Have your nerves ever played up prior to speaking in public? Somatoform symptoms are common amongst people of all ages, and mild ones, such as getting butterflies in your stomach before an event or developing a headache due to stress, are experienced by many people at some point in their life. However, when this gets to the next level and starts to interfere with your daily life you may be suffering from SSD, also known as Somatoform disorder. People who have a Somatoform disorder are not faking their symptoms. The pain that they feel is real.
SSD occurs when a person feels extreme, exaggerated anxiety about physical symptoms and can interfere with a person’s daily functioning. People with SSD are often unaware of their underlying mental health condition and believe that they have serious physical ailments.
Somatoform disorders can affect anyone of any age and appear to be more common in women than men. It is still a relatively rare condition. Therefore it is vital you speak to a solicitor who has experience in this area. People who suffer from anxiety or depression or who are experiencing stressful life events, trauma or violence, are more susceptible to developing the syndrome.
The pain and problems caused by somatic symptom and related disorders are real – they are not imagined.
Unexplained somatic symptoms are common among trauma survivors. If you have suffered physical trauma due to an incident that was not your fault, such as a traffic accident or a bone fracture, which has resulted in Somatoform disorder, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Brian Barr Solicitors assist claimants throughout England and Wales with personal injury and insurance claims. We specialise in ‘invisible illnesses’ and understand the real impact a Somatoform Disorder can have on your life. Every case is treated uniquely. The amount of compensation awarded will depend on the severity of the psychological injury and the impact it has on your everyday life.
Compensation can help with:
Whether you have been involved in a car accident, an assault, accident at work, or medical negligence, you may be eligible for a substantial compensation claim to cover your pain and suffering, recover your losses and funds for any ongoing support you need.
Somatoform disorder can present itself in different ways, and is most often categorised into the following:
Persistent somatoform pain disorder:
Dissociative/conversion disorder:
Chronic fatigue syndrome (neurasthenia):
Read more about how we support client throughout the UK to claim compensation for their injuries or chronic pain conditions. Brian Barr Solicitors consistently achieves great results and high compensation amounts.
Treatment can be difficult due to the nature of the condition. However, a Somatoform disorder can be managed. Medications, particularly antidepressants, are often prescribed to patients. In addition, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapy are also effective for the treatment of somatic symptom disorder.
You have enough to worry about without having to worry further about funding your personal injury claim. Funding your case may well be very straightforward through your existing legal expenses cover or our ‘no win, no fee’ scheme.
If you have legal insurance cover (perhaps through your existing home or motor insurance policy), as long as you comply with the terms of your policy you won’t need to worry about dealing with any legal costs. However, often your insurers will tell you that, to take advantage of the policy, you will have to use one of their panel solicitors. There are, however, two important exceptions to this rule:
If you do not have suitable legal expenses insurance, Brian Barr Solicitors can often act for you under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), often called a ‘no win no fee’ arrangement. This means you pay a limited capped proportion of your damages to us if you win, and absolutely nothing if you lose. We are happy to speak to you about your case and can normally quickly gage whether or not you have a good chance of being successful in your claim, and can advise you on the best route going forward.
At Brian Barr Solicitors we understand that invisible illnesses affect people differently.
SSD can happen for a wide variety of reasons. If you have been diagnosed with Somatoform Disorder following an accident or trauma that was not your fault, our specialist solicitors are here to help you claim compensation for your pain and suffering.
If you are looking to claim compensation for a brain injury or neurological condition, you will firstly need to be able to prove that the condition was caused by another’s negligence. The compensation for SSD can vary depending on the severity of the disorder and the impact it has had on both your working capabilities and your needs for care. As part of your claim, medical experts will be instructed to provide their professional opinion on the effect the accident has had and how that may progress in the future.
Our team are caring, compassionate and always take the time to understand your unique situation. We will tailor how we work accordingly. We have a dedicated team who are passionate about helping our clients in a caring, understanding, and professional manner. We pride ourselves in providing expert support and advice in your time of need and securing the compensation you deserve.
Are your current solicitors a specialist firm whose expertise is chronic pain and serious injury litigation?
Moving solicitors is easy and hassle free, and in cases involving rare conditions such as Somatoform disorder, it is vital that you speak to solicitors who deal with these medical conditions regularly, who fully understand your disorder and the true impact this has on your life. If not, your claim could be misunderstood and undervalued.
In any accident or insurance claim, transferring your claim from your current solicitor to Brian Barr Solicitors is easy and hassle-free. You are under no obligation to stay with your current solicitor and are entitled to switch your solicitors for whatever reason you wish whether you feel that you are not going to get the compensation that you deserve or you are simply unhappy with their service.
If you have a complex personal injury case, such as brain injury, chronic pain or SSD, it can be extremely frustrating if your solicitor does not fully understand your case and does not have access to the right medical experts to help prove your case.