However you came by your spinal injury, whether it was due to a road traffic accident, injury at work or medical negligence, if someone was wholly (or partly) to blame, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. As dedicated spinal cord injury claims solicitors, we can advise you on securing compensation which will help with your immediate and long term needs.
Our expertise extends far beyond the claims process and through our extensive connections in the spinal cord injury sector we always build an experienced and dedicated team of healthcare and other professionals around our clients. This ensures you not only get the compensation you need, but the right help going forward too, including the rehabilitation you need.
Ultimately, it’s about getting your life back and we will always try to make sure you’re provided with the means to achieve maximum independence, and quality of life, now and in the future.
What happens when you contact us
After we receive your enquiry, one of our legal experts will:
- Get in touch to find out more about your situation, so we can assess whether you have a claim
- Advise you on the strength of your case and prospects of success
- Explore the next steps and, if you agree, get your claim started.
If you need any further information on the process of making a personal injury or medical negligence claim, take a look at our guide on the process here.
How much compensation might I receive for a spinal injury claim?
The level of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your spinal injury and how it impacts upon you. Compensation involving paralysis often amounts to millions of pounds, and will take into account:
- loss of earnings, both past and future
- expenses incurred because of your injury
- pain, suffering and the effects on your everyday life
- the past and future cost of care; medical treatment and therapies; extra transport costs; specialist equipment; and alterations to your home.
How long will a claim take?
We will work hard to complete your claim as quickly as possible without compromising the outcome. We have refined our processes to cut out all unnecessary delays, and to ensure maximum efficiency. The time it takes to settle a claim varies greatly, but it can take up to a few years for spinal claims. It generally depends on:
- whether liability is disputed and
- the nature of your spinal injury and how soon the doctors are able to assess the long term impact.
We always seek interim payments for our clients whilst the claim is ongoing. This is especially crucial when there is a significant loss of earnings, but interim payments are also often used to help fund rehabilitation, to pay for specialist mobility equipment or to make your home more accessible.
Once we know more about your individual circumstances, we will provide you with an estimate of the time it will likely take to complete your claim.
How can a case be paid for?
There are a number of options:
The most popular funding option is a Conditional Fee Agreement, otherwise known as a “No Win No Fee” claim. This gives you peace of mind that should your case be unsuccessful, you will not have to pay our fees, so long as you keep to the terms of our agreement.
Find out more about personal injury claim funding options here.
What if I already have a solicitor?
If you are unhappy with your current legal team , we may be able to help. We we regularly take over the conduct of claims from other firms of solicitors and would be happy to discuss this over the phone or via email.
Also, if your claim was settled within the last six years and you feel you have been let down by your previous legal team, we would be happy to speak to you.
Find out more about changing personal injury solicitors here.
Spinal injury as a result of medical negligence
We can also help you make a claim if your spinal injury was received as a result of medical negligence.
Find out more about making a medical negligence claim, including funding options, here.
Royds Withy King’s spinal injury expertise
We have an excellent reputation when it comes to any type of spinal cord injury compensation claim. It’s built on client recommendation and professional recognition from industry specialists including the Spinal Injuries Association.
Our aim is to help you secure maximum compensation for any type of spinal cord injury, including multi-million pound claims. However, our dedicated spinal injury claims specialists understand that you have unique circumstances and needs. They’ll treat your case with compassion, and support you through every stage of the legal process.
Our credentials
“What the team is known for:
Somerset-based practice that comes recommended for its focus on spinal cord and brain injuries. Also offers niche expertise in areas such as fatal accidents and animal cases. Demonstrates further skill in the area of asbestos-related diseases.
Strengths:
“I feel there is a strong culture within the firm that fosters excellence delivered in a friendly, approachable way,” reports a source.
Another interviewee states: “They are the best local firm for me to deal with as their whole focus is professional and efficient.”
Work highlights:
Represented a claimant who suffered serious brain injury, in a Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority case worth £15.8 million.
