From September 6th to September 12th, Blood Pressure UK will be raising awareness of blood pressure testing and hypertension. It’s important to be checked to ensure your blood pressure is at a safe level, especially if you have a pre-existing condition that could increase your chances of your blood pressure causing a problem. Pre-existing health problems can come in many forms. They may have an impact on any personal injury claims that you may be looking into. That’s not to say that you won’t be able to make a claim in general. It’s just important to have your pre-existing condition documented so that it can be used as evidence to prove that it was worsened by the accident.
Personal injury claims can feel complicated when you are going into them on your own. That’s why it’s crucial that you seek legal counsel to make sure that you are able to be compensated for your damages. Your solicitor can provide you personalized advice and consultations to get you started. If you are happy to move forward with your personal injury claim, call Gowing Law Solicitors today on 0800 041 8350 or click the button below to visit our website:
Personal Injury Claims: What do I need to know?
Before we jump into more information about pre-existing conditions and how they could affect your personal injury, let’s take a moment to talk about personal injury claims in general. A personal injury claim is held if you have been physically hurt or made ill due to the negligence of someone else in a public environment. If you are eligible for a claim then you could be owed compensation in order to aid with your recovery. You will have about three years to make a compensation claim. However, if you have exceptional circumstances, you may find that you get a little more time to get your case together.
There are a wide variety of third parties that could be responsible for your accident. This includes local government, store owners, salons, an organization or a repair firm. Of course, these are only a few examples of who could be liable for any type of accident. If you go into a public space, there are going to be people in charge of it who are responsible for your safety. This is known as their “duty of care” towards their clients or customers. If you do end up getting hurt then they could be liable for the damages if you are injured due to their negligence.
Take a look at gif below to get an idea about what type of personal injury claims you can make:
What type of personal injuries can happen to me?
When you go to any type of public area, there is always a chance that you could end up getting hurt. Whilst you shouldn’t be scared of going out, you should always be aware of your environment and any dangers that could cause an accident. Depending on where you get hurt, injuries that could make you eligible for compensation include:
- Bruises, cuts and scrapes
- Broken bones
- Spinal damage
- Internal/External bleeding
- Organ damage
- Broken teeth
- Loss of eyesight and hearing
- Loss of limb
If you end up getting hurt in a public space, the first thing you should do is alert a staff member or a member of the public as quickly as possible. You will need medical assistance as quickly as possible, or may even need to be taken to hospital to have your wounds examined by a doctor. That way you can receive a medical report to back up your injuries. If you are well enough to look for evidence, we would highly recommend that you start looking for evidence to back up your claim. Evidence can include:
When you have been checked over by a doctor, it is time for you to speak to a solicitor about personal injury claims. After all, you may need time to recover and may be asked to take a holiday from work. During this time, you will need the compensation to help support you and pay for any medical bills. Gowing Law Solicitors will provide you advice on how to start your case and will speak to the third party about a settlement agreement. You can just relax and wait for your solicitor to take care of all the tricky paperwork and negotiation. They will always keep you informed about how your case is progressing.
Why does my lawyer need to know about any pre-existing conditions before starting a Personal Injury Claim?
Before you were hurt in a public accident, you may have been seeking medical assistance about a pre-existing condition that could have been causing you some health problems. Ultimately, there is a chance that being involved in an accident could end up making the condition worse. That’s why your lawyer will need to know everything about the condition before the accident occurred. You may also need to be assessed by a professional in the field. That way you can see if there are any additional damages.
Right now, there are around 15 million people in the UK that are currently suffering from a pre-existing condition. This is set to increase over the next 10 years. The effects on your pre-existing condition do not need to be extremely dramatic for them to affect your claim. Instead, you could be owed a higher amount of compensation if your accident has:
- Forced you to take time away from work
- Made it difficult to drive or commute
- Made daily life tasks extremely difficult
- Taken money away from you in order to pay for medical treatments
- Forced you to withdraw from your social commitments due to the strain and trauma of the situation
Your solicitor can help you claim additional damages if you have suffered from any of the above. Although you will have to have suffered from a physical injury as well, which can include the worsening of a current condition, additional damages can include emotional and financial damages. This can also include loss of opportunity and damage to belongings.
