By Stephen Anderson. Last Updated 27th October 2023. In this guide, we will look at the herniated disc compensation amounts that could be awarded in personal injury claims. If you can show that your injuries were caused by the negligence of someone who owed you a duty of care, then you could be owed compensation.
A herniated disc can be a really painful kind of injury. It can cause you issues with your mobility. In some cases, it might stop you from being able to work or live your life as you usually do.
If your injuries were caused by the negligence of someone who owed you a duty of care, you might be able to claim. You can get in touch with our advisors for more information.
They will be able to tell you if you are able to
make a claim. If so, they can connect you to a solicitor from our panel who will be able to make the claims process easier while helping you get the right outcome. To find out more, get in touch by:
- Calling us at 0800 408 7825
- Using the live chat function at the bottom of this screen
- Contacting us directly through the website
For more general information on herniated discs and compensation amounts, continue reading this guide.
Herniated discs compensation amounts guide
Select A Section
- Examples Of Herniated Disc Compensation Amounts And Payouts
- What Are The Criteria To Claim Herniated Disc Compensation Amounts?
- What Is A Herniated Disc?
- Are There Different Types of Herniated Disc Injuries You Can Claim For?
- Symptoms And Signs Of A Herniated Disc
- Start Your Herniated Disc Compensation Claim
- Related Back And Neck Injury Claims
Examples Of Herniated Disc Compensation Amounts And Payouts
If your personal injury claim is successful, your settlement could consist of two heads of claim. These are called general and special damages.
General damages compensate for the physical pain and mental suffering caused by your herniated disc. To help value your claim, legal professionals can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document provides guideline compensation amounts for various types of injuries.
In our table below, we’ve listed a few figures from the 16th edition of the JCG. It is only intended to be used as guidance.
| Injury | Severity | Nature of incident | Possible compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injury to the Neck | (a) (i) Severe | Can involve paraplegia or quadriplegia that necessitates wearing a collar. Can also involve severe and persistent headaches. | In the region of £148,330 |
| Injury to the Neck | (a) (ii) Severe | Can involve serious fractures to spinal discs that can lead to loss of function in one or more limbs. | £65,740 to £130,930 |
| Injury to the Neck | (b) (i) Moderate | Can involve chronic pain and soft tissue damage. May require spinal fusion surgery. | £24,990 to £38,490 |
| Injury to the Back | (a) (iii) Severe | Can involve disc lesions which, even with surgery and physical therapy, has residual disability. | £38,780 to £69,730 |
| Injury to the Back | (b) (i) Moderate | Can involve damage to an intervertebral disc but disability will not be as severe as above. | £27,760 to £38,780 |
| Injury to the Back | (b) (ii) Moderate | Can involve a prolapsed disc but precise figure here depends on the severity of the prolapse. | £12,510 to £27,760 |
What Else Can Herniated Disc Compensation Amounts Include?
Under special damages, you could be awarded compensation for the financial losses incurred due to your injuries. Some examples of the losses you might be able to recover under special damages include:
- Lost wages, past and future.
- Mobility aids, such as a wheelchair.
- The cost of prescriptions.
- Home help, for example, if you need a carer while you recover from your injuries.
To recover these expenses, you should submit evidence, such as bank statements, receipts, and invoices.
If you would like a free personalised valuation of your potential herniated disc compensation, please get in touch with one of the advisors from our team.
What Are The Criteria To Claim Herniated Disc Compensation Amounts?
To be eligible to claim compensation for a herniated disc, you will need to establish that your injury was caused by another party breaching the duty of care they owed you.
Various types of people owe you a duty of care, this includes:
- Your employer – They owe you a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1957. Per this duty, they must take reasonable steps to ensure your safety while you’re working.
- Road users – Road users must navigate the roads in a manner that avoids causing harm to other road users and themselves. This is their duty of care. They must also follow the rules set out for them in the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988.
- Occupiers – Those in control of a public place are known as an occupier. Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, they have a duty of care to take all necessary precautions to ensure your reasonable safety while you are using that space for its intended purpose.
Additionally, if you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, you must start your claim within the correct limitation period. Under the Limitation Act 1980, you will generally have 3 years to start your claim from the date of the accident.
For more advice on your eligibility to claim, or to enquire about other matters such as herniated disc compensation amounts, get in touch with our advisors for free today.
What Should I Do If I Want To Make A Herniated Disc Compensation Claim?
If you are involved in any kind of accident, always seek medical attention. Not only is this key for your own health and safety, but it is also wise for your claim. This can create medical records that might be useful as evidence.
Next, you may wish to speak to a personal injury solicitor. Please note that you are not legally obligated to do so. However, you may find the claims process much simpler with the assistance of a solicitor.
