We build these claims around the injured person's actual needs, working with spinal consultants, care experts and accommodation specialists. We will explain the process, the likely timescales and the funding options that may be available.
Can I Make a Claim?
- A spinal cord, vertebral or serious back injury was caused by another party's negligence.
- Common causes include road collisions, falls from height and manual handling failures.
- Claims also arise where surgical or diagnostic failures caused or worsened the injury.
- The usual three-year limitation period applies, with the special rules for children and protected parties.
Situations We Are Instructed On
- Complete and incomplete spinal cord injury following trauma
- Cauda equina syndrome where diagnosis or surgery was delayed
- Vertebral fractures requiring fusion or instrumentation
- Disc injuries with lasting neurological symptoms
- Chronic back pain following a workplace lifting incident
- Injuries requiring wheelchair use and home adaptation
What Compensation Could I Claim?
- General damages reflecting the level and completeness of the injury
- Care packages, including night-time and personal care where required
- Wheelchairs, standing frames, hoists and pressure-relieving equipment
- Accommodation costs, adaptations and adapted vehicles
- Loss of earnings, pension loss and retraining costs
What can be recovered in any individual case depends on the medical evidence and on the losses that can be proved. We do not estimate figures before that evidence is available.
Evidence That Helps
- Imaging, operation notes and spinal unit rehabilitation records
- Spinal injuries consultant and urology or pain management reports
- Care expert and occupational therapy assessments
- Accommodation expert evidence on adaptation or relocation costs
- Statements describing daily routines and support required
How Long Could the Claim Take?
These claims are usually multi-year. Rehabilitation, equipment provision and accommodation planning proceed alongside the litigation, funded where possible by interim payments once liability is resolved.
No Win No Fee Funding for This Type of Claim
A No Win No Fee agreement — known in law as a conditional fee agreement — is a written contract between you and your solicitor. Under it, our fee for the legal work becomes payable only if your claim is successful. It is a way of funding a claim without paying our costs up front. It is not a promise about the outcome of your case, and it is not available in every matter.
How a No Win No Fee agreement works
- Assessment first. We review the facts, the likely evidence and your prospects before deciding whether we can offer this type of funding.
- If the claim succeeds. The opponent is usually ordered or agrees to pay a substantial part of your legal costs. A success fee — a percentage uplift on our charges, capped by law in personal injury work — is deducted from your compensation. The percentage will be stated in your agreement before you sign it.
- If the claim does not succeed. You would not pay our fee for the legal work covered by the agreement. You may still be responsible for certain disbursements and, in some circumstances, the opponent’s costs, which is why insurance arrangements are discussed with you at the outset.
- Deductions and other costs. Expenses such as medical reports, court fees, expert evidence and any insurance premium are dealt with separately. We will explain which of these may be deducted from your damages and how they are calculated.
- Alternatives. You may already have legal expenses cover through a household, motor or credit card policy, or through a trade union. We will ask about this because it may be a better option for you.
Who may be eligible
Eligibility depends on the individual case, including whether another party appears to be legally responsible, whether the injury and losses can be evidenced, and whether the claim is brought in time. Some claims are not suitable for this form of funding. We will tell you honestly if we cannot act on this basis, and explain the alternatives that may be open to you.
The exact terms — including the success fee percentage, the disbursements involved and what would happen if the claim were unsuccessful — are set out in writing and explained to you before you decide whether to proceed. Nothing on this page is a guarantee about the outcome of a claim or a statement that any particular funding arrangement will be available. Please take advice about your own circumstances.
Speaking to a No Win No Fee Solicitor
The first conversation is an assessment, not a commitment. A solicitor will listen to what happened, identify who may be legally responsible and consider what evidence is likely to be available. In the context of spinal injury claims, that usually means looking closely at how the incident occurred, what records exist and how your injury has affected your work and daily life.
Once we understand the case, we can discuss funding. Where a conditional fee arrangement is appropriate, we will explain the terms, the deductions and the risks in writing so that you can make an informed decision. Where it is not appropriate, we will say so and set out any alternative route available to you, including existing insurance cover or union support. Either way, you will know where you stand before any work begins.
Spinal Injury Claims FAQs
- What is cauda equina syndrome and why is timing important?
- It is a serious condition where nerves at the base of the spine are compressed. Outcomes depend heavily on prompt diagnosis and decompression, so avoidable delay is often central to a claim.
- Can housing costs be claimed?
- Where the current property cannot reasonably be adapted, the additional costs of suitable accommodation may form part of the claim, assessed by expert evidence.
- Will I have to attend many medical appointments?
- Several expert assessments are usually necessary. We coordinate them to minimise disruption and travel wherever possible.
- Can support begin before the claim ends?
- Yes. Rehabilitation and interim payments are pursued at the earliest appropriate stage rather than waiting for final settlement.
Speak to our team
Tell us what happened and we will assess the claim and explain the funding options that may be available to you, in writing, before you decide how to proceed.