Head and Brain Injuries

Legally reviewed by: LPC & GDL Matthew Shiels Updated: May 24, 2023

It can seem daunting to deal with the aftermath of head and brain injuries. We can help you to get the compensation that you or a family member may need.

What are head and brain injuries?

A brain injury is defined as a serious injury to the brain that is not congenital (present from birth), degenerative or hereditary. The injury will result in a change of the brain’s neuronal activity.

Read more about different types of brain injury on our specific pages:

• Child Brain Injury Claims
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain injuries can be categorised into two types. These are known as a traumatic brain injury, and an acquired brain injury. An acquired brain injury is one that is caused internal factors such as lack of oxygen. A traumatic brain injury is the result of impact to the skull. This could be due to a number of different scenarios, including:

• A road traffic accident
• A sport injury
• An accident due to defective products
• A military accident
• A work related accident

Sustaining a head injury due to any of these factors could mean that you can make a brain injury claim. Whilst the injury may vary in severity, there are a number of different areas of care and things that you may need, such as

• Payment for rehabilitation
• Specially adapted housing
• Physiotherapy
• Therapy sessions

If a head injury has been sustained by a child, then it can have additional implications as a child’s head is not fully grown.

Sustaining a head injury in your workplace

If you have sustained the head injury whilst at work, then our industrial disease specialists will be able to help you to make a head injury at work claim. Every employer has a duty of care towards all of their employees, and a head injury compensation claim can be made against them if they have not. Under law, employers must:

• Carry out regular risk assessments to ensure that any potential dangers are reasonably managed
• Ensure that employees who are exposed to danger are given reasonable protection such as hard hats
• Ensure that employees are allowed regular breaks away from their work to minimise the risk of human error
• Ensure that employees are fully aware of all hazards and risks in their workplace.

Sustaining a head injury while working in the military

Serving in the military clearly comes with many potential risks. However, if you have sustained a head injury during your time serving in the military that could have been reasonably protected against, then you can bring a claim against the ministry of defence as your employer. Because you are employed by them, you are still entitled to the same duty of care that any employer should provide.

Sustaining a head injury in a sporting accident

If you have sustained a head injury whilst playing a sport, then we may be able to help you make a head injury compensation claim if it was due to someone’s negligence. This could be that equipment was not properly maintained, or appropriate safety measures were not put in place.

Sustaining a head injury due to defective products

Appropriate and rigorous safety testing should always be carried out on any products that are sold in the UK. If you make, import, distribute or sell consumer products in the UK, then you are responsible for making sure that they are safe for consumers to use and that they follow the legal requirements in relation to labelling. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) require all products to be safe in their normal or reasonably foreseeable usage and enforcement authorities have powers to take appropriate action when this obligation isn’t met.

We can help

However, you may have sustained a head or brain injury, we can help you to get the compensation that you or a loved one may need.  Get in touch today for expert help and advice.