Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Claim in Durham
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Post traumatic stress disorder is not a specific medical condition with an easy diagnosis or attribution. It is rather a group of symptoms, and different people in the same accident with identical injuries may experience some or all of these symptoms in completely different combinations and with different levels of severity. Incidents may be continuous, or occur in certain situations.
For this reason it is essential to go to a solicitor with considerable experience in handling claims for post traumatic stress disorder. Psychiatric assessment will be crucial to the success of your claim.
Compensation for post traumatic stress disorder
It is very difficult to give general guidance, as victims experience such a wide range of differences in symptoms and severity. The following give some examples. Typical symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder are:
Avoiding places like the one where the incident occurred. Flashbacks, panic attacks, shaking, shortness of breath. Racing heart and loss of bowel/bladder control. Sleep loss, nightmares and headaches. Nausea and hot flushes. Forgetfulness, depression, lack of motivation and loss of confidence.
Minor post traumatic stress disorder from which the sufferer makes a full recovery in less than a couple of years. Up to £3,000.
Moderate post traumatic stress disorder. The sufferer will mostly recover and long-term effects will not cause major disability. £4,000 to £12,000.
Severe post traumatic stress disorder, in which the sufferer’s life is hugely affected and long-term professional treatment is required. £20,000 to £50,000.
Personal Injury Litigation in Durham
How can I begin litigation for personal injury?
You should consult a solicitor who specialises in personal injury litigation straight away. You can fill in the form on this site to send us details of your claim. It really is that simple.
What is the process for personal injury litigation?
Your solicitor will first discuss your claim with you in some detail. He will then make a preliminary assessment of the chances of litigation succeeding. If you both decide to proceed, he will then conduct a more detailed investigation. He may take statements from you and others who are involved, obtain medical records and assessments, and seek expert medical opinions on the case. He will also collect evidence to show how the alleged negligence contributed to your injury.
Your solicitor will then assess the claim again and advise you on the strength of your case and how best to proceed. Depending on the cause of the injury, there may be several avenues for litigation. Most commonly, those responsible for the accident will be sued in civil court. The case will be heard by a judge who will decide liability and, if you win, make an award of compensation.
What do I have to prove to make personal injury litigation worthwhile?
If your litigation is to succeed, you must be able to prove “on the balance of probabilities” that your injury is due to negligence by another party. Note that this is a lesser degree of proof than a criminal case, and does not necessarily mean that you have to be entirely fault-free; you need only demonstrate that the other party is more than 50% responsible for your injury. If you can do this, a personal injury solicitor may well advise you proceed with litigation.
How much personal injury compensation can I win by litigation?
Amounts are determined on a case by case basis. In England and Wales, Judges have issued broad guideline figures for different types and degree of injury, laid down in the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines. This has been built up over the history of personal injury litigation. Information is given on this site under individual types of injury.