The spine is made up of various components. It acts as a structural support for the body and carries motor information from the brain to the rest of the body and sensory information back to the brain. It is made up of twenty four vertebrae. These small bones allow flexibility and movement. They are cushioned by intervertebral discs made of cartilage. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord which is a bundle of nerve fibres. Injury to the spinal cord obstructs nerve signals which can affect movement and may even cause paralysis. Early symptoms can include “pins and needles,” developing into numbness caused by damaged nerves.

Spinal injuries are often a result of a car accident, an accident at work, or a sporting injury.  Serious car accidents can result in the roof of the car collapsing, putting adverse amounts of pressure on the occupants’ heads, necks and back.

The family of a rugby player who broke his neck whilst taking part in a scrum have spent thousands of pounds adapting their home to make it wheelchair accessible after he was left paralysed from the neck down by the accident. The cost of adaptations such as this may be extremely high and this is where spinal injury claims can help to ensure financial security. One of the adaptations is a hydrotherapy pool, often used in the rehabilitation of spinal injury victims.

Often spinal injury claims can improve the quality of life of the claimant and help meet the expensive adaptation costs to the claimant’s home, helping meet the costs of paying for a carer, and intensive physiotherapy sessions.  A man who was left paralysed after being struck by falling boxes and pinned to the ground whilst at work has received a compensation settlement worth in excess of £5m. The accident caused him to be paralysed from the waist down and he was left with very little movement in his hands. The compensation payment has helped to pay for adaptations to make his home wheelchair accessible and for physiotherapy and an electric wheelchair. The payment will ensure that he receives the care that he needs for the rest of his life.

Spinal injury claims need to be handled by an experienced solicitor who has the specialist knowledge to be able to deal with this kind of case and to ensure the victim receives the compensation that they deserve and that will ensure their wellbeing for the rest of their life. The amount of compensation awarded will depend on the severity of the injury and the level of negligence involved. Each case is treated differently. Because of this, it is important that detailed medical records are kept.

Employers have legal obligations to protect their workers from spinal injuries and if they fail to meet these obligations then they can be considered to be negligent. Particular occupations are more at risk of back injuries and it is important that employers in these occupations take particular care to ensure that adequate risk assessments are carried out, that employees have had sufficient training and that systems are in place to ensure workers are able to work safely.