Spinal Injury Solicitors
Claim Compensation for Injuries to the Spine
Osbornes Law specialises in helping people who have suffered spinal cord injuries and other back and spinal injuries in any type of accident. Read on to find out if you can make a spinal injury claim and how we can help you.
Call 020 7485 8811 today.
“Osbornes fields a specialist personal injury team with standout expertise in catastrophic trauma, regularly securing multimillion-pound settlements in spinal, brain, and amputation cases. “
“Osbornes has a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims, including fatalities and severe brain and spinal cord injuries.”
Table of Contents
Spinal injuries are both traumatic and life-changing. At their worst, they can cause paralysis and leave you or a loved one with permanent disabilities. According to NHS figures, a spinal cord injury paralyses someone every four hours in the UK.
Even less severe spinal injuries can still cause loss of movement, problems with limb or bladder control, and numbness in the hands and feet. The road to recovery is long for serious spinal injuries and you may require extensive psychological and physical support.
No-one should have to suffer from the after-effects of a spinal injury due to someone else’s negligence, but accidents do happen and in a wide range of scenarios. Injuries sustained from road accidents, sporting incidents, accidents in the workplace, or as a result of medical negligence all have the potential to cause damage to the spine.
In any of these cases, you may be entitled to make a spinal injury compensation claim.
What classifies as a spinal injury claim?
A spinal injury might involve the bones of the spine or damage to the spinal cord. For simplicity, we can separate these injuries into two categories:
Spinal cord injury: This refers specifically to damage to the spinal cord, which is a very serious condition. The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that runs down the middle of the vertebrae (spine) and carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. If it is severed, the result is partial or complete paralysis for which there is no cure. Incomplete injury, where the spinal cord is damaged but not severed, may result in limited mobility and sensation with the potential for some recovery over time.
Spinal column injury This broad term refers to any type of injury affecting the spine, but without damaging the spinal cord. Spinal injuries can range from mild muscle strains, which are common and often heal with rest and conservative treatment, to more severe injuries such as fractures of the vertebrae and herniated discs. In most cases, a spinal column injury will not result in permanent loss of movement. Visit our dedicated page to learn more about back injury claims.
What causes spinal injuries?
The most common cause of spinal injury is physical impact to the body that damages the back and neck. This may be the result of:
- Car Accidents – Spinal injuries from car accidents can caused by sudden impact or whiplash, potentially leading to long-term mobility issues or paralysis.
- Cycling Accidents – Cyclists are particularly vulnerable to spinal trauma in collisions with vehicles or hazardous road conditions, resulting in serious spine injuries.
- Motorcycling Accidents – Motorcyclists can suffer high-impact spinal injuries due to lack of protective gear when riding.
- Accidents at Work – Unsafe working practices, such as heavy lifting, falls, or machinery accidents can cause serious spinal injuries.
- Slips, Trips and Falls – Even a seemingly minor fall can cause significant spinal damage, especially if the impact affects the lower back or neck.
- Falls from Height – Falls from scaffolding, ladders or raised platforms can result in severe spinal fractures or permanent spinal cord injuries.
- Sports Injuries – Contact sports or extreme activities can cause acute spinal trauma, especially when safety protocols are not followed.
- Criminal Assault – Violent assaults, such as blows to the back or falling badly, can lead to lasting spinal injuries.
- Medical negligence – In some cases, spinal damage results from medical negligence, for example, delays in diagnosis or surgical errors.
The consequences of a spinal injury can vary greatly depending on the severity of the accident. Some injuries place significant limitations on a person’s ability to move and work, and may put an end to the injured person’s career.
The impact extends to the family of those affected, who may have to provide significant support and personal care.
If your spinal cord injuries are the fault of someone else, you might have a compensation claim. This could be due to a motorist driving recklessly, your employer failing to follow health and safety procedures, or a poorly maintained sports pitch. To make a personal injury claim, you have to show that another person was negligent and their actions or failures caused you harm.
Types of spinal injury claim we handle:
- Spinal cord injuries resulting in sensory or motor loss
- Nerve damage causing weakness, numbness, or pain
- Brachial plexus injuries affecting arm and shoulder function
- Spinal stenosis leading to nerve compression
- Paralysis caused by traumatic injury to the spine
- Medical spinal injuries.
