Ligament Injury Claims – How Much Compensation Can I Claim?

Ligament injuries can be extremely painful and limit your movement. If you or a loved one has suffered ligament damage because of an accident that was not your fault you may be entitled to compensation. As such, this guide will delve into the process of claiming the compensation you deserve to cover your pain and suffering. We’ll examine the types of accidents and scenarios that could lead to a ligament injury compensation claim and what else you could be compensated for.

If you have any questions about ligament injury claims, then we’re ready to help. Our advisors offer a free consultation where you can ask any questions and you’ll be given honest advice on whether a claim is feasible. If it is and you’d like to start proceedings, a personal injury solicitor from our panel could represent you on a No Win, No Fee basis.

Are you ready to begin a ligament injury claim straight away? If so, call us today on 0800 652 1345. If you’d rather learn more about how to claim ligament damage compensation first, please continue reading.

What are ligaments

Tendons and ligaments are often talked about in the same breath but they perform two different functions. Ligaments are tough and flexible bands of fibrous connective tissue that join bones together at various joints in your body (whereas tendons link bones to muscles). Ligaments provide a lot of support and limit movement in your joints to stop them from overstretching.

Ligaments are found in shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles and other joints around the body. Some of the most common ligament injuries affect the:

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) at the front of the knee.
• Medial Cruciate Ligament (MCL) inside the knee.
• Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) in the elbow.
• Anterior Talofibular Ligament (ATL) in the ankle.

While ligament sprains and strains can sometimes be managed with painkillers and rest, torn ligaments are often more troublesome injuries. Sometimes physiotherapy may be required in addition to try and improve recovery times.

A torn ligament injury can be complete or incomplete. Where a ligament is completely torn from its bone, the pain can be as serious and debilitating as a broken bone and surgery may be the only option to treat the injury. This can result in the torn ligament being removed and tissue put in its place to try and grow a new ligament. Obviously, this may lead to months of recovery time.

Types of ligament injuries you could claim compensation for

Ligament injuries are often caused by overstretching, twisting, hard landings and impact or trauma. However, if someone else is responsible for your ligament injury you may be entitled to compensation.

The most common ligament injuries are:

• Ligament sprains.
• Ligament strains.
• Ligament inflammation (caused by tendinitis).
• Ligament tears.

Torn knee ligaments and torn ankle ligaments are some of the most common injuries our solicitors have dealt with in personal injury claims.

As we progress, we’ll explain when you could receive compensation for an injured ligament.

Can I claim compensation for a ligament injury?

Our solicitors specialise in personal injury claims so can usually determine whether you should be compensated for a ligament injury within your first consultation. Some of the criteria they’ll check before agreeing to represent you include:

• Were you owed a legal duty of care by the defendant?; and
• Did an act of negligence by the defendant cause an accident?; and
• Was your ligament damage sustained in that accident?

If all of the above is true in your case, you could be entitled to ligament damage compensation for any suffering you endured. Proving a duty of care is usually not too difficult a task and it’s something your solicitor will check for you before accepting your claim. Later on, we’ll explain the types of proof you could use to help prove who caused your accident and how you’ve suffered.

We will now move on to look at some example scenarios that could result in a ligament injury claim.

Common accidents that cause ligament injuries

In essence, based on the criteria listed in the previous section, any type of accident caused by someone else’s negligence could allow you to claim compensation for ligament damage. Some of the most common examples of scenarios that lead to such claims include:

• Slips and trips. Ankle and knee ligament damage frequently occur when you fall over as your feet often remain in place while the rest of the body lurches forward. Falls caused by spillages, potholes, pavements, raised carpets and other trip hazards could all entitle you to claim for your injuries.
• Workplace accidents. Manual handling errors in the workplace are a common cause of ligament injuries. You may be able to sue your employer for such injuries if they failed to train you on safe manual handling techniques or didn’t consider using tools to reduce the amount of lifting.
• Car crashes. Any type of road user is susceptible to a ligament injury especially the more vulnerable such as pedestrians and cyclists. If you were injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault, a claim may be possible.
• Sporting injuries. Although you might assume that ligament damage during a sporting event is just run of the mill, you may have grounds to claim if your injury was linked to damaged sporting equipment, an unfit pitch or poor coaching/supervision.
• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). Some workplace activities require the same task to be carried out over and over again over prolonged periods. This can lead to the overuse of muscles, tendons and other soft tissues including ligaments. If your employer failed to take steps to try and reduce RSI, you could claim for your suffering.

Whether you’ve suffered ligament damage from an incident similar to any of the above or not, if someone else negligence  caused your injury, please call today to check if we could help you claim compensation.

How much compensation do you get for an injured ligament?

Ligament injuries can cause various problems that you could be compensated for. Not only could claim for any physical suffering, but you could also claim for any mental suffering as well as any expenses caused by your injuries.

