Our Horners syndrome solicitors deal with medical negligence compensation claims using the no win no fee scheme. If you would like legal advice at no cost and with no further obligation from a Horners syndrome solicitor just use the solicitors helpline or complete the contact form or email our lawyers offices.

Our medical negligence solicitors have offices situated in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Darwin, and Sydney. Do yourself justice - give us a call.

Horners syndrome is a birth injury often associated with damage to the brachial plexus nerves usually caused during a turbulent delivery which may be the result of medical negligence. This condition is caused by damage to sympathetic nerve fibres which can also be the result of a congenital defect, brainstem stroke, carotid artery damage or a tumour on the lung. Some cases of Horners syndrome are as a result of medical negligence. Our Horners syndrome solicitors are happy to have you case reviewed and investigated.

Damages Calculation

The obvious symptoms of Horners syndrome include a constricted pupil, drooping eyelid and an inability to sweat on the cheek or forehead adjacent to the eye that is affected. These symptoms are caused by damage to the sympathetic nervous system which automatically controls a number of the functions of the body including the amount of sweat that we produce and pupil dilation and constriction. Damages for this cosmetically obvious condition, obtained by a Horners syndrome solicitor, can be substantial.

The most controversial aspect of most personal injury compensation claim settlements revolves around the award of damages for pain and suffering the assessment of which is a fine art. The basis for an award in this category relates to consideration of previously decided cases that are adjusted and updated to fit the circumstances of the injury being considered. Judges have access to all court of appeal records and temper this information with their own experience of many years in a court of law together with consideration of any written guidance that is available.

If a Horners syndrome compensation claim comes to a court of law for a determination, some losses can be calculated accurately however others must be assessed and it is here that the difficulties arise. Judges charged with assessment of damages for pain and suffering have no accurate guidelines as to a realistic amount that should be awarded as a result of which they look at previously decided cases to build up a picture of awards for similar injuries made by other judges in the hope that a consensus opinion will be an acceptable amount to award.

The sums that are awarded in Horners compensation claims can be substantial and frequently run to hundreds of thousands of dollars dependent on the severity of the injury and the long term residual problems which may substantially reduce potential earning capacity. Damages awarded in Horners syndrome compensation claims are divided into several categories by lawyers including :-

General Damages

• This category includes items of compensation that can be calculated reasonably accurately on a mathematical basis and includes potential loss of income, costs of care, medication, rehabilitation, property modifications and aids for living a normal life.

Special Damages

• This category includes items that have an element of assessment and cannot be calculated accurately on a mathematical basis. The most import item under this heading in an Erbs palsy compensation claim is the sum awarded for Pain & Suffering however there are other items such as Loss of Lifestyle that must also be assessed.

HELPLINE: ☎ 1800 633 634

The author of the substantive medical writing on this website is Dr. Christine Traxler MD whose biography can be read here