• Legal experts in head and brain injury claims in Northern Ireland
• Helping head injury victims access medical and financial support
• Experienced brain injury solicitors pursuing similar claims since 1993
• Simple, hassle-free claims process
• Free initial legal advice to discuss your claim

Around 2,000 people sustain a brain injury in Northern Ireland every year. If you’re one of them, we understand the difficulty of your current situation. A head injury can have dramatic and life-changing effects on both you and your loved ones.

If you’re coming to terms with the physical, mental and financial impact of a head injury, we want to help you claim compensation that is rightfully yours.

Let’s start your head injury compensation claim and secure a payout that helps you manage your rehabilitation, medical care and any other aspect of your life that has been disrupted by your injury.

Head and brain injuries can be sustained in many different ways. The causes of head injuries are broadly either traumatic or acquired. Traumatic brain injuries are caused by trauma to the head, while acquired brain injuries are caused by anything other than trauma, such as an interruption of oxygen supply during illness, brain inflammation and vitamin deficiencies.

Common head and brain injury causes include:

Road Traffic Accidents – You may have suffered a head injury as a driver, passenger, motorcyclist, cyclist or pedestrian involved in a road traffic accident. The impact of a collision can cause head trauma.

Accidents at Work – Head injuries often happen in the workplace, particularly if you’re forced to work in unsafe conditions, without the proper PPE or without the correct training. Workers on construction sites, in warehouses and in agriculture are among those at high risk of suffering head injuries at work.

Medical Negligence – Misdiagnosis, an undiagnosed illness, surgical errors and anaesthesia mistakes can all cause brain injuries. Medical negligence is a common reason for acquired brain injuries.

Sports Accidents – Perhaps you sustained a head injury while playing sports. Trauma sustained while playing football, rugby or hockey, or while horse riding, may result in a traumatic brain injury.

Criminal Assaults – Traumatic brain injuries are often sustained in criminal assaults. Both the initial assault and a resulting fall can cause head trauma.

Slips, Trips and Falls – Uneven flooring, wet surfaces and other hazards might have caused you to fall in a public place or rented property. If you hit your head during the fall, you may have suffered a head injury.

Every brain injury is different, so it’s important to build a picture of the full extent of your injuries to secure the correct level of compensation. Head injuries can range from minor to severe, and their impact may be short-term or lifelong.

If you believe you’re suffering from a head or brain injury, please contact a medical professional for advice. The list below is only intended as an introduction to common head injuries and should not be used for self-diagnosis.

Common types of head injuries include:

• Concussion – The instant loss of awareness or alertness for anything between a few minutes and a few hours following a head trauma.
• Brain Contusions – Bruising to the brain, causing bleeding and swelling around the area of the head impacted by trauma. Contusions can also be caused by high blood pressure, bleeding disorders and blood-thinning medication.
• Skull Fracture – A breaking in the skull bone caused by trauma. This can vary from minor linear skull fractures to more serious basilar skull fractures.
• Intracranial Hematoma (ICH) – Blood clots in and around the brain, which vary from minor head injuries to life-threatening injuries. ICHs can be caused by trauma, high blood pressure, years in arteries or veins or violent shaking.

Anyone who has suffered a head or brain injury through no fault of their own is eligible to make a compensation claim.

Claiming for yourself – If you’ve suffered a head injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you can make a head injury compensation claim.

Claiming on behalf of someone else – If a loved one has suffered a head injury, you can claim on their behalf if they’re aged under 18, they’re physically unable to make the claim or they lack the mental capacity to do so because of their brain injury or another disability.

If you’re coming to terms with a head or brain injury, you don’t need further complications when claiming the compensation you deserve. That’s why we’ve made our head injury claims process simple and straightforward. Our experienced solicitors will handle every stage of the process. Here’s what you can expect:

Step 1: Contact Reid Black
Make that all-important first call so we can give you some initial legal advice in a free, no-obligation consultation.

Step 2: Rehabilitation Assessment
Next, if needed, we’ll arrange a professional assessment of your immediate rehabilitation needs. We can then arrange interim compensation payments to ensure your recovery can start as soon as possible.

Step 3: Gathering Information
We’ll then gather as much evidence as possible on the nature of your injury and how it was sustained. Depending on your circumstances, this might include PSNI reports, Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland reports and your medical records

Step 4: Medical Assessment
The next step is arranging for an independent medical professional to examine you. Before we begin negotiations for your compensation, we want to make sure we know the full extent of your injuries and any possible long-term implications.

Step 5: Compensation Negotiations
Using all the evidence we’ve collected and our vast experience of pursuing similar claims, our head injury solicitors will negotiate the maximum compensation you’re entitled to from the negligent party or their insurer.

Step 6: Compensation Payout
When a compensation amount is agreed upon, we’ll work on your behalf to make sure it’s paid promptly, so that you have the full amount in your bank account to support your rehabilitation and your long-term recovery.

You usually have three years from the time you sustained the injury in which to make a head injury compensation claim. The time limit may be extended if:

• You were under 18 at the time of the injury, in which case you can claim up to your 21st birthday.
• Your injury or another disability meant you could not claim within the three-year limit.

Even if you have mitigating circumstances, we would recommend starting your claim as soon as possible. Get in touch with us to discuss your circumstances and get the claims process underway.

If you’ve suffered a head or brain injury that wasn’t your fault — no matter how minor or severe it is — you should not be out of pocket or experiencing financial hardship as a result. It’s vital that you claim the compensation you deserve to help with medical care, rehabilitation, travel costs and changes to your living arrangements.

The amount of compensation you’re entitled to will depend on the severity of your head injury, its impact on your day-to-day life and the effect it is likely to have in the future. The exact payout will depend on the outcome of your medical assessment, but typical compensation figures are:

Head Injury Compensation Amounts – For head injuries, you can expect to receive a payout from £3,000 for minor injuries to £30,000 for more serious injuries.

Brain Damage Compensation Amounts – For brain damage compensation, you can expect a payout starting at £35,000 for minor damage up to £550,000 in the most severe cases.

We can also seek an interim payment to ensure you have money to cover expenses and provide immediate financial support while we pursue your claim.

We’re experienced head and brain injury solicitors with vast experience of pursuing serious injury claims since 1993. We’ve successfully helped people get the compensation they deserve for head injuries they sustained through no fault of their own, including representing clients who suffered brain injuries during their birth.

Whatever the nature or severity of your head injury, we’re committed to helping you get the compensation that is rightfully yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take the first step towards the compensation you or a loved one deserve after suffering a head or brain injury. Our experienced head injury solicitors will support you at every stage, starting with a free consultation to discuss your claim and advise the best route to claim the damages you deserve.