By Cat Mulligan. Last Updated 29th September 2023. This article explains what you can do if you were injured during an accident in the workplace, on the roads, or in a public place because of others’ negligence. Specifically, we look at a broken tailbone settlement in this article. In this guide, we examine duty of care. We also explain how to value a claim properly and collect medical and financial evidence. We provide you with an understanding of the two types of damages (compensation) available in personal injury claims.
Fractured Coccyx/Tailbone compensation
Our panel of solicitors can share their expertise if you’re considering making a No Win No Fee claim for an injury like this. You can contact our advisors on 0800 408 7825 at any point if there’s anything you would like more information or advice on.
If you prefer, you can drop us an email at Public Interest Lawyers and our friendly team is available 24/7 to discuss your case.
Select a Section
- How Do I Prove A Claim For A Fractured Tail Bone?
- Case Study: £51,000 Compensation For A Fractured Tailbone
- Settlement Estimates For Negligence Victims
- Claiming For A Broken Tailbone With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
- More Help On A Broken Tailbone Settlement
How Do I Prove A Claim For A Fractured Tail Bone?
Proving a claim for a fractured tail bone injury isn’t always straightforward. However, it’s possible to gather evidence to give yourself the best chance of securing a successful outcome.
First of all, it’s important to try and prove that the defendant was liable for your injury. If the accident happened in your workplace, you need to establish that your employer breached the duty of care that they owed you at the time. The same principle applies to road traffic accident claims too—you need to prove why they are to blame.
To do this, you can obtain CCTV or dashcam footage showing what happened. You can also take pictures that may show defective machinery or equipment. You can also obtain copies of any accident report book entries that you may have completed when the incident happened.
Another good piece of evidence to obtain comes from witnesses. It’s possible to get help from anyone who saw what happened, be it a work colleague or passerby.
To help prove that the defendant caused your injury, getting medical attention is necessary, especially if you’re hurt. You may need treatment for a fractured coccyx or broken tail bone first and foremost. But your doctor will also create an entry in your medical records which may state how severe the injury is and how it was sustained. This can prove useful down the line.
Lastly, when it comes to making a claim for a fractured tailbone, it’s important to keep a record of any costs that you incur because of the injury. For instance, loss of earnings if you cannot work, or the cost of any prescriptions or medication.
If you can provide this evidence to your solicitor you’ll have a greater chance of securing compensation.
Case Study: £51,000 Compensation For A Fractured Tailbone
Miss Burton’s accident happened due to a breach of health and safety protocols. One afternoon, walking through the shopping mall, she slipped on an unattended wet patch and landed in a sitting position. Straight away she felt pain and the bottom of her back.
She was taken to hospital in an ambulance. Suddenly her temperature shot up, and she was suffering waves of nausea and faintness. She now found that she could not walk one step in front of the other without unbearable pain.
X-rays and an examination revealed that she had landed on her coccyx and fractured it. She was looking at a lengthy recovery, and everything else in her life was suddenly put on hold.
After weeks of pain that wouldn’t subside with her medication, she was offered physiotherapy appointments and stronger painkillers. The physiotherapy Miss Burton received didn’t seem to be helping and became anxiety-inducing. She also bought coccygeal cushions to support her when she sat. At night, she could barely sleep due to the pain. Her mental health deteriorated and her daughter encouraged her to start counselling sessions. Much of the daily chores were undertaking by a carer. And it was sometime before she could return to work.
Reaching a Broken Tailbone Settlement
After the shock had subsided, Miss Burton felt angry. She kept running the accident through her mind and came back to the same question each time. Why was that water left on the floor? A seemingly simple thing had turned her life upside-down, and she decided to speak to a No Win No Fee lawyer to help with the issue.
After a short case, the shopping arcade reviewed CCTV footage and confirmed the spillage should have been cleaned away or marked off. They admitted liability and, through special and general damages, her solicitor secured a £51,000 broken tailbone settlement in her favour. The breakdown was as below:
| General damages | Special damages |
|---|---|
| Miss. Burton was awarded £35,000 for a shattered coccyx/tailbone because of the wet surface she slipped on. |
Her loss of earnings for 3 months as she regained her ability to walk: £7,500 |
| Special 60th birthday holiday deposit lost: £1,000 | |
| Family and professional carer costs for 3 months: £1,950 | |
| Travel costs to hospital and specialist appointments:£440 | |
| Missed attendance bonus at work: £1,500 | |
| Gardener for 3 months: £450 | |
| 3 coccyx pain cushions: £60 | |
| Private physiotherapy and counselling: £3,100 |
This case is purely an example, not based on an actual case, but past experiences. It illustrates what a skilled No Win No Fee lawyer can do to correctly value your claim. Speak to our team today to see how we might be able to help you.
Settlement Estimates For Negligence Victims
If you’re making a claim for a broken coccyx, you might wonder how much compensation you could receive or how your settlement could be valued. A settlement in a personal injury claim could consist of general and special damages.
General damages relate to the pain, suffering and loss of amenity that your injuries have caused. They’re valued with the help of a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JGC). We’ve used figures from the latest version of this document (released in April 2022) to create the table below.
| INJURY TYPE | SEVERITY | COMPENSATION AMOUNT |
|---|---|---|
| Back Injury | Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 |
| Back Injury | Severe (ii) | £74,160 to £88,430 |
| Back Injury | Severe (iii) | £38,780 to £69,730 |
| Back Injury | Moderate (i) | £27,760 to £38,780 |
| Back Injury | Moderate (ii) | £12,510 to £27,760 |
| Back Injury | Minor (i) | £7,890 to £12,510 |
| Back Injury | Minor (ii) | £4,350 to £7,890 |
| Back Injury | Minor (iii) | £2,450 to £4,350 |
| Back Injury | Minor (iv) | Up to £2,450 |
| Pelvis/Hip Injury | Severe (iii) | £39,170 to £52,500 |
You could also receive special damages. These relate to the financial impact that your injuries have had on you. For example, you could claim for the cost of medical care or travel costs to and from appointments.
Furthermore, if you suffer a coccyx injury, time off work may have been necessary, which could mean a loss of income. Therefore, presenting payslips to show this could increase the amount you receive in a claim. Please contact our friendly team if you wish to further discuss how much you could receive in a broken coccyx claim.
Claiming For A Broken Tailbone With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
Claiming for a fractured tailbone with the help of a No Win No Fee solicitor can come with many benefits. For example, a solicitor can use their knowledge to explain any complex legal jargon that may come up during the claims process. Solicitors can also take the statements of witnesses and help gather evidence.
Our panel of solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis by offering their clients a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). When you work with a solicitor under a CFA, they won’t ask for a fee in order to start working on your case. Likewise, they won’t take payment for their continued services, nor for their work on your claim if it fails.
If your broken coccyx claim succeeds, then you will pay a success fee to your solicitor. This fee is deducted directly from your compensation as a small percentage. However, this percentage is limited by a legal cap, which helps make sure that you keep the majority share of your compensation.
Our advisors are here to help. If you’d like to find out if you are eligible to work with a solicitor, get in touch and start your free consultation. If they find that your claim could be valid, they may connect you with a solicitor from our panel. To get started:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825
- Use the live chat feature
- Contact us online
More Help On A Broken Tailbone Settlement
If you were injured in a shop or supermarket, read our guide to accidents whilst shopping.
We also have a guide to making claims against the council.
One of our guides provides information on accident hot spots.
The Health and Safety Executive has more information on workplace accident statistics.
The NHS has advice on spinal injuries.
They also offer further reading on using NHS services.