There are many different types of head injury, with the level of damage ranging from the minor and short-term – for example, a concussion – to the traumatic and long-term – for example, a permanent brain injury causing psychiatric disorder.
If you or a close family member of yours has sustained a head injury in an incident you believe to be attributable to negligent actions or omissions or another party, contact Thompsons Solicitors today for more information about the possibility of claiming compensation.
Just call 0800 0891 331 - Thompsons, the leading personal injury firm in Scotland.
Head injuries in Britain and Scotland
Head injuries are very common in Britain. For example, in 2011-12 there were 170,000 hospital admissions for head injuries, with 33.5% of these for non-superficial head injury.
The most severe head injuries can be life-changing and may result in pain, discomfort, cognitive impairment, personality changes and psychiatric disorder. Some might also involve injury to the eyes, ears, mouth and nose. For example, it is an often overlooked fact that head injury is one of the chief causes of non-age-related hearing loss in Scotland.
The specialists at Thompsons Solicitors can help you secure compensation for the following types of head injury:
- Closed head injury - where the impact to the head causes internal trauma but no significant visible damage.
- Open head injury - where an object or impact causes the skull to fracture and the head to be penetrated, either by a shard of broken skull or another object. This type of injury is common to car crashes, falls, sports injuries and construction accidents.
- Crushing head injury - where the impact of the head injury rips, tears, crushes or shears brain tissue. These are typically the most severe types of brain injury.
The case study below, Smith v Opportunus Fishing Co Ltd 2010, is illustrative of the kind of approach the courts take in determining factors important to the settling of a head injury claim.
Fisherman's head injury at work - Case Study
The pursuer was a fisherman. He was working as a deckhand on a fishing boat that was trawling about 100 miles east of Peterhead when a heavy metal plate fell from a gallast frame about 15 feet above deck. The metal plate struck the pursuer on his head. The pursuer's initial injuries were the presence of nausea, frontal throbbing headache, tenderness in the right parietal area of the scalp, and photophobia, he was able to return to work after eight months.
During that eight month period he suffered from headaches which were frequent and disabling. He complained of memory, comprehension and concentration difficulties, as well as low mood, despondency, tearfulness, depression, stress, irritability, increased sleep disturbance and feelings of frustration. He returned to work only with very considerable effort, and because of financial worries. On his return to work the he continued to experience difficulties with headaches and with memory, comprehension and concentration. His mood improved. The headaches lessened in severity but continued, he said, to be more frequent and more severe than the headaches he had suffered before the accident. So far as headaches are concerned, the accident exacerbated the pursuer's headaches for a period of eight months or so.
The persuer had mild acquired impairment of mental functioning, and some alterations in mood, personality and behaviour. He had mild impairments in memory for new material, and for remembering to do things. He had mild difficulties with naming and with complex auditory comprehension. He had subtle difficulties on some complex constructional tasks. He had mild difficulties in producing words in the given category, arranging pictures in a logical order, and controlling attention in the presence of interference. His concentration showed lapses at times. He had intermittent anxiety and variable mood, but not persistent depression (on anti-depressant medication). Compensation awarded - £17,500
Please note this case is a guide only. The amount that you may be awarded for your pain and suffering will depend on your particular injuries, how they have affected you and your recovery from them.
Thompsons Solicitors, compensation for head injuries
Thompsons Solicitors is the leading personal injury firm in the country and works to give you the best possible chance of maximum settlement for your head injury while also striving to provide for your care, rehabilitation and future security.
Settlement amounts for head injuries range from around £10,000 for the relatively minor to around £320,000 for the more severe. Talk to us today for more information about securing your rights. Simply call 0800 0891 331 to speak with one of our specialists.