What type of pre-existing conditions count when making a personal injury claim?
Honestly, if you are suffering from a pre-existing condition, and your personal injury has made it worse, it does not matter what type of condition it is. What matters is that it has become worse due to your injuries. Even if the accident has not left you with any injuries, and has instead just impacted the chronic condition, you could still be owed compensation for any damages that you have experienced.
With that, some of the most common conditions include:
- Asthma
- High Blood Pressure
- Degenerative Muscle Conditions
Of course, there are not the only type of conditions you could suffer from. If you notice that your current condition is getting worse, you need to speak to your doctor as quickly as possible. They can provide you treatment whilst you undertake any type of personal injury claims. Your solicitor can also speak to your medical professional to ascertain the extent of your damages. The medical report they provide can then be used as evidence in your case.
How do I prove that my pre-existing condition has become worse?
After you have suffered your injury, and you have spoken to a solicitor about how you can move forward with your case, your solicitor will organize a medical examination with a professional. That way you can receive advice about how you can recover and your doctor can also record the extent of your injuries. They can also help you by providing advice about your condition and what to do if you do end up getting worse. All of this medical inspection is used to help your solicitor when they are preparing your case. The more information they can have the better!
With that said, your solicitor will also consider whether or not the accident is responsible for your declining health. They will take into account about whether or not your health was already shaky because of your condition, or if it has been worsened directly by the accident. Your solicitor will also consider how your injuries have directly affected your life, as well as any loss of earnings or the cost of future medical treatment or medications.
The more information you provide your solicitor, the more likely it is that you will be able to prove that your pre-existing condition was worsened by the accident. You should use evidence to back up your claims, including photographs, videos and witness statements. Of course, your medical report will be the main source of evidence. So make sure that you get checked out by a doctor as quickly as possible!
Do I have to have suffered from injuries for personal injury claims?
If you think about it, a worsening condition is very similar to a personal injury. Ultimately, you can make a claim for a worsening pre-existing condition. However, it can be a bit tricky to prove that your condition was worsened by the impact of the accident. The best means of proving your case is to collect evidence. That way you can prove the negligence of the third party was responsible for your declining health.
Now, you cannot be discriminated against if you make a claim about a pre-existing condition. This is due to the fact that you may have been previously ill. By going to a doctor, you can have an expert examine you and provide a detailed medical report. The doctor can also decide whether or not your condition has been made worse by the negligence of the third party.
It is crucial that you speak to a healthcare professional as quickly as possible after your accident. So, make sure to speak to your solicitor about scheduling an appointment!
Speak to Gowing Law Solicitors about Personal Injury Claims
Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we are determined to help people all over the UK with their personal injury claims. We understand that making a personal injury claim on your own can be a daunting process. But don’t worry! Gowing Law’s expert team of solicitors are here to help you. Not only can we provide you with free advice and consultations to get you started, but if you are happy to move forward we can work with you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will never have to pay any hidden fees. You will only have to pay your solicitor if they win your case. Therefore, you will always come out on top!
Speak to Gowing Law Solicitors today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our claim’s checker. One of our specialists will then be in contact to discuss your claim. Feel free to ask them any questions about your case. They will always do their best to keep you involved in your case.
Read more about personal injury claims
If you are interested in learning more about personal injury claims, the best place to check out is Gowing Law’s blog! We update it every week with brand new content. Our content is about different legal cases, seasonal events, information about our law firm and the occasional giveaway/competition. If you would like to suggest a blog topic for our website, feel free to write into info@gowinglaw.co.uk with your suggestions. We would be more than happy to write about your questions and will upload the blog as quickly as possible. You can also follow our social media below. That way you can keep up with what our law firm has been up to recently. If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, please send us an email. We will then add you to our database as quickly as possible.
We look forward to seeing you in our next blog!
