Suffering a single injury is bad enough, but several can severely impact your ability to cope with work, family demands and the future. If you have suffered more than one injury, we explain the eligibility requirements that must be met for all multiple injury claims.
In certain situations, you are owed a duty of care. This is a legal responsibility for your health and safety. We explore when you may be owed this and how a breach of this duty could lead to a personal injury compensation claim.
After this, we explore what type of accidents could lead to a multiple injury claim and how your compensation may be calculated if your claim is a success. Additionally, we will also discuss how a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel could help guide you through the personal injury claims process.
To discuss your potential multiple injury compensation claim today and receive free advice, you can contact our advisors:
- Call 0113 460 1216
- Make a claim online.
- Use our live chat.
Select A Section
- What Are Multiple Injury Claims?
- What Accidents Could Lead To A Multiple Injury Claim?
- How Much Multiple Injury Compensation Could You Receive?
- What Is The Multiple Injury Claims Process?
- Why Claim Multiple Injuries Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
What Are Multiple Injury Claims?
‘Multiple injury’ is a term used to describe more than one physical or psychological injury being suffered by one person. You could be able to claim compensation if you suffered more than one injury in an accident. However, all multiple injury claims need to meet the personal injury claiming criteria. These are:
- A duty of care applied at the moment of injury.
- Those responsible breached their duty of care in some way.
- The person suffered multiple injuries because of this.
These three points define negligence. In the following section we discuss the various duties of care you are owed and examples of accidents that may occur if this duty is breached.
You can also contact our advisors today to learn when you could make a personal injury claim if you sustained multiple injuries in an accident.
What Accidents Could Lead To A Multiple Injury Claim?
Various types of accidents could lead you to suffer multiple injuries. Below we have listed some examples.
Accidents At Work
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that all employers have a duty of care to take practicable and reasonable steps to prevent their employees from coming to harm. For example, employers should perform regular maintenance checks and provide adequate training.
If an employer were to provide you with a known broken ladder, and this caused you to fall from a height and suffer multiple injuries, you may be able to make an accident at work claim.
Accidents In A Public Place
Those in control of public spaces have a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 to take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of those who visit that space. For example, this could include performing regular risk assessments.
If a shop failed to signpost a spillage and you slipped on the wet floor and suffered multiple injuries, such as a broken ankle and foot, you could be able to make a public liability claim.
Road Traffic Accidents
A duty of care is owed by all users of the road. They need to use the roads in a way that poses minimal risk to themselves and others. As part of their duty of care, they are required to adhere to the rules and recommendations of the Highway Code as well as the Road Traffic Act of 1988.
If you were involved in a rear end collision due to the driver behind you speeding and unable to come to a stop in time, this could cause you to suffer multiple injuries, such as a neck injury and back injury. In this case, you could be able to make a road traffic accident claim.
These are only a few examples of potential multiple injury claims that could be made. To discuss your specific circumstances, you can contact one of our advisors.
What Is The Time Limit In Personal Injury Claims?
Under the terms of the Limitation Act 1980, you will have three years to start a personal injury claim from the date of your accident.
In certain situations, this time limit is suspended. These are:
- Those under 18 at the time of injury. They will be able to start their own claim on their 18th birthday and will have until their 21st birthday to begin these legal proceedings.
- Claimants who lack the mental capacity to manage their own claim. The time limit will only apply if they regain this capacity, and will run for three years from this recovery date.
In both cases where the time limit is suspended, the court can appoint a litigation friend to handle the legal proceedings on their behalf.
For more guidance on time limits in personal injury claims, you can contact our advisors. They can also help answer any questions you may have about multiple injury claims.
How Much Multiple Injury Compensation Could You Receive?
General damages will be awarded in all successful multiple injury claims. This head of loss compensates for the physical and psychological suffering caused by your injuries.
Those who calculate compensation for general damages can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Within the JCG are compensation guidelines for various different injuries.
For the table below, we have used some of these guidelines, aside from the first entry. Please note that these figures are not guaranteed as how much compensation you could receive will depend on the factors of your case.
