How much is my back injury claim worth?

Compensation claim figures for back injuries

Injuring your back is a serious matter at the best of times. But what if you injured your back in an accident that wasn’t your fault? Today on the Camps Solicitors blog I will be looking at one of the most common injuries that our clients report they have suffered in non-fault accidents as well as showing you the likely back injury compensation figures the courts award in similar cases.

Whilst judging compensation amounts is entirely dependent on the individual circumstances of each individual’s accident, publications such as the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines give some idea of the likely level of compensation a particular injury will attract.

Minor back injury – between £1,000 and £8,000

If you have suffered a minor back injury as a result of a car crash or any other accident that was not your fault then it is likely your claim will be worth somewhere between £1,000 and £8,000. The vast majority of clients who make back injury compensation claims have injuries valued within this range. The precise amount would depend on how long you take to recover from your injury and for injuries taking less than 2 years to fully recover, the amount of compensation would usually be under £5,000.

Moderately severe back injuries – in the region of £8,000 to £24,750

Moderately severe back injuries could be worth somewhere in the region of £8,000 to £24,750. These injuries might include crushing fractures of the lumbar vertebrae which could leave you at an increased risk of osteoarthritis and constant pain or another injury such as a prolapsed disc or traumatic spondylolisthesis.

Severe back injuries – usually upwards of £24,750.

Severe back injuries would usually receive upwards of £24,750. This figure relates to such back injuries as fractured discs where, despite treatment, you are still suffering from continuous pain and discomfort as well as impaired movement.

Exceptionally serious cases – between £64,250 and £108,000

The very highest levels of compensation for exceptionally serious cases, between £64,250 and £108,000. This amount would only be awarded for very severe injury. For example, a back injury that has left the victim doubly incontinent or impotent.

For more information on the kinds of services we offer to people who have suffered back injuries in accidents where they were not to blame, call Camps Solicitors now on 0800 092 8586 and one of our claims advisors will be happy to talk to you about making a compensation claim.

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What will my neck injury get me in compensation?

Compensation figures and advice for neck injury claimants

Neck injuries, primarily whiplash and soft tissue injuries, are without doubt the most common side effect of being involved in a road traffic accident with another vehicle. Here at Camps, we deal with thousands of accident claims every year made by people who have injured their necks in accidents on the road. Today on the Camps blog we look at the figures for neck injuries in the 9th Edition of the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines.

Quite often, if you have been in an accident where the vehicle you were travelling in has been hit by another vehicle, the force of the impact will have left you with some form of soft tissue injury. This could be anything from minor bruising, if you are fortunate, up to severe soft tissue injuries that may leave you with lasting pain and discomfort.

Minor neck injury: Less than £1,000

At the lower end of the scale, some minor neck injuries might in fact be worth less than £1,000, which might mean a claim would have to be made through the small claims court, and you would not be able to recover any legal costs. However in cases such as these, it is worth seeking independent legal advice as it might be possible your injuries are worth over the £1,000 small claims limit.

Whiplash injuries/other minor soft tissue injuries: £850 – £8,750

Whiplash injuries and other minor soft tissue injuries to the neck are typically worth in the region of £850 to £5,000. Compensation towards the upper end of this range is paid out in cases where the recovery from the injury takes between 18 months and 2 years. In cases where a whiplash injury has taken longer than two years to recover from, or where you have been left vulnerable to further injury, the injury component of your claim would be worth £5,000 to £8,750.

Moderate neck injury: £8,750 – £16,000

Moderate neck injuries might include things like wrenching injuries and disc lesions, which might be likely to leave you with limited movement in your neck. The level of compensation you could expect to receive for injuries of this level would depend on factors like the degree of restriction to the movement of your neck. Somewhere between £8,750 and £16,000 would be what we would expect to recover for clients with these types of injuries.

