There are numerous ways in which you can break your arm – perhaps you were the victim of a road traffic accident, a sporting fixture, a fall at work or slipping on a wet floor in public. The consequences can be dire. Your arm is likely to be in an uncomfortable cast for weeks, from the elbow down in most cases but the shoulder down in the most unfortunate instances. You will require regular trips to the radiology department to check on the progress of your injury and sadly, some victims will never regain full motion in their arm. An arm fracture can therefore have very serious effects both physically and psychologically.
A broken arm is likely to lead to you needing a significant period of time off work, particularly if you work in some form of manual labour. You may also find that you have to stop driving and will lose amenity by not being able to do things around the house or for recreational enjoyment such as DIY or gardening.
Types of accident claim damages
If you have broken your arm and you are able to prove that it was the fault of a third party, you can rightly claim compensation for your physical, emotional and financial hardship. There are two types of damages will generally form your compensation award:
Special damages: these are designed to put a quantitative value on the physical and emotional pain you have experienced. The seriousness of your injury will be crucial in determining this award – arm fractures where the bone is splintered, crushed or nerves and vessels are torn could be considered to be particularly serious and will therefore generally lead to higher payouts.
General damages: these will cover your financial losses due to the loss of income, medical expenses and the cost of hiring people to help around the home whilst you are immobilised
The need for a specialist accident claim solicitor
It is of crucial importance that you instruct a specialist personal injury solicitor to take charge of your compensation claim.
A specialist would be able to quickly determine whether or not you have grounds for a compensation claim and how much you may be awarded in damages. It is always important that you collect as much evidence as you can before meeting your solicitor so that they can deal with what can often be a complicated claims process as quickly as possible. Your solicitor will need to contact one or more independent medical experts who will examine you and then write a report about the injuries you have sustained. This report is vital to your evidence and this is another reason why it is important that you instruct a specialist solicitor with a network of respected medical experts to call upon. Considering that the defence is likely to instruct a specialist of your own, it really is important that you do the same in order to avoid putting yourself at a disadvantage before you even begin.
Tim Bishop is senior partner of Bonallack and Bishop, specialist medical negligence and compensation claim solicitors. For more information, or for specialist legal advice on how to claim compensation, call their compensation claim team directly on 01722 422300 or visit their specialist website at http://www.how-to-claim-compensation.co.uk
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