Neck injuries

Neck injuries occur in a variety of ways but whatever the cause they can be painful even debilitating. Never underestimate the seriousness of a neck injury as it can lead to paralysis.

Many workplace injuries involve the neck and these range if severity from relatively mild through to permanent disability. The most serious of these result in quadriplegia (paralysis below the neck).

If you have injured your neck due to an accident at work which was not your fault then you may be entitled to compensation.

Common causes of neck injuries at work

These include:

• Incorrect manual handling
• Struck by a falling object
• Slip, trip or fall

These cause a variety of injuries such as soft tissue damage, strained ligaments, torn muscles, fracture of the neck vertebrae and spinal cord injury.

Your employer has a duty to protect you against the risk of an injury and take reasonable steps to do so. But if no protection is provided or is inadequate then they may be liable for compensation.

The effects of a serious neck injury are devastating for both you and your family.

Effects of a neck injury

A mild injury may involve minimal pain and a recovery period of a few weeks or so.

But a serious injury is a life changing affair which impacts upon both you and your family. It causes physical and mental trauma and is difficult to come to terms with.

This is especially so if it has resulted in paralysis.

With a severe injury such as paralysis it means adapting to a way of life which will be very different from the one you had before. For example, requiring care on a 24 hour basis, specialist equipment or modifications to your home.

Your injury may force you to stop working which then reduces your family’s income and subsequent standard of living. This is likely to cause stress especially in a climate of rising food prices, utility bills etc.

If you were the main breadwinner then the loss of your income may force your family into financial hardship.

Additional expenses such as nursing care and support can be expensive. The State may help but the system of applying for help can be complex and time consuming.

If your neck injury has resulted in paralysis then there is no amount of compensation in the world which will cure this. But it can help. It can pay for treatment or care to improve your quality of life and help you to move on from what has happened.

Making a claim for compensation for a neck injury

Look for a personal injury solicitor or lawyer who has the skill and expertise in these types of claims. He or she will have many years of experience in handling claims for a workplace neck injury and should help and advise you.

They should handle your claim with sympathy and understanding and endeavour to obtain the best outcome for all concerned. The issue is not about money but proving that negligence caused the accident which led to your injury.

If you have a prior neck injury which has been aggravated as a result of your accident then you can still make a claim.

The solicitor or lawyer will assess your claim and pursue it if there are sufficient grounds for doing so.

If you want to know more about the claims process then visit our making a claim for compensation section.

Time limit for claiming compensation for a neck injury

Claims for personal injury have a 3 year time limit which starts from the date of the accident or injury.

But this differs in a few cases such as industrial disease claims, e.g. asbestosis. Check with your lawyer or solicitor.