Severe neck injury: £35,000 – £95,000

Severe neck injuries range from fractures and dislocations of the bones in the neck right through to incomplete paraplegia and injuries that might require you to wear a supporting neck brace 24 hours a day for several years after your accident. Severe neck injuries will be worth between £35,000 and £95,000, although cases at this level are very rare.

Claiming neck injury compensation with Camps Solicitors

At Camps Solicitors we understand that being involved in an accident where you were not at fault can be, to put it mildly, an unpleasant experience. That is why our accident lawyers and support staff are here to reassure you and to take the strain out of making a compensation claim against whoever was responsible for your accident and your neck injury.

We take care of your claim so all you have to concentrate on is recovering from your injuries and getting back on with your life. As well as recovering money for your injury, we can also arrange for you to receive physiotherapy to help you to improve the movement in your neck and to reduce any aches or pains associated with your injury, or other medical intervention that an independent doctor recommends you to have.

For more information on the kinds of services we offer to people who have suffered neck injuries in accidents where they were not to blame view our neck injury claim page or call Camps Solicitors now on 0800 092 8586 and one of our claims advisors will be happy to talk to you about making a claim.

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How To Avoid An Auto Accident Personal Injury Insurance Claim

If you’ve avoided auto accidents and personal injury insurance, count your lucky stars. Today, it’s not a question of “if” but “when,” given our frantic schedules, high-tech gadgetry, and volume of vehicles on the road.

Here are some steps to help those who have and those who have not:

1. “Rush” hour is an oxymoron – so don’t be a “moron” about rushing to and from work. The only things that are usually “rushing” are your blood pressure and heart rate during the morning or afternoon drive times. Here’s a simple suggestion: leave a few minutes earlier. Set your alarm clock just five minutes earlier than your normal time, go about your usual routine and leave five minutes earlier. Giving yourself this extra cushion of just five minutes can be the difference between arriving on time in a calm manner than arriving five minutes late in a frenzied, irate manner – which mood would you rather greet your boss?

Take only 30 minutes for lunch and leave a few minutes early (if you have this flexibility). If you don’t have this flexibility, then leave a few minutes later (your boss will be happy). Leaving a few minutes later can allow the peak rush hour to somewhat subside – chances are you’ll still arrive home about the same time but minus the frustration of sitting in traffic.

2. Leave a “gap” between you and the vehicle in front of you. This applies regardless of whether you are stopped at a traffic light or moving in traffic. This is called “defensive” driving – something we were taught at a younger age, but have forgotten along the way.

The rule of thumb is if the gap is wide enough when you’re stopped at a traffic light, you can see the vehicle’s tires in front of you. This protects you from a possible “chain reaction collision” (i.e., the car behind you hits you and pushes you into the car in front of you). At least you won’t be “sandwiched” should this occur.

If you are moving in traffic, the rule of thumb is to leave one car length for every ten miles of speed that you are traveling (i.e., if you are driving 30 mph, you should leave three car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you). This would give you ample time to stop and possibly avoid a rear-end collision if the vehicle in front of you suddenly stops or loses control. I know you’re shaking your head at this point, because leaving this much room just invites cars to cut in front of you. That’s okay. Isn’t it better to arrive in tact rather than hassle with an auto accident, or worse, suffer serious bodily injuries that may take years from which to recover – all in the name of “ego”?

3. Keep your eyes on the vehicle in front of you before proceeding. You should do this at traffic lights, when yielding onto a roadway, at a stop sign – whenever there is a stopped vehicle in front of you. This is because you may be looking at the oncoming traffic or at the traffic light that’s turned green and automatically step on the accelerator. But, the car in front of you may not have the same reaction time. BAM! You have just rammed into the back of the car in front of you and guess what, it’s your fault!

The majority of auto accidents and personal injury auto claims happen for these very reasons. Not paying attention, following too closely, or rushing to and from work – and accidents happen in the blink of an eye – but if you follow these three simple steps, you significantly decrease your chances of becoming another traffic statistic. Read More!

