Cauda Equina Claims

Cauda Equina is a rare, yet serious condition in which the nerves at the bottom of the spine get compressed. It affects 1-3 people in every 100,000 with a suspected 8,000 suspected cases every year.

Without quick and effective spinal decompression surgery, it can cause;

• Severe lower back pain,
• Loss of lower body mobility
• Incontinence
• Sexual dysfunction, and
• A wide range of other symptoms

Whether caused (or made worse by) by injury, misdiagnosis, or medical negligence, we may be able to help you make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim.

We can also put you in touch with charities and specialists to get the right treatment and support to rebuild your life.

Can I Make a Cauda Equina Claim?

If your condition caused by;

• An accident at work,
• An accident in a public place
• A Road traffic accident, in a car, as a cyclist or as a motorcyclist
• An agricultural accident
• A military accident
• Medical misdiagnosis or poor medical treatment, you may have a claim.

It’s vital that doctors diagnose and treat Cauda Equina Syndrome as soon as possible. If not, the damage can be irreparable with devastating, life-changing consequences.

Important Things to Remember When Making a Claim

• Your employer, councils, organisations, and healthcare providers have a duty to keep you safe
• You can claim against any of them if they’re responsible for your condition
• You can claim on a No Win, No Fee basis
• In most cases, you have three years in which to make a claim
• You can claim for injuries, financial losses, and long-term effects
• If possible, we try to claim immediate, ‘interim’ compensation payments to help cover immediate expenses
• We also assist with arranging rehabilitation if your claim allows

How Much Compensation Will I Get?

It’s difficult to say how much compensation you’ll get for a Cauda Equina claim. Each case has different circumstances and consequences. As such, compensation amounts can vary widely.

Rest assured; our solicitors will do everything in their power to claim every penny of compensation you’re entitled to.

Average Cauda Equina Compensation Amounts

The Judicial College is the government department for setting general damages compensation guidelines.

General damages cover pain and suffering, as well as loss of amenity.

Spinal injuries and conditions like Cauda Equina often result in long term problems. As such, compensation for general damages can be significant.

For example, general damages or severe lower back injury with spinal cord damage range from £85,470 – £151,070.

Medical negligence claims that involve lower body paralysis range from £205,580 – £266,740.

Compensation payouts are often a lot higher than this and can run into millions of pounds, for the reasons set out below.

It’s also likely that you have suffered significant financial losses, also knowns as special damages. Your solicitor will calculate these losses and claim for these too. It is also likely that you could also have a significant care claim to help you with your current and future needs, which can be extremely expensive.

How Long Will My Claim Take?

On average Cauda Equina claims take 2-4 years to settle. Complex cases can take even longer.

It’s important that you know this before you start your claim.

Why Do Claims Take So Long?

Claims take this to settle for several reasons;

• Collection of medical records: We will need to collect all your medical records. These could be spread across your GP practice, different hospitals, clinics and rehab services. This can take several months.
• Preparing medical reports: As part of your claim, we will ask you to attend one or more medical assessments. This could be with one or more medical experts. We only use the best medical experts, and they might not have immediate appointments available. They also need to create a medical report we can use in evidence. This can also take a long time.
• We need to know how your condition will affect the rest of your life: This can often be well over a year before this is known, and then the expert medical evidence needs to be obtained.
• Court processes can take a long time, particularly if your claim is denied by the Defendant.

Once we have all this information, we need to present it to the other side’s legal team for review, negotiate a settlement, or even go to court.

Compensation claims are complex processes, so they often take a while to conclude.

How Much Will I Have to Be Involved?

Having to undergo a lengthy process to claim compensation might seem daunting.

Some clients tell us they don’t feel well enough to pursue a claim, despite having strong grounds for one. We understand this and you are under no obligation to start a claim if you don’t want to.

That said, your solicitor will do the vast majority of the work.

You will need to;

• Attend medical appointments
• Provide a witness statement, and
• Answer any questions your solicitor might have and provide information and instructions as your case progresses.

But apart from that, your solicitor will handle everything.