How do I make a spinal injury claim?
- Contact us for a consultation. A specialist lawyer from our spinal injury claims team will advise you whether you have a claim and guide you through your best next steps.
- We will help collect relevant evidence such as medical records, financial statements, witness statements, and police reports to establish negligence or liability of the other party.
- We help you understand how much compensation you may be entitled to. It may be possible to secure interim payments before the final settlement to cover immediate rehabilitation costs for your spinal injury.
- Most claims are settled out of court, but if necessary, we will take the case to court to ensure fair compensation.
- You can find up-to-date compensation guidelines for personal injury claims in our dedicated payout guide.
Proud to work with the Spinal Injuries Association
Osbornes is a longtime supporter and partner of the Spinal Injuries Association. The SIA advocates for exceptional care and quality of life improvements for people with spinal cord injuries. Their belief — that we share — is that a spinal injury should not stop you living your life to the fullest. Our team of solicitors works closely with the SIA to ensure that our clients with serious spinal cord injuries access the same opportunities as everyone else.
Our solicitors have received training on spinal cord injury from the SIA, so they understand your condition and what you need. That knowledge helps us value your claim accurately and signpost you to the right support, to ensure you get the best outcomes from your rehabilitation and your legal claim.
Our team also abides by the Spinal Injuries Association Code of Conduct, which is backed by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. Solicitors who sign up to the code agree to put your best interests first and communicate with you in a clear and compassionate way.
How spinal cord injuries commonly happen
Related injuries
Why choose our expert spinal injury lawyers?
Here’s why spinal-injured clients work with us:
- Our lawyers act exclusively for individuals who have suffered spinal injuries due to personal injury or medical negligence.
- A reputation for exceptional success, winning seven or eight-figure compensation payments in serious spinal injury claims.
- Compassionate and thorough support: we will always treat you and your family with dignity and respect.
- Approved lawyers for the Spinal Injuries Association.
- Consistently rated highly by The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for our reputation as spinal cord injury and back injury specialists. Additionally, our personal injury Partner, Ben Posford, specializing in spinal cord injuries, is a band one (top-ranked) leading individual in Chambers & Partners.
- ‘No win, no fee‘ funding agreements.
- We are committed to accessibility and can visit you at home or in hospital.
Spinal Injury Claim FAQs
Is there a time limit for making a spinal injury claim?
The usual time limit for bringing a spinal injury claim is three years from the date of the incident. Exceptions include if the injured person is a child or they lack the mental capacity to make a claim.
If you think you might have a claim, it is important to act fast. Evidence and witness recollections can fade or become muddled with time. Our spinal injury solicitors are here to help you as soon as you are ready to make a claim.
How much compensation will I receive for a spinal injury claim?
The amount of compensation you could receive will depend on the seriousness of your spinal injury and the impact it has on your life. No two awards are exactly the same.
We work hard to negotiate the maximum compensation and have a reputation for securing multi-million-pound compensation awards for our most seriously injured clients. You can put the compensation you receive towards the costs of:
Lost earnings Ongoing treatment and therapy costs Assistance with everyday tasks Specialist equipment Appropriate housing and home adaptations Travel expenses to therapy sessions Financial support for your familyCan I get help with costs before my spinal cord injury case reaches a conclusion?
With a serious spinal cord injury, you may have lost earnings or you may have to pay for rehabilitation, home adaptations or specialist equipment. This can place an unreasonable burden on your family, beyond the challenges caused by the injury itself.
For serious injury cases, we can usually arrange for interim payments to be made well in advance of the final decision. This can help you get the right help going forward, including the early rehabilitation you need.
Interim payments are only available when the other party (or their insurer) has admitted they are to blame for your spinal cord injury in full or in part. We can help prove liability and secure interim payments early on in your case. Please contact us to establish your legal position today.
Can I change my solicitor if I've already started a spinal injury claim?
You will spend many months or years working with your solicitor and sometimes that relationship may break down. If this has happened, then you can seek to change your solicitor. It is important that you feel at ease with your solicitor and feel confident that they understand your difficulties.
Changing solicitors is a fairly straightforward process and much easier than people think. If you are looking to move to Osbornes Law our solicitors will deal with this for you.
How long will the claim process take?
