Spinal injuries are one of the most serious types of injuries a human body can sustain. The ways in which it can happen are endless, ranging from road traffic accidents to medical negligence. However it occurred, one thing is certain – the effects of spinal injury accidents are devastating for both the sufferer and their family. Since the spinal cord is one of the few parts of the human body unable to repair itself, once it is damaged, its effects are usually permanent.

Not only can lives be changed forever, but medical bills can pile up quickly, the inability to work can affect household incomes, specialist care can quickly eradicate savings, and cars and homes may need expensive changes and adaptations to help cope with the injury. That’s why, if you have suffered a spinal injury and it wasn’t your fault, not only may you be entitled to compensation but you may require it to give you and your family the best chance to recover from, or adapt to, whatever injury you have sustained.

At Crimmins Howard, our team of expert spinal injury accident solicitors will do everything we can to make the process run as smoothly as possible. We’ll listen to your story, provide you with practical legal advice and draw upon every possible resource we can to make sure that the injuries you’ve suffered aren’t ignored. We’re here to make the experience as straight forward as possible.

Types of Spinal Injuries

The effects of any spinal cord injury will depend primarily on which part of the spine is damaged and the severity of that damage. Severe damage will usually result in all muscle power being lost beneath the level where the injury has occurred – namely, the cervical (neck), thoracic, lumbar or sacral.

Damage to the cervical spine can cause quadriplegia or paralysis of all limbs and torso. Damage at the thoracic level may result in chest and abdominal problems, while damage to the sacral nerves and lumbar region can severely impact on the bowel and bladder.

Time limits

‍The majority of *personal injury claims must be made within two years from the date of the injury. However, child accident claims are different. The proverbial clock does not start ticking until the child reaches the age of 18.

Children can therefore make a child accident claim at any time up to their 20th birthday for accidents that occurred before they were 18. Until the child reaches the age of 18, an adult can make the claim for them if they so wish.

Our 4-Step Guide to Spinal Injury Accidents‍

We have many years of experience in spinal injury accident claims, and are expertly placed to provide all of the help and support you need when making a claim for compensation. However, there are a number of things you can do to make our job easier and your chances of success better:

Step 1 – Seek Medical Attention
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The first step in any spinal injury accident is to check to see if you or and anybody else involved in the accident needs medical attention. Even if you feel medical attention is not immediately required at the scene, we advise that you visit your doctor as soon as possible following an accident to ensure that there are no threats to your health that you may not have noticed.

Step 2 – Report the Incident
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You should always report the incident to an official of some kind. This will vary depending on the cause of the spinal injury. In most cases, you will be asked to complete an incident report/statement. Make sure you request a copy of this document.
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Step 3 – Gather Information
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Where possible and if safe for you to do so, collect all the relevant information in connection with your spinal injury accident, such as:

a) the date and time of the spinal injury accident;
b) details of how the spinal injury accident occurred;
c) names and details of the person/organisation that you believe caused the spinal injury accident;
d) details of their insurance where applicable;
e) the names, phone numbers and addresses of any witnesses; and
f) photographs of the scene or the object that caused the spinal injury.

Step 4 – Contact a Solicitor
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If you have suffered a spinal injury, seeking the advice of a professional and experienced spinal injury solicitor is in your best interests. They will organise medical appointments, submit the relevant applications, negotiate settlements on your behalf, and represent your interests if your case ever goes to court.

Time limit
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It is important to bear in mind that spinal injury claims should be initiated as soon as possible as there are strict time periods for doing so. Generally speaking, a claim must be made within two years from the date that you became aware of your spinal injury – whether that’s the day you had an accident or many years later.

Get in touch

‍Spinal injury accidents can be a complex area of Irish law and although it’s important that you act quickly, it’s equally important that you choose a firm that has a proven record in taking such cases. We are that firm.At Crimmins Howard, we know that a spinal injury can have significant emotional and financial consequences for you and your family. That’s why we’ll do everything in our power to obtain the compensation that you deserve. But we won’t just stop there. Because you deserve nothing less, our team of experienced spinal injury solicitors are willing to work hard to make sure that the people or organisations responsible for your spinal injury are held accountable for their actions.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you or if you would like to avail of a free, no obligation consultation, contact our spinal injury team on 061 361088 or by email to info@crimminshoward.ie.

Get in touch

Many of us at Crimmins Howard are parents ourselves and that’s why we understand and empathise with how stressful it is for those whose children have been involved accidents. With Crimmins Howard, you can be certain that we have the knowledge, experience, and drive to ensure that your child receives the compensation they deserve.

So, if your child has been involved in an accident and you wish to take a claim on their behalf, call our friendly legal team and expert child accident solicitors for a free, no obligation consultation.