Claiming for a Stroke After a Car Accident

Strokes can happen spontaneously but are sometimes the result of a back, neck or head injury following an accident. Have you suffered a stroke after a car accident? If so, our team of expert solicitors may be able to help. Call our friendly team on 0800 342 3206 or get in touch online today.

What is a stroke?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed or reduced. Consequently, the cells in your brain can’t extract enough oxygen or nutrients from your blood which can cause them to self-destruct. It is a life-threatening condition in which it is critical to receive medical treatment without delay.

There are two causes of a stroke:

• Bleeding into the brain from a ruptured blood vessel
• A clot formation in a narrow blood vessel can cut off the blood supply

Stroke symptoms

Sometimes the symptoms of a stroke do not manifest until many weeks after an accident. The most common symptoms include:

• Dizziness
• Speech difficulties
• Loss of memory or confusion
• Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body
• Abrupt blurred vision or loss of sight

What are the causes of a stroke?

Statistically, you are more likely to have a stroke if you are older, but it can happen at any time of life. There are various risk factors that can determine the likelihood of a stroke occurring. These factors include smoking, high cholesterol, uncontrolled diabetes and/or high blood pressure.

Occasionally strokes will occur following a neck, back or head injury sustained in an accident or because of medical negligence.

Strokes and whiplash

Whiplash is usually a minor injury but sometimes it can have devastating effects. In serious cases, it can lead to severe long-term health problems. Whiplash injuries have the potential to cause damage to the main artery (the carotid artery) which supplies blood to the brain, resulting in a stroke. Initially a minor injury – such as whiplash – may not appear to have a life-changing impact, but sadly it can develop into a stroke several weeks later.

Strokes and brain injury

A traumatic brain injury can also lead to a stroke. Research has demonstrated that people who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury in an accident (e.g. a car accident) are three times more likely to have a stroke within three months after the accident.

What are the effects of a stroke?

Thankfully many people who have had a stroke make a full recovery. In some cases, however, strokes have been known to lead to severe long-term effects. Brain damage or mobility issues are life-changing conditions that require care and treatment. Many patients also encounter joint pain, as well as weakness or paralysis on one side of their body, making their everyday life challenging. Language and speech impairments are sometimes experienced and short-term memory can also be impacted.

Depression and mood swings are more likely to develop in these cases, particularly when a patient loses their independence. Personality changes can also put a strain on relationships with friends and family.

Case study: man receives £90,000 compensation for a stroke from a whiplash injury in a car accident

At Jefferies Solicitors, we had a client who suffered a minor car accident and he was initially unaware that the stroke has been caused by the accident. The stroke occurred 8 weeks after the accident and our client didn’t realise the two were linked.

Once we took on his claim our expert solicitors determined that the stroke was a direct result of the whiplash injury by obtaining a medical confirmation from a neurologist. Our client then became entitled to claim not only for the whiplash injury but also for the much more serious effects of the stroke.

We took a variety of different factors into account when calculating his claim. He made a good recovery but was left with reduced manual dexterity due to the stroke and was therefore unable to return to work in the same capacity. This was all considered by our solicitors and in the end, the case settled for £90,000.

How to claim compensation for a stroke after a car accident

A valid claim will enable you to receive compensation for your injury and potentially claim back for a loss of earnings if you have been unable to work following the accident. You may be interested to know that we can also claim back the cost of past care. This is for cases in which a family member might have taken time away from work to look after you. We can also consider claiming for any expenses relating to specialist treatment or care you may require in the future.

HOW DOES THE CLAIMS PROCESS WORK?

At Jefferies Solicitors, once we have carried out an initial consultation, we will take care of the paperwork required to get your case underway.

A letter will be sent to you following an initial consultation with your solicitor. This will be a summary of the discussion you had and will confirm that they are happy to take on your case. It will highlight who will be your contact and estimate how long the process will take. The letter will also detail how you will be funding the case and an estimate of costs. If you need to provide any further information this will also be included.

A letter will then be sent to the defendant, providing details of the accident. The defendant has a fixed period in which they can reply and in their reply, they must state whether or not they are denying or accepting liability for your injuries. If they do accept liability, your solicitor will endeavour to settle the case out of court.

AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION

All personal injury cases are unique and so the amount of compensation that is awarded in each case is also unique. The amount of compensation that is awarded is determined by looking at two specific factors – general damages and special damages.

GENERAL DAMAGES

The pain and suffering that your injuries have caused is the main factor that is used to determine how much compensation you are owed. This will usually be determined by undergoing a medical examination, from which a report is created that outlines the length of time the injuries will take to heal as well as their severity.

Our compensation calculator gives an indication of how much you might be entitled to based upon your injuries. Jefferies Solicitors will take these different details relating to your injury into account when calculating how much compensation you should be awarded, which will then be put forward to the opposing side and the judge.

SPECIAL DAMAGES

However, compensation also takes into account any financial losses that you might have suffered as a result of your injuries, such as a loss of earnings due to being unable to return to work. If you have had to pay for treatment or travel to treatment, compensation may also be able to cover this as well. Therefore, you should keep any receipts or other documents that help to outline the extent of your financial losses, as caused by your accident/injuries.

Except for children, there is a three-year time limit on making a personal injury claim. This time limit begins from the date that the accident occurred. You should contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible to assess your case.

Stroke After Car Accident Claim with Jefferies Solicitors

Our team of experienced injury lawyers are on hand to help if you have suffered a stroke after a car accident.

Please note that you only have just three years from the date of your accident to make a claim. We, therefore, recommend that you seek legal advice without delay.

Our experts at Jefferies Solicitors are well experienced in dealing with a range of different case types. We understand how traumatic sustaining an injury can be and so we want to make the process of claiming compensation as stress-free as possible.

To learn more and to discuss your potential claim in confidence, contact our team on 0800 342 3206. Alternatively, complete our online contact form to arrange an initial no-obligation telephone consultation with a member of our expert team. 

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Call us on 0800 342 3206 or get in touch online.