Neck Injury Compensation

Claiming for damage to the neck

Neck pain is an extremely common ailment and can be brought on by non-physical means such as stress. However, physical trauma is perhaps a more severe risk, and road traffic accidents and the lifting of heavy objects are the most common ways in which neck injury occurs.

Neck classification

The neck attaches the head to the body; it is a column on which the weight of the head relies. As such it is susceptible to serious muscular and spinal injuries. Injuries include whiplash, herniated disc (colloquially and misleading named: slipped disc), and spinal fractures.

Neck injury compensation claims

If you have a neck injury and it was caused by someone else in a road traffic accident, because of poor safety provision at work or by any other means, then you could have a valid claim for compensation. If you wish to pursue this claim then you should engage a solicitor to aid your endeavours. Their legal expertise will be an invaluable guide concerning the idiosyncrasies of your individual case that a guide like this can only provide the most general advice for.

Should you and your legal team be successful in the claim then the compensation will need to be calculated and administered by the court. They will have to elements on which to award you compensation for a neck injury. The first will be quantified by a detailed medical report from a qualified professional and is called general damages; this is for the physical anguish you have suffered because of the neck injury. The second comprises an attempt to restore parity between your current financial situation and projected one had you never had the neck injury. This second part takes into account any layout you have been forced to pay for medical treatment and the possibility that you have had to forgo work due to your neck injury.

You may expect a settlement based on these figures if you are awarded compensation for a neck injury:

• whiplash – maximum of £5000 – with symptoms lasting no more than two years
• whiplash causing spinal disc injury - £5000 to £16000 – possible restricted movement in your neck
• severe neck injury - £21000 to £95000 – if you have permanently restricted movement in your neck and temporary lower body paralysis
• permanent paralysis - £140000 to £260000 – for paraplegia, lower body paralysis, and quadriplegia, paralysis from the neck downwards.