Making Ligament Injury Claims for Compensation
If you have injured a ligament in any form of accident which is attributable to somebody else´s lack of care, you may be entitled to make ligament injury claims for compensation. Ligaments restrict excessive movement between the bones and are vital for the support of the body. Therefore ligament injury claims should reflect any lack of mobility you experience during the time you are recovering from a ligament injury, as well as accounting for the pain you experienced at the time your injury occurred.
The most frequent form of ligament injury occurs when you develop whiplash after a car crash, but ligament injury claims for compensation can also be made as the result of a work accident, a slip on a greasy surface or when excessive force is applied to the ligament while participating in a sporting event. Not all ligament injuries qualify you to make a ligament injury compensation claim, as the element of negligence can be sometimes difficult to establish.
Establishing Negligence in Ligament Injury Claims
When you have been rear-ended in a car crash because the vehicle following you left too little stopping distance, establishing negligence in ligament injury claims is straightforward. However, when you have sustained a ligament injury due to repetitive lifting movements at work or due to slipping on an icy pavement in the street, determining that somebody else has been negligent and liable for your injury can often be problematic.
Each ligament injury compensation claim is dealt with on its individual merit, with factors such as whether you could have contributed to your injury by your own lack of care taken into account before ligament injury claims are prepared. Although you may not be disqualified from making ligament injury claims for compensation if you continued working when your shoulders were aching, or because you walked across an icy pavement to avoid crossing the road, this sort of contributory negligence can affect how much compensation for a ligament injury you will ultimately receive.
How Much Compensation for a Ligament Injury?
How much compensation for a ligament injury you are entitled to receive will depend on a number of factors. The location and severity of the ligament injury are the first factors that a lawyer will consider when compiling ligament injury claims. How long it may take you to recover from a ligament injury and the effect on your quality of life will also be taken into account. Your age, gender and general state of health prior to your accident will influence the final settlement of ligament injury compensation as well as if you have suffered any emotional trauma – either at the time your injury was sustained or during your recovery.
How much compensation for a ligament injury you receive can also be affected by the length of time that passed between sustaining an injury and seeking medical attention. If, for example, you sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in an accident at work, but chose to “see how it was in the morning” rather than go directly to hospital, it could be claimed that you exacerbated the extent of your injury by your own lack of care and you would receive less compensation for a ligament injury than if you had sought medical attention immediately.
Time Limits for Making Ligament Injury Claims
A time limit of three years exists from when you were aware that you had sustained a ligament injury in which to make a ligament injury compensation claim. In the majority of ligament injury claims, the date on which an accident happened will be the day on which you were aware that you had been injured. However, for ligament injury claims which are attributable to the prolonged over-use of the ligament in a work environment, the time limit will start from the date on which you were diagnosed with a ligament injury by your doctor.
Different rules apply to children making ligament injury claims for compensation as, by law, they are not allowed to file claims at court or engage a lawyer until they reach the age of eighteen. As it is unwise to delay ligament injury claims for children any longer than necessary, parents or guardians acting as a “litigation friend” can make a ligament injury claims for compensation on the child´s behalf; however approval will be required by a court before the ligament injury compensation claim can be settled.
Free Advice on Ligament Injury Claims
If you have any questions about your eligibility to make ligament injury claims, or would like a free assessment of how much compensation for a ligament injury you may be entitled to, you are invited to call our service on 0800 044 3256 and speak directly with an experienced lawyer.
Our lawyer will advise you whether you have a ligament injury compensation claim which is worth your while to pursue, explain to you the procedures for making ligament injury claims and help with any issues relating to establishing negligence for your ligament injury compensation claim.
Our lines are open from 8.00am to 10.00pm, seven days a week, and if now is not a suitable time to call please take advantage of the “Callback Request” forms at the side of the page to let us know when it might be more convenient to speak with you.
All calls are treated with complete confidentiality and you are under no obligation to proceed with a ligament injury compensation claim once you have spoken with us.
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