You can also have a family member or loved on pursue a claim on your behalf if you’re not well enough to do it yourself.

Will I Have to Go to Court?

Having to go to court is one of the biggest worries our clients have, and it’s a legitimate concern. You’ve been through enough, the last thing you want is to have to take the witness stand.

Rest assured; we settle the vast majority of claims out of court. The chances of you having to go to court are small.

That said, there are two reasons why we would need to issue court proceedings;

1. The other side refuses to accept liability, or
2. They dispute the amount of compensation we’re claiming

Even if we do issue court proceedings, in most cases, we can agree a settlement before trail.

If your case does go to court, we will prepare you beforehand and we’ll be there by your side and support you through the whole process.

What Are the Time Limits For Making a Cauda Equina Compensation Claim?

You have three years in which to make a claim for Cauda Equina compensation. This is from the date of injury or the date you became aware that negligence contributed to the condition.

However, there are two exceptions to this limitation period;

1. Claiming on behalf of children: You can claim on behalf of a child up until their 18th birthday. After that, they have three years (until their 21st birthday) to make a claim for themselves.
2. Lack of mental capacity – there are no time limits.

Can I Make a Claim on Behalf of Someone Else?

You can make a claim of behalf of a loved one or family member if;

• They’re a child – if they’re under 18, you can claim on their behalf
• They’re unwell – and don’t feel like they can pursue a claim themselves
• They lack mental capacity – and isn’t able to make a claim for themselves
• They have died – either as a bereaved relative or the executor of their estate

How Do I Make a Claim for Cauda Equina Compensation?

If you’re not sure if you have grounds for a Cauda Equina compensation, contact us today.

Our team will listen to your experience and let you know if you have a case.

We’re here to offer our help and advice. You are under no obligation, and we won’t ever pressurise you into making a claim. If you decide you don’t want to go ahead, that’s fine.

If you decide you want to move forward with a claim, we will let you know what happens next and what we need from you to proceed.

Once your claim has started, we’ll then contact those responsible for the negligence that led to your condition. If they accept liability, we’ll try to secure immediate ‘interim’ compensation payments. These will cover the cost of any private treatment and other ongoing expenses. These payments will be deducted from your final settlement.

We’ll go through your case in detail and gather all the necessary evidence. We’ll consult with independent medical experts to;

1. Evaluate what care you should have received, and
2. Determine the implications on your future health and care needs

We’ll work out how much compensation you need to cover any expenses, loss of earnings and the cost of ongoing care. Then we’ll take your claim to the other side and negotiate a settlement, if possible.

We always try to settle claims out of court. However, if the other refuses to accept liability, or disputes the amount of compensation we’re claiming, we’ll issue court proceedings and proceed to towards trial.

However, very few claims go to trial and even with trial dates set, we often settle before the claim goes to trial. If your case does go to trial, we’ll explain exactly what will happen, and be with you to guide you through the whole experience.

Why Choose Ringrose Law?

We have over 100 years of dealing with personal injury and medical negligence claims, including Cauda Equina.

We have an award winning personal injury and medical negligence team, which is amongst the biggest and most experienced in the region.

As a result, we understand exactly when you have a case, what can go wrong during the claims process, and how to deal with issues should the arise.

We also understand that the problems caused by Cauda Equina can be deeply personal. Some clients can be worried or even embarrassed to share their stories.

Our solicitors will take a sensitive, yet thorough approach to your case.

When you instruct us to represent you, we’ll;

1. Assign you an experienced solicitor – to look after you case, from start to finish.
2. Give you direct their direct contact details – you’ll be able to get in touch with your solicitor whenever you need to.
3. Explain the process in plain English – we’ll explain each stage of the process, so you’ll always know what happens next.
4. Treat you with kindness and compassion – we’ll handle your case with the utmost sensitivity and respect.
5. Keep you updated – we’ll keep in regular contact, so you know where your claim is up to.
6. Help you access the best possible treatment – from medical care to physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
7. Claim the maximum amount of compensation – to make sure you have enough to rebuild your life.