Spinal cord injury claims tend to be more complex than other types of personal injury claims, simply because your injuries are longer-lasting and more medically complex. Cases involving spinal cord injury and paralysis may take up to three years to conclude, but this can depend on whether the other side denies liability or whether they admit the claim.
At Osbornes, we aim to secure the maximum level of compensation in the shortest possible time frame. We also work hard to secure interim payments for you wherever possible.
He offers a particular specialism in amputation claims.
Rob Aylott is adept at handling sensitive and complex catastrophic injury claims.
Rob is exceptionally experienced and has a wide-ranging practice that encompasses very high-value but also very difficult claims.
His clients trust him and know that he will achieve the best outcome for them.
Rob has significant experience and is well known for being tactically astute and high-performing.
Rob is excellent at knows how to maximise the award for his client. He is a very good litigator who rarely gets flustered and fights his corner hard.
Rob is an experienced tactician who identifies the issues immediately and never gives up. His opponents recognise him as a force to be reckoned with.
Rob is a really cool, calm guy who never gets flustered. I have no hesitation in recommending him. He is absolutely outstanding.
The team offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims and regularly acts for foreign nationals.
It has considerable experience in cases arising from motor accidents and accidents at work.
Osbornes has a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims, including fatalities and severe injuries regarding the brain and spinal cord.
Osbornes have expert leadership. They are very client-centred and provide great communication.
They have got a team of strong partners who are experienced and capable, and their lawyers have a can-do attitude and don't seem to be fazed by anything.
They grasp complex and sophisticated matters quickly.
From partners to associates, the lawyers are committed to ensuring a successful outcome for every client.
They have intelligent, experienced lawyers who advise their clients very carefully.
Osbornes deal with their clients in a very professional manner, attempting to get the best results at all times.
Ben Posford, head of catastrophic injury, is well-known for spinal cord and cauda equina claims, including high-profile fatality work.
Led by the irrepressible Ben Posford they are a force to be reckoned with.
Ben Posford is a joy to deal with and very knowledgeable indeed and clients always come first.
Osbornes fields a specialist personal injury team with standout expertise in catastrophic trauma, regularly securing multimillion-pound settlements in spinal, brain, and amputation cases.
Excellent firm with a good insight into and prosecution of catastrophic PI work handled by an experienced team.
Without doubt, Osbornes are the firm to watch in London.
This team is growing in profile all the time. The firm now has many of London's leading personal injury solicitors.
The file handlers I have worked with are experienced and expert personal injury practitioners who can be relied upon to achieve excellent outcomes for the client.
They are very supportive of their clients and are willing to take on difficult cases.
This team is very well organised and approach their cases with great attention to detail.
They have particular expertise in dealing with Eastern European clients who speak little or no English as they have native speakers within their team.
Osbornes is a excellent firm for high value and complex personal injury work.
An excellent solicitor who is very experienced, straightforward and has a sensible way of thinking about a case.
Rob is a very good tactician and negotiator.
Rob is an experienced tactician who identifies the issues immediately and never gives up on a case. His opponents recognise him as a force to be reckoned with.
Rob is extremely impressive. He has a cool head and always gets along with his defendants and clients.
Osbornes Law is a really strong team with a lot of depth.
Osbornes work professionally as a team, responding diligently to emails or telephone calls.
Ben Posford typically operates in the team’s spinal cord and cauda equina syndrome litigation.
Ben Posford heads the catastrophic injury team, covers a spectrum of spinal cord and brain injuries, as well as fatal accidents, spanning spinal cord and brain injuries, and fatalities incurred during traffic and workplace accidents.
Osbornes clients are individuals whose cases are treated with the focus required when dealing with life changing injuries.
Fielding a ‘first class, very well resourced’ team of litigators, the personal injury department at Osbornes is rated for its diverse workload of complex, high-value injury claims, representing both domestic and international claimants.
Osbornes is an excellent firm, made up of lawyers with flair and pedigree.
Osbornes lawyers are smart, well trained, experienced and well managed.
Osbornes personal injury practice is first class; very well resourced and second to none.
Osbornes is becoming one of the top players in the claimant personal injury market. A large team with a great number of very high quality solicitors.
Osbornes is a highly proficient serious injury firm. They bring all the benefits of the biggest firms in the market but none of the downsides.
"Osbornes always provides work of excellent quality and the advice is sound."
