Back and Lung Injury – How Much Compensation Can I Claim?

A back injury can be highly debilitating. In the most serious cases, a back injury can result in paralysis. Less severe back injuries can also have a huge impact upon the sufferer’s life with possible mobility problems, incontinence and loss of sensation.

Chest and lung claims are often the result of an exposure to asbestos or other dangerous substances through work.

The compensation that can be claimed for a back, chest or lung injury will vary widely depending on the precise circumstances of the case. Some injuries can be recovered from quickly and will not have too detrimental an impact upon the sufferer’s life. In more tragic cases, there may be chronic pain and a poor survival rate.

What Will be Considered in a Compensation Claim?

The figures listed below have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases 13th ed. They give lawyers across the UK an idea of how much compensation maybe claimed for a particular injury. These figures only reflect the ‘pain and suffering’ aspect of the award and do not take factors such as prognosis, level of pain experienced and loss of earnings into account. Our personal injury team have years of experience in helping clients gain compensation for lung, asbestos, chest and back injuries. Contact us today to find out how much you might be able to claim.

Back Injury Compensation Amounts

Severe Back Injury Damages:

  1. £69,200 – £122,350 The most severe cases will involve spinal cord and nerve root damage. There may be severe pain and disability with combination of incomplete paralysis, significantly impaired bladder, bowel and sexual function.
  2. £56,375 – £67,200 Features including nerve root damage with loss of sensation, impaired mobility, impaired bladder, bowel and sexual function and unsightly scarring.
  3. £29,475 – £53,000 Cases of disc lesions or fractures of discs, vertebral bodies or soft tissue. Chronic conditions with, despite treatment, pain, discomfort, impaired agility, sexual function, depression, personality change or employability difficulties.

Moderate Back Injuries Awards:

  1. £21,100 – £29,475 Residual disability less severe than above. E.g. compression fracture of lumbar vertebrae where there is substantial risk of osteoarthritis with constant pain.
  2. £9,500 – £21,100 Usually includes injuries such as disturbance to ligaments and muscles giving rise to backache. Prolonged acceleration of condition and/or exacerbation of pre-existing back condition

Minor Back Injury Amounts:

  1. £6,000 – £9,500 Full recovery without surgery within 2 – 5 years
  2. £1,860 – £6,000 3 months – 2 years
  3. A Few hundred – £1,860 Full recovery in 3 months

Chest Injuries Awards

  1. Total removal of one lung, and/or serious heart damage with pain £76,500 – £114,100
  2. Traumatic injury to chest, heart or lungs £50,000 – £76,500
  3. Damage to chest and lungs causing continuing disability £23,800 – £41,675
  4. Simple injury e.g. a penetrating wound £9,575 – £13,650
  5. Toxic fume inhalation £4,050 – £9,575
  6. Injury leading to collapsed lung but full recovery made £1,675 – £4,050 
  7. Fracture of ribs or soft tissue causing serious pain for week Up to £3,000

Lung Disease Claim Compensation

  1. Cases involving a young person with serious disability probability of leading to death £76,500 – £103,250
  2. Lung cancer £53,200 – £74,000
  3. Disease e.g. emphysema £41,650 – £53,200
  4. Breathing difficulties requiring inhaler £23,800 – £41,675
  5. Bronchitis and wheezing £15,800 – £23,800
  6. Slight breathlessness £8,100 – £15,800
  7. Temporary aggravation of chest problem that resolve in a few months £1,675 – £4,050 

Asthma Compensation Awards

  1. Severe asthma £32,725 – £50,000. In cases where there is severe and permanent damage that impaires physical activity, enjoyment of life, sleep and job.
  2. Chronic asthma £20,000 – £32,700. In cases when there are breathing difficulties.
  3. Bronchitis or wheezing £14,600 – £20,000. Affecting work or social life but substantial recovery in a few years.
  4. Mild asthma £8,100 – £14,600
  5. Mild asthma or breathing problems resolving in a few months Up to £3,900

Asbestos Disease Compensation

  1. Mesothelioma £53,200 – £95,700
  2. Lung cancer £53,200 – £74,000
  3. Asbestiosis and pleural thickening £29,200 – £80,450
  4. Asbestiosis and pleural thickening £11,450 – £29,200. (Where level of respiratory disability is 1-10% attributable to asbestos).

Back, Chest and Lung Compensation Solicitors Glasgow

We are a team of high experience personal injury claim lawyers. Contact us today to find out how you can get the compensation that you deserve. If you have been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, our trusted no win no fee* lawyers can help you claim compensation. Call us on 01418 465 957. You can also make an online enquiry by completing our claim form.

back injury glasgow

Start Your Personal Injury Claim Today

Contact Our Personal Injury Claim Managers Now