Vestibular Claims

A head or whiplash type injury can often lead to what are called vestibular injuries. This is damage to the inner ear which can cause debilitating problems with vertigo, nausea, dizziness and balance.

We have worked with both adults and children who have sustained vestibular injuries following road traffic collisions, accidents at work, medical negligence, and assaults. We will do our utmost to help you to secure the best possible future for you and your family following an injury of this kind.

Due to our expertise in serious injury claims we feature in the solicitor directories for Headway – The Brain Injury Association, Spinal Injuries Association and the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum.

Our goal is to support our clients to make the best possible recovery so they can return to leading full and active lives.

Following a Vestibular injury

The ability to maintain our balance and navigate ourselves in the outside world is vitally important. Head Injury and whiplash injuries can often disrupt the internal vestibular system, resulting in many different problems with balance and dizziness.

The specific conditions that can follow trauma include:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
  BPPV is normally caused when the crystals of the inner ear are dislodged from their usual position and build up in the semi-circular canals, thus disturbing the usual movement of endolymph fluid. This makes people sensitive to specific kinds of movement, such as lying down or turning. Balance can also be affected when standing or walking. Episodes of BPPV will often make people feel like the room is spinning round. This can often be more pronounced during the early morning or when someone has been lying down for long periods
• Post-traumatic vertigo
  Post-traumatic vertigo is sometimes used as an umbrella term for many of the conditions described below when they follow a head injury. Alternatively, it can refer to dizziness after head injury, in the absence of other more complex clinical feature
• Labyrinthine concussion
  This term refers to symptoms of hearing loss, dizziness and tinnitus which occur after head injury, but without signs of direct injury to the labyrinth
• Traumatic endolymphatic hydrops
  This condition is caused by an abnormal build-up of endolymph fluid in the inner ear. The increased pressure in the inner ear leads to periods of intense dizziness. Some people have this condition due to a condition known as Ménières disease. However, it is sometimes caused by a head injury, in which case it will normally be referenced in the medical records as traumatic endolymphatic hydrops or post-traumatic Ménières disease. People with the condition will normally experience periods of intense dizziness (vertigo), along with sounds in the affected ear (tinnitus), fluctuating hearing loss, loss of balance and a feeling of pressure, or fullness, in the ear
• Visual vertigo
  People who experience visual vertigo will normally complain of dizziness and unsteadiness which is triggered by busy environments with lots of visual stimulation. Symptoms include loss of balance, dizziness, sweating, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and disorientation. However people will react in different ways and this can often be linked to conditions like BPPV. Often people suffering from this condition will find it difficult to cope in crowded environments or being a passenger in a car or train. Some people often have great difficulty looking at computer screens for long periods, especially screens that have scrolling text.
  Visual vertigo is usually triggered by movement, which is sometimes referred to as motion sensitivity. One common trigger that has been reported is being in a busy supermarket especially where there are highly-stacked aisles.

Rehabilitation and support

Vestibular injuries can have a dramatic and life changing impact not only for the person injured but also for those that are close to them. Whatever the level of injury it is important that you receive the very best treatment, rehabilitation and care as quickly as possible.

Because of the wide array of symptoms this can often lead to a reduction in mobility and psychological difficulties, it is therefore important to gain access to the very best medical experts who will assess you and provide their recommendations for treatment, rehabilitation and care.

Financial compensation can be provided by way of a series of interim payments so that you may have access to private treatment, aids and equipment, accommodation, rehabilitation and care when you need it and also counter loss of earnings. Compensation can also be used to alleviate some of the immediate financial difficulties which can be caused by vestibular injuries.

We also work with the existing specialist rehabilitation providers within the NHS to ensure that your ongoing care and treatment is as continuous and straightforward as possible.

It is important at this most difficult of times that you are able to gain access to the right kind of help and advice. We work closely with medical experts who can provide assistance with Neurophysiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological therapy and other means of rehabilitation to assist in getting you as well as possible, as soon as possible.

Long term support

Depending on the severity of the injury you may require long-term support for either part of or throughout your life.

The local authority may well provide some care and support to you and your family or any carers. However, funding may well be available through your personal injury claim.

The aim of this support is to enable you and your family to live as independently as possible. The level of support will be assessed carefully to try and reflect your long-term needs.

Our aims are to support you through the legal process, but also make sure that you or your loved one achieves the best possible outcome.

Why you need a Personal Injury solicitor…