Serious & Catastrophic Injury Claims

Many serious and catastrophic injuries are caused by road traffic accidents, accidents at work
and accidents in a public place.

These injuries can include brain injury, spinal cord injury, loss of limb, multiple bone fractures and disfiguring burns and scarring.  They often require a considerable amount of medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Suffering from any of these injuries can be very distressing and can have a devastating impact not only on the victim but also on their family and loved ones.

Serious injuries can take several months or years to heal and can often be permanent.  This can cause an enormous amount of stress and disruption and affect your quality of life and ability to work.

We are aware that rehabilitation plays a major role in any recovery and therefore it is important that all necessary rehabilitation is initiated immediately.

Serious & Catastrophic Injury Claims – The Legal Process

The legal process for serious and catastrophic injuries can often be quite complex and to ensure a claim is dealt with appropriately will involve several steps:

1. Initial enquiry – This will involve us taking a detailed account from you in relation to your accident and the injuries you have suffered. We offer a free initial appointment where we will listen to you and answer any questions you may have.
2. Risk Assessment of your case – Our experienced solicitors will assess your case carefully and will advise you on what your prospects are in making a successful claim.
3. Investigating the claim – We will gather all the relevant evidence in support of your claim which may include police reports and/or any other accident reports, contacting witnesses and taking statements, CCTV footage, photographs etc. This may also involve instructing experts such as engineering or accident reconstruction experts.

We will also gather evidence in relation to your financial losses including loss of earnings and any other out-of-pocket expenses.

4. Assistance with rehabilitation and interim payments – We will contact the other party’s insurers/solicitors to secure any private rehabilitation you may need, as well as any interim payments you may require in assisting you with your financial commitments.
5. Medical and other expert evidence – With your consent, we will obtain your medical records to better understand the nature of your injuries and the type of medical experts which will need to be involved in your case. We will then instruct the appropriate medical and any other experts to report on your injuries providing recommendations in relation to your recovery and an opinion on your prognosis.  Other type of experts may need to report on the impact the accident has had on your work and general lifestyle and the support and care you may need to regain independence as soon as you can.
6. Settlement negotiations – We will work hard to negotiate an appropriate settlement for you and that you are awarded the compensation you deserve. This may mean that we have to issue court proceedings in order to resolve your case if an appropriate settlement agreement cannot be reached with the other party. We will guide you and support you throughout this process.
7. Compensation – whether it is by negotiation between the parties or by the court determining the appropriate compensation package for you, this will be the end of your case where you can put the process behind you and put your life back on track. We will, guide and advise you on any support you may need post-settlement of your claim including directing you to appropriate financial advisers and personal injury trust experts.

Serious & Catastrophic Injury Claims & Mental Capacity

If as a result of the accident you unfortunately lose mental capacity to deal with your own personal injury claim we will ensure that an appropriate litigation friend is appointed to bring the claim on your behalf.  We will also apply to the Court of Protection to appoint a professional Deputy where necessary.

Protected parties who require a litigation friend to bring a claim on their behalf include those who do not retain mental capacity to litigate their own personal injury claim, whether this is pre-existing or caused by the accident and children under the age of 18.

How We Can Help

Timms experienced and compassionate solicitors are here to advise and assist you in making a personal injury claim which can help you rebuild your life after a serious injury.

We will provide you with comprehensive guidance and dedicated support whilst navigating you through the legal process, ensuring that you receive the maximum compensation you deserve.

For further details on a claim, please contact the team on freephone 0800 011 6666
or via email at legal@timms-law.com.