Knee injuries – sometimes they can be like Marmite in the fact that you either get away with a minor strain or you end up needing surgery! The knee joint and the surrounding area is a complex structure of ligaments, muscle, cartilage and bone that can easily be pulled, torn, or worse of all, ruptured.
If you’re lucky enough to pull or strain something, you’re probably facing a few weeks or months of pain and possible limping, but overall you should be fine. If you tear something, it may require surgery; if you rupture something, you’ll pretty much defiantly be on the operating table and facing 8 or so weeks none weight baring and consequently needing months of physiotherapy to rebuild the strength of your leg and knee joint.
That’s why it is important to get the right lawyer for a claim for compensation. The brackets for awards can vary considerably given the huge difference between a comparatively simple strain and needing reconstructive surgery following a ligament rupture. The knock on effect from that is probably a great deal of time off work with possible lost earnings, needing a lot of care and assistance from family and friends (which can be claimed back at an hourly rate for the carer as part of a case), and a lot of misery and boredom!
Each case is different and will be assessed on its own merits, taking in to account the severity of the suffering and how long the suffering lasts for, together with knock on effects like those mentioned above. Ultimately the payouts can be pretty big.
According to the official guidelines, payouts can range from (roughly) £10,000 to £70,000. A huge bracket! The finer details of your particular case will define where in the bracket you fit. The general consensus is simple – the more you suffer, the more we get for you.
We will value the claim based on medical reports from experts we will send you to see. The suitable expert we instruct will provide their opinion of the extent of the suffering, and confirm whether any claims you make are relevant and fair given the nature of the injury. Obviously being off work from being unable to walk is fair, and I’m sure any consultant would wholly support an adequate amount of time off work that reflects your inability to get around when the injury was at its peak.
However, the type of work you do could have an effect as well. I work in an office; so after my huge knee operation, I was able to work from home and then come back to the office whilst still none-weight bearing as I was able to sit at my desk and have my leg elevated and supported at work. I could do my job fine. A plumber or a warehouse operative would not have the same advantage for obvious reasons.
If you have suffered a serious knee injury, the best advice I can give you is to seek expert legal advice and representation from a specialist law firm like us. Make sure you put your claim in the right hands – you need to make sure you will receive 100% of your compensation, with no bills to pay, and get a fantastic service and private medical care to boot.
Give us a call on 0800 634 75 75 today and we will tell you how we can help you out.