The 7 Essential Car Accident Injury Claim Facts

f you have been the unfortunate injured victim of a car accident and now find yourself in the world of dealing with claims adjusters (your own and the at-fault party’s), and doctors, here are some tips to help you navigate through the maze:

1. Statements to claims adjusters. It’s okay to give a statement to your claims adjuster, but keep your answers short and to the point. You should not talk to the at-fault driver’s unless you have legal counsel or someone present during the interview who has some legal or background knowledge regarding how car accident injury claims are handled. You may unknowingly answer a question that could come back to haunt you should you end up pursuing this claim via the legal system.

2. Adhere to your doctor’s orders. This applies to physical therapists and other medical providers you may be seeing. It is important that the medical documentation reflects your cooperation and participation in your medical treatment. Claims adjusters review your medical records to see if you are treating on a regular basis and to determine whether to continue benefits.

3. Record expense log and mileage log. Be sure and keep an accurate account of out-of-pocket medical expenses, including medical supplies and prescriptions. It is also important that you keep track of your mileage to and from your medical appointments. These are reimbursable expenses that are covered under your insurance.

4. Record missed time from work. If your doctor has ordered you to work part-time or limited your daily work routine in any way, make sure you keep track of this time. The missed time from work is considered “lost wages” which should also be a reimbursable expense covered under your insurance.

5. Keep a daily journal. This can be very helpful to your doctors and should you need to prove the effects of your injuries on your daily activities. Some examples would be, record how you feel when you get up in the morning; list of activities that you find difficult to do since your injuries; assistance that you may now need to do certain chores or household activities; pain levels and limited range of motion.

6. Do not sign a release without legal counsel advice. Claims adjusters will try to settle the car accident personal injury claim as quickly as possible. Don’t be surprised if the claims adjuster for the at-fault party contacts you and offers you a settlement – do not accept any settlement until you have had your case properly evaluated by legal counsel. Even your own claims adjuster may not be considered an unbiased party. Remember that claims adjusters, regardless of whose side their on, are really on the insurance company’s side and primarily trying to save the insurance company money.

The process can long and arduous, but be patient. The last thing you want to do is settle too soon and be left without proper compensation. Once you have signed the release, there’s no turning back the clock.

7. Be aware of private investigators and surveillance. These days with so many car accident injury claims being made, insurance companies are using surveillance more and more in order to avoid paying large sums of money to settle claims. There is nothing worse for you or your legal counsel to see you on film water skiing when you’re claiming severe back injury.

Remember, if this is your first car accident injury claim, meandering your way through the maze of forms, doctors and claims adjusters, can be less painful if you listen to your doctor and follow his or her orders; keep your treatment appointments; keep your daily journal; keep your activities within the specified range; keep your claims adjuster informed of your condition; and, be sure to obtain the proper advice and guidance.

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Personal Injury Claim: Should You Settle Or Go To Trial:? What You Must Know

A very important recent study has shown that, for plaintiffs i.e. the person who files the claim, settling is better than going to trial.

”The lesson for plaintiffs is, in the vast majority of cases, they are perceiving the defendant’s offer to be half a loaf when in fact it is an entire loaf or more,” said Randall L. Kiser, a co-author of the study and principal analyst at DecisionSet, a consulting firm that advises clients on litigation decisions.

Most of the plaintiffs who said “no way” to the final settlement offer and went to trial ended up getting less money.

Only 15 percent of the time were both sides correct in proceeding to trial. In the other 85% it was the plaintiff who was wrong the most: in 61% of cases. Defendants were incorrect in proceeding to trial just 24% of the time.

Many practicing attorneys will concur with these findings. “We’ve all seen cases where the personal injury plaintiff should have settled but did not and ended up worse at trial. It’s like the Kenny Rogers song: ‘you have to know when to hold them, when to fold them, when to walk away and when to run,’” says Utah injury attorney William Morrison.

