year time limit will not begin until they turn 18.

Limitation periods can often be tricky to establish, especially in cases of medical negligence. If you are unsure when your limitation period may have started, your best course of action is to speak with a member of our team who can help you establish a timeline of events.

No Win No Fee Nerve Damage Claims

When you call us and receive free initial legal advice, if we believe you or your family member may be entitled to nerve damage compensation, we will agree to represent you in your claim on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that there is no risk to you

If your nerve damage claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any legal fees. Blackwater Law undertakes all medical negligence and personal injury claims on a no-win, no-fee basis.

Choosing the right solicitor

It is essential to the success of your nerve injury compensation claim that you choose the right solicitors to have the best chances of success.

Having a specialist solicitor that is experienced in dealing with claims like the one you are making, will help to ensure your claim runs as smoothly as possible, and that you can secure the maximum amount of compensation for you and your family

Blackwater Law is ranked by The Legal 500 as a leading provider of legal services for serious personal injury claims and medical negligence claims including claims for nerve damage. Speak to an experienced member of our team today about your claim and see if you are entitled to compensation.