Nerve injury
compensation claims

If a nerve injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Nerve injuries usually involve damage to the nerves by compression, stretching, or cutting, causing pain or numbness. Treatments range from rest and pain management to physical therapy and, in some cases, surgical repair.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a nerve injury, we can help. If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

You are not alone

The nervous system is made up of:

• The Central Nervous System (CNS) - which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord and handles most and mid functions.
• The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - which is -wide and is responsible for pain and touch, muscle control, and automatic functions such as blood pressure.

If any of the central nerves are damaged, the impact can be severe, including paralysis. However, damage to the peripheral nerves can also lead to significant physical suffering and impairment.

According to the NHS, common symptoms of people affected by peripheral nerve damage include:

• Numbness and tingling in the feet or hands
• Burning, stabbing, or shooting pain in affected areas
• Loss of balance and coordination
• Muscle weakness, especially in the feet

Nerve damage tends to affect the extremities of the first, for example, the hands, feet, arms and legs.

The pain and other sensations can be constant, or they can fluctuate. But whatever the extent or outcome, they often impact significantly on a person's life - not only physically, but also psychologically and financially.

Do I qualify for nerve injury compensation?

You will usually be eligible to claim compensation if you have been injured in the following circumstances:

• in the last 3 years,
• by someone elses actions or negligence, and
• they owed you a duty of care.

Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.

Can I make a claim even if I'm partly liable?

Pinpointing liability for an accident will depend on the context, with different legal principles applying to different circumstances.

In our 2023 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents felt they were at least partly responsible for their accident or injuries.

Even if you partly caused the accident or your injuries (refered to as 'contributory negligence'), you may still be entitled to make a claim. These claims can often be settled on the basis of a split liability agreement.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long do I have to make a nerve injury claim?

For most injury claims, you have up to 3 years from the date of your injury to start the claims process.

If you were injured due to someone else's negligence but didn't realise it at the time, you may have longer to make a claim. Typically, you have three years from the date you either received a diagnosis or became aware of the negligence (known as the 'date of knowledge') to start your claim.

The 3 year limitation period does not apply to minors (under 18s). A parent, guardian or litigation friend can start a claim on a child's behalf up to their 18th birthday and the child has until their 21st birthday to claim for themselves.

How much compensation can I claim for a nerve injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include loss of income, including future loss of income, or any other out of pocket expenses.

Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your nerve injury, including surgery, pain medication, physical therapy and medication for symptoms.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Nerve damage compensation claims and medical negligence

Claiming a medical professional or an institution such as a hospital may seem daunting. With the right legal advice and support, however, you can confidently assess your options, and choose the path that is best for you.

An experienced, specialist solicitor will clearly explain how the claims process works. Your solicitor will answer any questions you may have and will guide you through every step of your nerve damage compensation claim.

Read more:

Making a compensation claim for medical negligence.

How did your injury happen?

The process for a nerve injury claim depends the circumstances of the accident. To learn more, click the icons below:

Work
accidents

Public
places

Road
accidents

Medical
negligence

Other
accidents

FAQs

How long does an injury claim take?

What are my chances of winning my claim?

Will my claim go to court?

Can I claim for someone else?

How long do I have to make an injury claim?

What if a child was injured?

How we can help you with your injury claim

Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning injury claims.

• FREE
  consultation
• Find out
  if you can claim
• No obligation
  to start a claim

Handled with the utmost professionalism... extremely kind, courteous and empathetic.

The Good Solicitor Guide

Kevin Walker obtains £80,000 for a construction worker's catastrophic hand injury

Read more case studies

Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor

About the author

Howard qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years. He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is a recognised Law Society Personal Injury Panel expert.