"The firm has the ability to handle the most sophisticated and complex matters."
"Osbornes is always client-focused and works tirelessly to obtain the best outcomes."
'The team deals with multi-million pound, often multifaceted claims, involving such factors as severe brain, psychiatric, gynaecological and spinal injury, major trauma, amputation and fatality.'
"They are a boutique firm with highly experienced partners who are well-respected in the industry."
"The team at Osbornes deals with catastrophic injury claims with the same professionalism as the largest firms, but provides a much more client-focused experience."
"A really first-rate team, well capable of dealing with the most serious and complex injuries."
"This team has carved out an exceptional reputation in catastrophic injury work."
"Osbornes has impressed me with their personal touch for clients whilst offering a first-class handling of catastrophic injury claims. The partners all have vast experience and are highly respected in their field."
"This is a really excellent personal injury team that can be regarded as one of the major players in the London claimant personal injury market."
"Osbornes have managed to recruit a team of outstanding catastrophic injury lawyers who are at the top of the game."
Osbornes now has a team of highly experienced personal injury lawyers; particularly strong on high-value quantum cases, workplace accidents and claims involving foreign workers injured in the UK.
The team provides fantastic strength-in-depth for personal injury claims. It is also particularly well placed to service clients from Eastern Europe with specialist native language speakers. From the smallest case to a multimillion-pound spinal injury case, Osbornes has the right staff to manage every claim.
Ben Posford remains pre-eminent in his field with expert understanding of litigating cases of the upmost severity. His experience builds on Stuart Kightley’s running of the firm with recent partner additions of Rob Aylott making a fantastic addition.
A firm going from strength-to strength-which retains its client care whilst being able to offer a full personal injury service.
"They have an expanding profile in personal injury and clinical negligence and offer a superb, broad service in accidents abroad, enabled by their recruitment of bilingual legal executives who can guide non-English speakers through complex litigation."
"Osbornes has a growing influence and impressive work load and is gaining a reputation for handling complex catastrophic work."
"Osbornes often handles claims valued at over £1m, particularly relating to severe brain and spinal cord injuries and niche areas such as cauda equina syndrome and cycling accidents."
"Catastrophic injury cases head Ben Posford is an excellent practical litigator who offers exceptional service."
Client StoriesVIEW ALL
13.8.2025Multi-Million £ Settlement Following Undiagnosed Spinal Fracture
Hugh Johnson, Head of Medical Negligence at Osbornes Law, secured a multi-million pound settlement for Rose, a 63-year-old retired social...
Read more
12.12.2023Bicycle Accident Claim Payouts: How Much Compensation Can...
If you’ve been knocked off your bike or injured in a cycling crash, you’re probably wondering what kind...
Read more- 19.9.2023
Spinal Fracture Case Settles for 6-figure Sum
Spinal Fractures following cessation of Denosumab injection Case Overview Osbornes Law were instructed in a spinal injury claim against Mid...
Read more - 14.2.2023
Fatal Accident Case Studies
Settlement for Pedestrian Killed Crossing the Road Laura Swaine, an Associate at Osbornes Law, acted on behalf of a family...
Read more - 25.1.2022
Cyclist Hit By Taxi Claims £130k Compensation
Taxi Accident Claim Settled for £130k Andrew Middlehurst, a specialist cycling injury lawyer, has settled a claim for a cyclist...
Read more 
25.1.2022Serious Injury Following TVT Surgery
Case Summary Our client, SG, attended her GP in December 2015, complaining of urinary symptoms, including leaking when she laughed or...
Read moreSerious Orthopaedic Injury Settlement for £1million
Settlement secured for life-changing injuries in HGV collision Our client, a 25-year-old Spanish national, was travelling in a work van...
Read more
20.6.2019Brachial Plexus Injury Compensation
In my career I have worked for the two biggest motorcycle insurance brokers in the UK and assisted their policyholders...
Read more
11.5.2019Driver Jailed After Attack Left Cyclist With A...
In a recent cycling accident case in which an unhinged BMW driver was sent down for 27 months for deliberately ramming...
Read more
19.6.2018Pedestrian crossing accident claim settled for £535,000
Polish graduate knocked down at pedestrian crossing Osbornes acted in a pedestrian accident claim for Mr M, a Polish graduate...
Read more
