Knee Injury Claim in Surrey
Don't delay. Start your claim NOW!
Just tell us your name and telephone number and we will call you.
We'll give you a fair and honest assessment of your claim with no strings attached.
Knee injury can take a number of forms, but all can be highly incapacitating. Injury mostly occurs to the ligaments around the knee, which may be stretched or even torn, so the parts of the knee are not supported or kept in place. The knee is a complicated joint, having to carry the whole weight of the body, so it's highly susceptible to injury.
Types of knee injury
One of the most common knee injuries is damage to the anterior cruciate ligament. This supports the knee and is susceptible to twisting and being pulled in an unnatural direction. It happens mostly in sports.
Posterior cruciate ligament injuries most commonly occur in road accidents. Sudden impact can tear the ligament, displacing the shin bone.
Meniscus injuries involve damage to the plates of cartilage which cushion the ends of the shin bones, carrying the weight of the body. The most common cause is wrenching the knee while a person's full weight is upon it, such as a heavy football tackle.
Collateral ligaments are vulnerable to stretching if the side of the knee is kicked, or twisting even if no weight is on the knee. These injuries are generally less severe than cruciate ligament injury as the knee may still remain stable.
Can I claim compensation for knee injury?
People often think that if an injury occurs while playing sports, there is nothing they can do. This is simply not true. If the sport is supervised, there may well be a duty of care on the part of the organisers. Even during informal recreational games, the law expects people to behave responsibly and not inflict injury on others. Damage awards for a knee injury vary greatly according to the degree and duration of disability, but can be up to £50,000.
Personal Injury Claim Lawyers in Surrey
If you have suffered an injury which wasn’t your fault, you should consult a specialist personal injury lawyer. The effects of an injury can be wide ranging and more than your legal rights are involved in determining your eligibility for, and amount of, compensation. For this reason, a lawyer requires a combination of legal and medical expertise, and most personal injury lawyers will have built up a list of useful contacts and barristers’ chambers to call on when specialist advice is required.How can I recognise a specialist personal injury lawyer?
In the first instance, check that your lawyer’s firm includes lawyers who are accredited members of the two principle legal bodies in this field; the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIC) and the Law Society’s personal injury panel. You should also ask if they have lawyers who belong to associations for the specific injury your claim is about – for example the Spinal Injuries Association or the Headway Panel.
You should also ask your lawyer about their record in personal injury claims. Can they give you any case histories of successful claims similar to yours?
How can I pay the lawyer’s bills for my personal injury claim?
With the exception of medical negligence, legal aid is generally no longer available for personal injury claims. This means you will have to agree payment with the lawyer yourself. Fortunately, lawyers are able to act on a Conditional Fee (“No Win, No Fee”) basis. This means your lawyer bears the cost of the claim until you have been awarded compensation. Depending on the type of agreement you have, your lawyer will then either claim his fees from your opponent, or take a percentage of your compensation as a “success fee”.
Will my lawyer charge me for costs if I lose my personal injury claim?
Before agreeing to work on a conditional fee basis, a competent personal injury lawyer will assess the merits of the claim. If you and your lawyer decide to proceed you may have to take out an insurance policy to cover both your and your opponent’s lawyers’ fees in the event that you lose your claim.