Frequently Asked Questions
If you have been seriously injured as a result of medical negligence then there will come a point where a value needs to be given to how much your claim is worth. The damages that you receive can be broken down into two areas, general damages and special damages.
General Damages:
This is the amount of compensation you receive for your injuries, it is often known as pain suffering and loss of amenity. This sum arrived at by looking at similar, previous cases including what type of injuries have been suffered and how severe they are. This is a lump sum payment usually made at the end of your claim.
Special Damages:
These are all items of quantifiable loss and expense incurred as a direct result of medical negligence. In many cases, these will form the largest part of the award and will often be very important to you in setting you up for the future.
Special damages deal with both past losses and future losses. These include lost income, past medical expenses, care, accommodation, provision for DIY and gardening services, and ongoing/future medical treatment or therapies amongst many other things.
We can offer you specialist advice to ensure you recover the maximum amount possible. Special damages are also usually paid as a lump sum at the end of your claim but in appropriate cases can be paid as ‘periodical payments’ whereby you will receive annual payments for life.