According to informed estimates most court cases do settle before trial-(these estimates range between 80 and 92%.)

Kiser’s study was based on 2054 cases that went to trial between 2002 and 2005. The study, which was published in the September issue of the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, suggests that mistakes were made most often in cases where the lawyer was paid a contingency fee.

Of interest, is the relative cost for getting it wrong. When defendants are wrong, it costs them an extra $1.1 million. However, when plaintiffs are wrong they are penalized a mere $43,000.

As a practicing attorney, I can say that these numbers are probably high when compared to Utah verdicts as our juries number among some of the more conservative in the country.

Jeffrey J. Rachlinski, a law professor at Cornell, believes, “Most of the time, one of the parties has made some kind of miscalculation or mistake,”

”Most clients think they are completely right,” Michael Shepard, a lawyer at Heller Ehrman in San Francisco.

After representing injured persons for 20 years here in Utah I’ve found that the following technique aids greatly to assist the client to make the right decision about whether to settle or try the case.

I ask the client to imagine being a juror along with seven others from the county where the accident took place. The jurors are registered voters in the county. They are deciding a personal injury case much like the client’s. The injuries are the same, as is the treatment, the amount of the medical bills and the lost income.

Here’s the question I pose: What would you and the other jury members award that hypothetical person?

In nearly every case where I have done this, the client has come up with a case valuation number that is very close to what a jury would likely award. And, if the final offer from the other side is at or above that number then it’s time to settle.

http://sanfrancisco10.cityspur.com/2009/10/22/personal-injury-claim-should-you-settle-or-go-to-trial-what-you-must-know/ Read More!

Levaquin Injury Claims Result From Dangerous Drug Side Effects

Ortho-McNeil has a duty to develop and manufacture safe drugs that will not cause serious injury or death when used for their intended purpose. There has been a recent influx of Levaquin Injury Claims against the manufacturer in recent months, as consumers taking the drug have come forward with reports of very serious side effects. Levaquin users have reported tendon ruptures in the hand, shoulder, and ankle. Sometimes referred to as tendonitis, a tendon is the soft tissue that connects muscle to bone.

If you have taken Levaquin and had a tendon rupture, you may be entitled to compensation by filing a Levaquin drug defect claim against Ortho-McNeil. It is critical that victimized consumers contact a drug recall injury lawyer immediately, as Levaquin claims are on the rise and victims have different options at obtaining recovery since it is still early in litigation. Levaquin is a strong antibiotic that is used to treat several different bacterial infections.

Manufacturers have a duty to warn consumers when their products have the potential to cause dangerous side effects. Some manufacturers of dangerous drugs find it economically beneficial to purposely omit harmful side effects from their warning labels in the hopes of keeping drug sales up. Don't let manufacturers of these dangerous drugs get a pass. Contact a drug defect lawyer immediately if you feel you have been victimized by one of these companies.

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Digitek Injury Claims Follow From Digoxin Serious Side Effects

Actavis Totowa manufactures Digitek to treat certain types of heart disease, including arrhythmias. However, some extremely serious side effects have been reported within the past 24 months, essentially driving a Digitek recall in April 2008. Apparently toxic levels of digoxin in the body can cause several side effects, including impaired vision and acute depression. Life-threatening side effects associated with Digitek are heart attack, cardiac arrest, and even death.

If you have sustained serious injury or lost a loved one due to the dangerous side effects assocaited with Digitek, you may have a Digitek injury claim. In any products liability case, including a drug defect case, it is critical to keep safe track of your records of taking the suspect medication. Contact a drug recall injury lawyer to assist you in this regards.

Forms of recovery permitted in a Digitek injury claim may include compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, future lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain & suffering, and various other damages. Don't let a careless drug company get away with victimizing you or a loved one with a dangerous product. Contact a Digitek injury lawyer today at (866) 840-3636 for an immediate case interview.

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