As such, a ligament injury compensation claim could include damages for:

• The physical discomfort and suffering caused by ligament damage.
• Any loss of enjoyment of your normal hobbies or activities.
• Lost income. This could cover future losses too for long-term injuries.
• Costs relating to a professional carer if you needed support from someone else while you were injured.
• Medical expenses (physiotherapy costs for example).
• Travel expenses.
• Psychological injuries include anxiety, depression or stress linked to your injuries.
• For more serious or long-term ligament damage, the cost of modifying your home to help you cope.

If your ligament injury claim is managed by one of our solicitors, they’ll try to make sure that everything has been considered before the claim is filed.

Ligament injury compensation payouts

It is important to note that compensation payouts for ligament injuries generally vary based on the severity and location of the injury. However, a selection of the current guidelines are as follows:

• A modest ligament injury in the foot may result in compensation of up to £13,740.
• A modest ankle ligament injury may result in compensation of up to £13,740.
• A moderate ankle ligament injury may result in compensation ranging from £13,740 to £26,590.
• Severe knee ligament injuries may result in compensation ranging from £26,190 to £96,210.
• Serious leg ligament injuries may result in compensation ranging from £39,200 to £54,830.
• Moderate ligament injuries affecting the back may result in compensation ranging from £12,510 to £27,760.

To check if we could help you to start a claim, call today on 0800 652 1345.

Providing proof for ligament injury compensation claims

The hardest part of any personal injury claim is usually going to be convincing the defendant’s insurance provider that they caused your injuries and how badly you’ve been affected. Having a specialist solicitor on your side should help but they will need plenty of proof to present as strong a case as possible.

For ligament injury claims, this could include:

• Accident reports. Following an accident in a public place or at work, you should report the incident. By law, details will need to be written in an accident book and you are entitled to a copy of the report which can help to prove where and when you were injured.
• Medical notes and x-rays. If your ligament injury was documented in hospital records or GP notes, your solicitor may request a copy to help prove your diagnosis.
• Photographs. You could take pictures at the accident scene to try and help prove what caused your accident. Ideally, you should try to do so before the scene has been cleared or the root cause has been repaired.
• CCTV recordings. If the accident in which you damaged your ligament was recorded by a security camera, bodycam or dashcam, you should ask the owner for a copy of the footage.
• Witness statements. If the defendant accepts liability for the accident, witnesses won’t be called upon by your solicitor. However, if there is any doubt over who caused the accident, witness statements could be collected to try to clarify what happened.

If you’ve collected any proof at the time you contact us, please let your advisor know as it could improve your chances of being compensated.

No Win, No Fee claims

We strongly believe that using a personal injury solicitor for lodging a ligament injury compensation claim will improve your chances of a) winning the claim and b) improving any settlement offer. Importantly, to reduce the financial risk of hiring a specialist solicitor, ours offer a No Win, No Fee service for all accepted claims.

To clarify, No Win, No Fee means that:

• You are not expected to pay for your solicitor’s work upfront.
• There will be no legal fees to pay if the claim fails.
• Should your claim be won, your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation to cover their work.

Success fees are legally capped at 25 per cent of any settlement you receive. The amount you’ll pay will be detailed in your Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) so it will be clear from the outset.

Once you’ve signed your CFA, your solicitor can begin working on your claim. That means their main goals will be to:

• Arrange for an independent medical report.
• Collect proof and information to try and prove what happened.
• Contact the defendant and file the ligament injury claim.
• Negotiate on your behalf and manage all aspects of communication.
• Make sure you are aware of any progress in your claim.
• Only accept a settlement offer if they believe it covers your suffering fully.

Want to check if you could claim on a No Win, No Fee basis? If so, please get in touch.

Ligament injury claim time limits

The Limitation Act 1980 sets out a 3-year time limit for personal injury claims in the UK. When claiming compensation for ligament damage, this limitation period will either begin on the date of your accident or from your date of knowledge i.e. when your ligament injury was diagnosed.

It is important not to begin your claim too late because there is a good amount of work to do before the claim is filed. For example, your solicitor will need to arrange medical reports and collect proof to show how you sustained your injury.

If your ligament injury is causing financial issues or you need to pay for private medical treatment to try and recover sooner, your solicitor may be able to secure interim payments before the claim is settled. This may be possible in cases where the defendant has accepted liability early in the process.

Start a ligament injury compensation claim today

You can find out all of your options regarding a ligament damage claim if you contact us on 0800 652 1345 today. We offer a no-obligation consultation to review your chances of being compensated and you’ll get free legal advice as well.

If we suspect there are grounds to proceed with a claim, you’ll be partnered with a personal injury lawyer from our panel. They’ll manage the whole claims process for you if they agree to represent you meaning that legal fees will only need to be paid if you are given a compensation payout.

Please call or use our free live chat service to talk more about ligament injury claims or arrange your free consultation here.