Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day
The 16th May 2025 is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day, this annual event aims to raise awareness about spinal cord injuries and the challenges that people face who have this condition. The day is intended to promote understanding, reduce stigma and highlight the importance of research and most importantly support people who have a spinal cord injury.
The aim of the day is to also raise awareness about the realities of living with a spinal cord injury, covering the physical, psychological and social challenges.
Sustaining a spinal cord injury is a truly devastating injury that affects not only the individual but their friends and family.
Each year in the UK there are an estimated 4,400 new cases of spinal cord injury, this roughly translates to someone becoming paralysed every 2 hours – a spinal cord injury can be caused by traumatic injuries from a road traffic accident or a non-traumatic injury such as a tumour or an infection.
The extent of a spinal cord injury impairment depends on the severity and location in the spinal cord. A spinal cord injury can result in complete or incomplete loss of sensory and/or motor function below the injury level.
A spinal cord injury may affect an individual’s capacity to preform daily activities, including walking, use of hands, emptying of the bowel and bladder, sexual dysfunction and difficulty washing and dressing. Many individuals suffer from spasms that are difficult to control, chronic pain, urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers and respiratory complications. There is a misconception that because you have a spinal cord injury the individual does not suffer from pain below their injury level – this is not always true. Many clients we have represented describe neuropathic pain.
Whilst there are undoubtedly challenges, people living with a spinal cord injury can, with the right rehabilitation and support in place, be empowered to rebuild a life which is meaningful to them, regaining independence and engaging in activities they love, including caring for their children, going to gigs and music events, returning to education or work, and various sports.
When Minster Law is instructed to represent an individual who has sustained a spinal cord injury, the individual is likely feel incredibly vulnerable and worried about their future, they may be concerned about how they are going to manage at home, when they are eventually discharged from hospital, their finances, how their family will cope, if their relationship will survive and their mental health. It is vital that the right expertise and support is in place.
Minster Law is committed to providing bespoke and highly specialised legal support to advise our clients through each step of the claim process. We ensure that the leading experts are instructed to evidence their claims, and we instruct highly experienced Counsel to ensure our clients receive the best possible advice throughout the lifetime of their claim. We are here to support our clients with instruction of specialist case managers, building bespoke multi-disciplinary teams of therapists, resolving key questions such as sourcing new homes, and funding through early interim payments to maximise both the recovery potential of our clients, and their quality of life.
Led by Stacy Clements, Partner and Principal for Spinal Cord Injury, Minster Law has an incredible team of experienced lawyers who support clients with spinal cord injuries through every step of the process.
Charity support
Minster Law works closely with S.U.R.F (Spinal Unit Recreational Fund), a charity which operates at Pinderfields Spinal Injury Unit in Wakefield. The charity provides incredible support to both in-patients and out-patients. The members arrange monthly social gatherings such as a trip to the seaside, going out for a meal, bowling, a day out of the races. They encourage and support people who have experienced life changing spinal cord injuries.
Minster Law holds various fundraising events over the year to help raise money for the charity and to date we have raised over £25,000 for this incredible charity. We are also acutely aware of how lonely some of the members can, at times feel, so we also hold quizzes as a way for people to connect.
Joanne Poynton, Associate Solicitor who supports S.U.R.F, said “When I am instructed to represent a client who has sustained a spinal cord injury, it is crucial that I meet the client and their family as soon as possible so I can explain the process of making a claim and reassure them that I and my team will do everything we can to support them through every step of their case. Building a strong relationship with my client is vital, as I will be there to help navigate this difficult, life-changing event. It is important that I know what they were like before the accident, what they enjoyed doing, and how I can help them to get back to their pre-accident self as soon as possible.”