Notable practitioners:
Stuart Brazington (Band 1) leads the brain injury team and possesses notable expertise in serious spinal cord injury claims. One source highlights: “He’s a brain injury specialist; it’s a tricky area and he’s very good at it. He knows a lot about medicine as well as litigation tactics.”
Senior associate Mark Hambleton (Associate to watch) offers particular strength in severe injury cases arising from accidents involving animals, sports and motorcycles.
Louise Hart is Recognised Practitioner.”
Chambers 2018 Somerset
“What the team is known for:
Outstanding personal injury practice adept at handling an impressive breadth of claims, including industrial disease cases, cycling accidents and equine matters. Notable expertise in chronic pain and fatal accidents as well as catastrophic injuries, with a focus on brain and spinal injuries.
Strengths:
Interviewees praise the lawyers’ involvement in each case: “They are very supportive of clients, you get the feeling that it’s not just business to them. They work well in teams, are responsive and quick to get back to you.”
Others agree, and attest the success of this ethos: “We were never made to feel like a case, we were treated with open communication as we if we were in a partnership. The attention to detail and professionalism of the lawyers led to great results.”
Notable practitioners:
The “tenacious and excellent” Ian Carrier (Band 1) focuses on catastrophic injury work, primarily spinal and brain injuries, as well as fatal accident claims. One client states: “He has strong communication skills, and excellent and far-reaching technical knowledge. We could not have asked for a better partners, it was just superb case management.”
Tracy Norris-Evans (Band 1) is highly reputable in claims of high complexity and severity including paediatric cases as well as those with complex neurological issues. One interviewee states: “She is very thorough and has an exceptionally good manner with clients. She is someone who inspires trust.”
Helen Childs (Band 2) is a specialist in industrial diseases and is especially noted for asbestos litigation. One client attests: “She is an expert in this field, which was paramount. She worked tirelessly and went to the moon and back for us. She was empathetic and genuine, nothing was too much trouble.“”
Chambers 2018 Oxford and Surrounds
“Royds Withy King’s personal injury team has ‘a wealth of experience and a very client-focussed approach’. It is ‘very strong on brain injury claims’ and provides an overall ‘excellent’ level of service. Particular areas of expertise include spinal injuries, chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, amputations, asbestos-related diseases, fatal accidents as well as claims arising from accidents involving animals, in particular horses. The ‘vastly experienced’ team is jointly led by Louise Hart and Stuart Brazington. The ‘tenacious’ and ‘knowledgeable’ Hart has ‘unrivalled’ experience in acting for clients who have sustained a personal injury with subsequent chronic pain’ while the ‘highly competent’ Brazington is ‘a very good strategist’. Senior associate Mark Hambleton, whose specialisms include sports-related injuries, is ‘client-focused’. The practice’s recent caseload includes representing a client who had suffered a severe hypoxic brain injury in a multi-million-pound claim before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) First Tier Tribunal, the High Court and the Court of Appeal.”
Legal 500 2017 South West
“The ‘excellent and forward-thinking firm’ Royds Withy King in Oxford, which ‘strikes the right balance through quality advice and great client care’, was created through a merger between law firm Royds and the Bath-based Withy King in September 2016. Team lead Tracy Norris-Evans specialises in brain injury and paediatric claims and also acts as a professional deputy, while the ‘experienced practitioner’ Ian Carrier is known for his spinal injuries and fatal accidents work and has ‘impressive attention to detail and case preparation skills’. Other notable individuals are Richard Brooks, who regularly handles animal-related claims and ‘knows equine matters inside out’, and industrial diseases expert Helen Childs. As a result of the merger, James Millar Craig, who gained experience in permanent health insurance cases, was added to the team. The ‘highly organised, knowledgeable and approachable’ associates Jennifer Seavor and Rachel James joined from Boyes Turner and Irwin Mitchell, respectively. Especially recommended in ‘asbestos-related claims’, Seavor represented a client who had developed mesothelioma through his occupation at a railway company from the late sixties to the early seventies; he wanted the claim to settle during his lifetime and accepted an offer of £230,000.”
Legal 500 2017 South East
