Brain Injury

Brain injuries can be caused by countless circumstances, including:

• road traffic accidents
• workplace accidents
• accidents in public places
• medical negligence
• sports injuries
• criminal assault.

If the injury occurred as a result of somebody else’s negligence, compensation could help you to manage the impact this had on your life, both now and in the future.

Brain injuries are extremely nuanced: the outcomes can differ immensely – from temporary memory loss to permanent physical disability.

Coles Miller solicitors understand how complex the effects of a brain injury can be. Every case will have its own unique circumstances as we help you to claim the compensation you deserve.

Concussion is a temporary injury to the brain caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head.

It is a common sports injury – particularly in contact sports such as rugby – but can occur as a result of any impact to the head.

Concussion symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, memory loss, confusion, blurred or double vision, ‘seeing stars’ or bright lights.

In some cases, the victim may suffer symptoms that affect the left side of their body. This suggests damage to the frontal lobe of the brain.

Concussion victims generally recover after a few weeks – but sometimes they do not. Symptoms can persist for weeks, months and even years.

This is called Post-concussion Syndrome – also known as post-concussive syndrome (PCS) – and it can have a significant effect on the victim’s ability to concentrate at work, to earn a living and to support their family.

ITV News has interviewed Coles Miller litigation executive Crispin Cormack on the legal issues surrounding rugby concussion – watch the full news report here.

Even if you recover from a seemingly minor concussion, you may experience short-term challenges which leave you out of pocket or make everyday life more challenging.

Did your injury make working difficult? Perhaps you had to stop working for a period of time or change the type of work you do.

Have you suffered chronic pain or memory loss following your injury?

Did your injury make it difficult to provide for those who depend on you? Did you have to pay for extra treatment to aid your recovery, or pay for transport to receive this treatment?

You may feel very fortunate that your brain injury wasn’t more serious. However, that doesn’t negate the hardships that you experienced during your rehabilitation. You deserve to be compensated by those who caused your injury.

Due to the complex nature of brain injury claims, there is no set amount of compensation – but payouts for the most serious cases can run to millions of pounds.

The amount you can claim will reflect your individual circumstances and the impact your injury has had on your life, as well as the effect it is likely to have in the future.

Compensation can help you to access:

• expert rehabilitation and treatment
• ongoing care and therapy
• earnings that have been lost, including potential earnings
• any required equipment, including home and vehicle adaptions.

In order to claim the maximum sum you are entitled to, it’s vital to use a solicitor with knowledge and experience of this type of injury. Coles Miller has helped many brain injury victims to protect their future with payouts that fully accommodate their unique needs.

Our Claims Calculator can help you to estimate how much you could be awarded.

If you have a loved one who has suffered a brain injury, they may not be able to make a claim themselves. We can help you to make a claim on their behalf.

Brain injury claims usually take at least three years to settle.

This may seem like a long time but it can take several years to understand the full extent of a brain injury and the impact it will have on your life in the future.

It is important that – with the help of medical experts – we understand the true severity of your injuries to help ensure you can claim the maximum compensation you deserve.  

While your claim is ongoing, you’ll often get some of your compensation early to help you cover the interim costs. This will be available if those responsible for your injury admit fault in the early stages of the claim.

The time limit to make a claim will depend on your circumstances.

• Mental capacity. If your loved one does not have the mental capacity to make a claim themselves, there is no time limit. However, if they regain mental capacity, the normal three-year limit will apply.
• Children. You can claim on behalf of a child at any point until they turn 21.
• Claims made abroad. Time limits can vary and are often shorter. It’s important to get in touch with us right away.
• Criminal assaults. You have two years to claim.

Time limits for brain injury claims can be complex due to the varying circumstances of how they occur and develop. It’s important not to delay – contact us right away.

We can work on your brain injury claim on a No Win No Fee basis.

A No Win No Fee agreement (also known as a conditional fee agreement) gives you security and peace of mind when making a personal injury claim.

We offer No Win No Fee agreements so – in the unlikely event that your claim is unsuccessful – it will cost you nothing.

In the likely event that you win your case, you may have to pay your solicitor a limited success fee, which is capped at 25% of the compensation for general damages and past losses.