It’s also advisable to gather evidence. This will be used to prove that your injuries came about as a result of someone else’s negligence. Examples of evidence can include:
- Contact details for eyewitnesses to your accident
- CCTV footage
- Photographs that directly show the environment in which the accident happened
As part of your claim, you’ll also be required to attend a medical appointment where your injuries are assessed by an independent expert. The results of this assessment will be used to value your claim.
For more information on the steps you could take to strengthen a claim for herniated disc compensation, speak with an advisor today.
What Is A Herniated Disc?
According to the NHS, a herniated disc may also be called a prolapsed disc or a slipped disc. Discs of tissue in the spine cushion and protect the vertebrae. When this disc pushes out from between the vertebrae, it can cause pain when it presses on a nearby nerve.
What Could Cause A Herniated Disc?
Herniated discs can happen as a result of slip and fall accidents as well as manual handling incidents. For example, you could slip on a wet floor and injure your back as you hit the floor.
You may also attempt to lift too large a load at work, or lift it improperly, such as lifting with your back in a twisting, jerking motion. If this happened as a result of your employer acting negligently, you might be able to claim.
There are other factors that can leave you more at risk of a herniated disc. With old age you may experience more wear and tear to your discs in the later stages of your life.
However, there are other factors that could make you more likely to suffer from a herniated disc. For example, if you work in a role where you need to lift and carry heavy loads, this could put extra pressure on your spine and may put you at increased risk of suffering from a slipped disc.
In addition to this, you might have a slipped disc that was caused by a single incident of blunt-force trauma. For example, this might have happened in a car accident. A slip or fall could also lead to a prolapsed disc.
For more advice on the compensation amounts for a herniated disc, speak to our advisors today. If your claim has a good chance of success, they could connect you with a solicitor from our panel.
Are There Different Types of Herniated Disc Injuries You Can Claim For?
Different types of herniated disc injuries can include:
- Disc fractures
- Disc lesions
- Prolapsed discs (this can include intervertebral discs)
Discs are made up of two parts. The inside is soft and called the nucleus, while the outside is harder and protective. This is called the annulus. Damage to either part of the disc can cause back pain and a range of spinal issues.
Disc fractures can occur when the spine is compressed. Discs are designed to absorb some pressure; however, when too much is applied, this can lead to bulging or rupturing.
Disc lesions happen when the outer layer of a disc becomes strained or frayed. Lesions will then progress when the soft inner layer begins to herniate outwards.
A prolapsed or slipped disc can occur when a disc is pushed outwards, causing pain or numbness. It might cause pain in the hips or legs if the disc is pushing out onto the sciatic nerve.
If you believe any of these may have happened to you, speak to a medical professional immediately. If you’d like more information regarding the compensation amount you could be owed for a herniated disc, get in touch with our advisors today.
Symptoms And Signs Of A Herniated Disc
According to the NHS, there is a range of symptoms that a herniated disc could cause. These include:
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- A sensation of numbness, usually in the hands or feet but can also be seen in the shoulders, arms, or back
- Weakness in muscles
- Problems in bending over or straightening the back
- Sciatica (pains in buttocks, hips or lower back caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve)
Some of these symptoms might affect your quality of life. For instance, if you work in a manual role, then you might not be able to do this while you’re unable to bend or straighten your back.
If your injury has been caused by a breach of duty of care and is impacting your quality of life, you could claim. Speak to an advisor today for more information.
Start Your Herniated Disc Compensation Claim
You may be interested in starting a claim, but you may be worried about the costs of hiring a solicitor. If this is the case, you could seek the services of a personal injury solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis.
This is an agreement between you and your solicitor that sets out what needs to happen before they get paid. It means that if you are unsuccessful in your claim, you will not pay your solicitor’s fees. You also won’t pay anything upfront or as the claim progresses.
However, if you are successful, a success fee will be deducted from your settlement. This is a legally capped small percentage of your overall compensation.
To find out more about No Win No Fee or for more information on compensation amounts for a herniated disc, get in touch with our advisors today. You can do so by:
- Calling us at 0800 408 7825
- Using the live chat function at the bottom of this screen
- Contacting us directly through the website
Related Back And Neck Injury Claims
- Broken Back & Slipped Disc Compensation Case Study Guide
- Car Accident Back Injury Compensation Case Study Guide
- Fractured Neck Compensation Case Study Guide
- Safe lifting tips from the NHS
- Request CCTV footage of yourself from the government website
- See if you could receive Statutory Sick Pay if you did not get paid in full while off work.
We also have some other guides you may find useful:
- Public accident claims hot spots
- Council slip and trip accidents
- Public transport accidents
- How to make a public liability claim
- Making a claim against the council
- Claiming for a pothole injury
- Making a claim against a shop
- Accidents in a public park
- Cycling accident claims
- Claiming for injuries suffered while shopping
- How to claim compensation for a gym accident
Thank you for reading our guide on herniated disc compensation amounts.