http://healthable.org/what- to-do- if- you-suffer-a-head- injury/ May 4, 2013

What to Do If You Suffer a Head Injury

Kingsley Felix

If you have suffered a head injury as a result of an accident or because you have been thevict im of crime, you may be able to claim for compensat ion. The process of claimingcompensat ion can be complicated and there are dif ferent procedures to be followed dependinghow the injury has been caused.

Workplace Injuries and Those Caused by Criminal Acts

Injuries caused as a result of crime are t reated dif ferent ly f rom other personal injury claims. TheCriminal Injuries Compensat ion Authority (CICA) provides compensat ion to vict ims who havebeen injured as a result of a criminal of fence providing that the claim is made within two yearsof the incident. The CICA will also provide compensat ion to relat ives of crime vict ims who havedied, as well as to ‘good Samaritans’ who have been injured in the course of helping a vict im ofcrime.

However, if you have an accident in the workplace this should be recorded in an accident bookand may also need to be logged with the Health and Safety Execut ive.

Do You Have a Claim for Personal Injury?

A personal injury claim can involve an illness, physical injury or disease and can also be for amental or psychological illness or disease. If you have ever suf fered an injury, however it wascaused, then there are certain things that you need to know before beginning a claim forcompensat ion. You need to ensure that you have details about the injury itself as well asinformat ion regarding the circumstances in which the injury occurred. This informat ion couldcome from a variety of sources, including medical records and reports, your insurance companyor the police.

Before deciding whether you wish to make a claim for compensat ion, it is advisable to consultwith a specialist f irm of personal injury lawyers to ensure that you are receiving the best adviceabout how to proceed. Most personal injury lawyers will act on a no-win, no-fee basis and willrecover their costs f rom the other party. If your lawyer is unable to negot iate a set t lement withthe other party and your case requires court proceedings then this can be a long process.

Claims for Head Injuries

There is no doubt that injuries to the head and brain are among the most serious and can alsoform some of the most complex claims for compensat ion. This is due to the fact that in headinjury claims for compensat ion a number of specialists will of ten have to be consulted.

However a personal injury was caused, it is vital to keep accurate records of the circumstancesin which the incident occurred and any medical t reatment received, as these will form a key partof any claim for compensat ion. Your lawyer will need as much informat ion as possible so thatthey can give you accurate advice about whether you have a claim and who it should bebrought against .

Vickie Day writes regularly on legal issues for a range of websites and blogs. She has writtenabout various types of cases, including head injury claims for compensation.