Head Injuries and its consequences in the UK

Head Injuries and its consequences

Serious head injuries can completely alter a person s quality of life and can have long-term persisting effects for many years afterwards. Not only do these injuries cause a great deal of discomfort and pain, they can also lead to death. Every year, around one person in every 10,000 dies as a result of a brain injury

Research published in the Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry also found that head injuries are linked to increased rates of death for as long as 13 years after the original incident. Scientists studied 757 people who had been admitted to hospitals in Glasgow in the years 1995 and 1996 and monitored their health outcomes, comparing these to another subsection of people who had gone into hospital with other complaints.

They discovered that although those with serious head injuries had a high risk of dying during the critical first year after they sustained the injury, those with mild injuries were also twice as likely to suffer fatal outcomes as those in the control group. Overall, two-fifths of those who had sustained head injuries had died within 13 years of the initial event, compared with death rates of just 28% among those with other injuries and 19% among people in the community.

While head injury compensation payouts cannot compensate for the pain and suffering felt by people who have experienced serious brain damage or their loved ones, and cannot possibly compensate for the grief and anguish felt by people who have lost a relative, they can cover related expenses and help people pay for the rehabilitation and medical care they need to get their life back on track.

How much is my head injury compensation claim worth?

As in other personal injury claims, head and brain injury payments will depend on the severity of the injury and the impact it has had on the claimant s quality of life.

People who have suffered very severe brain damage can expect their brain injury recompense payout to reach up to £350,000, with figures generally starting at around £200,000. Generally, claimants in these cases will have suffered a serious cognitive decline and may be completely dependent on others.

In less serious cases where people sustain moderately severe brain damage, payouts generally start at around £150,000, while those who have moderate brain damage can expect to receive settlements starting at £30,000 and rising up to £150,000.

For people with minor brain damage figures start at around £12,000, which will be more than enough to cover the cost of rehabilitation and medical expenses. For people who are making a head injury claim but who have not suffered brain damage, figures range from £1,000 to £10,000.

What about claiming brain injury compensation for deceased relatives?

As brain injuries frequently prove to be fatal, a large number of brain injury cases involve payments to the relatives of the deceased. Fatal injury claims depend on another wide range of factors some people may receive their payment through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, while others could claim through car accident cases or through accident at work claims.

Hospital negligence claims and other forms of clinical negligence are often seen when people make fatal accident claims relating to brain injuries. Neglect and mistreatment can quickly lead to worsening outcomes for people who have suffered brain damage, and healthcare providers may fail to notice the extent of a person s dependence or the severity of their injuries.

Although claiming for benefit might be the last thing on your mind if you have just lost a loved one, it is best to start the claim as quickly as possible. Not only will the money help to pay for funeral costs and other expenses while allowing the family to get through the months after the funeral without falling into financial difficulty, many methods of receiving reimbursement have time limits and claimants may find it is impossible for them to receive any money when a number of years have passed.

Because fatal injuries and brain injury compensation claims can be confusing and difficult, it is best for people to seek the assistance of legal experts and lawyers when pursuing their cases. You will need legal representatives who are experts at dealing with high-value claims and who have a record of success in head injury recompense cases. A team of solicitors in Newcastle could give you the best possible chance of success in your case and ensure that you receive as much money as possible from the plaintiff, so you can get your life back on track following a tragedy.

Author Bio:-

Carla Steve is keenly interested in the accident at work compensation and similar trauma. When she s not studying brain damage and other personal injury compensation claims , she likes play the drums along to heavy metal music and to eat Italian cuisines.

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