If you have suffered a Personal Injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, it is normal to wonder how much compensation you could be entitled to and how the system of obtaining compensation works. Compensation or damages for personal injury is made up of two elements, General Damages and Special Damages and it is the combination of these two kinds of losses that make up a final award.

General Damages:
If you are involved in an accident and sustain Personal Injury, it is likely that there will not only be physical reminders but there may also be psychological scars too. Compensation for injuries, also known as “Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity’, is assessed using the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines, which set out the value of all injuries from the very minor to the life-long and life-limiting conditions. Each case is unique to its own facts and awards for General Damages will be different in every case, each type of injury has a bracket and each injury will fall somewhere within that bracket.

Special Damages:
If you have been in an accident and suffered personal injury, you will have suffered losses that can be accurately quantified and these can be claimed from the date of the accident until the date of trial/settlement. You may have been off work for a period after the accident; loss of earnings can therefore be calculated based on your earnings pre and post accident.

Medical expenses and costs of care (even from family members) can also be claimed to make up part of your award for compensation.

Furthermore, it is not just past losses which can be compensated for. Compensation for future losses can include loss of earnings, if you have not been able to return to your pre-accident job role or if you cannot return to employment full stop. Future medical expenses and care costs can also be included within this aspect of the claim. For example, if 24/7 care is required, the estimated cost of this care can be claimed, as can the costs of any special equipment that may be needed.

In order to ensure that you are properly compensated for the effects an injury has had on your life and may have in the future, it is essential that you speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor who has the expertise required to correctly handle your claim. The team of personal injury solicitors at Farleys have many years of experience in pursuing compensation claims on behalf of injured clients and as a result, will ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.

For a free assessment of your claim, call to speak to one of our specialised personal injury lawyers today.

By Nick Molyneux, Personal Injury Lawyer