Compensation Guidelines
| Area of Injury | Severity | Compensation Guidelines | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Types of Severe Injury and Special Damages | Severe | Up to £1,000,000+ | This level of award reflects multiple severe types of injury and special damage payments for lost income, care costs and medical bills. |
| Head | (a) Very Severe | £344,150 to £493,000 | Some remaining ability to follow basic commands but will require full-time nursing care. |
| Chest | (b) Permanent Damage | £80,240 to £122,850 | Traumatic injury to lungs, chest and/or heart causing permanent damage and reducing life expectancy. |
| Leg | (b) Severe (ii) Very Serious | £66,920 to £109,290 | Injuries that cause permanent mobility problems and necessitate crutches for the rest of the persons life |
| Knee | (a) Severe (ii) | £63,610 to £85,100 | Knee fractures that continue into the leg causing constant pain and limited movement. |
| Back | (a) Severe (iii) | £47,320 to £85,100 | Fractures and disc lesions to vertebral bodies leaving pain and disability. |
| Digestive System | (a) Damage from Traumatic Injury (i) | £52,490 to £75,550 | Serious levels of damage that causes constant pain and discomfort. |
| Wrist | (a) Total Function Loss | £58,110 to £73,050 | Cases where total loss of function occurs in the wrist even after surgey. |
| Arm | (c) Less Severe | £23,430 to £47,810 | Significant disability but substantial recovery level is expected or has already taken place. |
| Hand | (f) Severe Fractures to Fingers | Up to £44,840 | Cases that may lead to partial amputation and a deformity. |
In addition to general damages, you could qualify to receive compensation for any financial losses your injuries have caused you to experience. These losses are compensated under special damages.
Some examples may include:
- A loss of earnings.
- Prescription costs.
- Travel expenses to essential appointments.
Evidence of these financial losses will need to be presented, such as payslips and invoices.
To see whether you could claim multiple injury compensation you can contact our advisors. They can also provide you with a free valuation of your case.
What Is The Multiple Injury Claims Process?
The Pre-Action Protocol for personal injury claims must be followed as part of the multiple injury claims process. These are actions that need to be followed to have the case resolved without it needing to go to court:
- Letter of Notification – This is to inform the defendant that you intend to make a claim against them.
- Rehabilitation – What medical treatments or rehabilitation that the claimant requires needs to be considered by both parties.
- Letter of Claim – This letter formally issues a claim against the defendant and details what injuries have been suffered and the facts the claim is based upon.
- The Response—The defendant is required to respond within 21 working days of receiving the letter of claim. They then have a maximum of three months from this date to complete their own investigations.
- Disclosure – This entails both sides exchanging information to help clarify any disputed points about the claim.
- Experts – The claimant will be invited to sit for an independent medical evaluation. This generates a full report about their injuries.
- Negotiations – During negotiations, claimants and defendants can make offers to settle before going to court through the use of a Part 36 Offer.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution – If the parties cannot come to an agreement, they may try mediation or arbitration. The case may go to court if this fails.
A personal injury solicitor from our panel could help guide you through the claiming process. Contact our advisors to see if you could work with one of them.
Why Claim Multiple Injuries Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis?
The personal injury solicitors on our panel offer a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) to claimants with valid multiple injury claims. This is a type of No Win No Fee contract, and it typically provides the following advantages:
- No upfront fees to start work on the claim.
- No fees for ongoing services.
- Nothing to pay for completed services if the claim fails.
- A legally restricted success fee applies to cases that win. This is a percentage taken from your compensation and is subject to a legislative cap.
Contact our advisors to see how a No Win No Fee solicitor on our panel could help you. Our team can also help offer free advice for your case. They can be reached by:
- Calling 0113 460 1216
- Discuss making a claim online.
- Using our live chat.
Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
As well as this guide on multiple injury claims, you might find these articles useful:
- Learn when you could claim for common manual handling injuries in the workplace.
- If you suffered a bike or cycle accident, this guide offers more reading.
- Also, here we look at public liability claims against the Council.
External Resources:
- Visit NHS 111 for help identifying your symptoms.
- Also, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) provides advice on preventing falls.
- Lastly, information about claiming Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from GOV.UK.
If you still have any questions regarding the multiple injury claims process, you can contact our advisors.