Making a claim for a personal injury

If you’ve suffered a personal injury, accident or medical negligence, you can make a claim for compensation. We can help you do that.

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How to make a claim

A personal injury is an injury or illness caused by someone else. This could be an individual or an organisation – and in the case of medical negligence, this can include doctors and hospitals. If this has happened to you in the last three years, you could be able to claim compensation from those responsible to aid your recovery.

To begin the process of making a personal injury claim, gather your evidence. Depending on the type of injury you suffered, this could include police reports, medical records or copies of accident books, as well as photos and video evidence of your injury or the area it happened in. You could also provide proof of time taken off work.

Then all you need to do is get in touch with us. Just give us a call, request a call back, use our Live Chat service to speak to an advisor or start your claim online.

Our friendly and understanding claims advisors will carry out a free initial consultation. They’ll discuss your accident and injury and assess whether you have a claim.

If you then decide to go ahead with a claim, we will match you with one of our specialist injury lawyers. We’ll also explain the details of our No Win No Fee service, which means you won’t face any financial risk when making a claim.

From that point, our expert solicitors will manage your claim. They will work hard to get you the compensation you are entitled to for an injury that wasn’t your fault.

 

What happens during a claim?

Your solicitor will discuss your claim with you, talking through the details and what happened to you. Once they know how you’ve been affected and what evidence you have, they’ll let you know whether you have a case. They’ll then talk you through the claims process and what you can expect.

As part of the claims process, your solicitor will likely arrange for you to have a medical assessment carried out by an expert medical professional. This will show just how badly you’ve been injured and how it has affected your daily life. This will help to build the strongest case possible.

After compiling your evidence and reviewing your case, your solicitor will then contact the person or organisation responsible for your accident. They will let them know that you intend to make a claim for compensation.

The responsible party will then have to either accept or reject liability. If they accept that they caused your accident, your solicitor will then negotiate with them to get you the right level of compensation. If they reject liability, your solicitor will then review the evidence again and advise you of your next steps.

It’s important to remember that very few personal injury claims end up in court. The vast majority of cases are settled before that will happen. If you do have to go to court, your solicitor will be there to support you and help you understand exactly what will happen.

How much compensation could I receive?

The amount of compensation you receive for a successful claim will depend on the severity of your injury and how it has affected you.

This means that how much you are awarded for a certain injury could be different to someone else who has suffered a similar injury.

Your compensation will be split into two parts:

  • General damages: These cover the pain and suffering you have experienced because of your injury. They compensate you for any changes you have to make to your lifestyle, such as giving up a favourite hobby.
  • Special damages: These cover any financial impact your injury has had on your life. This could include a loss of earnings through being unable to work or any medical treatment you’ve had to pay for.

Take a look at our compensation calculator below to get a rough idea of what you might be entitled to.

Compensation Calculator

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  • In these cases brain damage, if any, will be minimal.
  • Where a good recovery has been made but symptoms such as poor concentration and memory problems continue.
  • Where ability to work is reduced and there is a risk of epilepsy.
  • The injured person is very seriously disabled and is dependent on others.
  • Epilepsy has been caused as a consequence of the injury.
  • Affecting the ability to cope with life and/or work or affecting relationships with family and friends.
  • The injured person largely recovers within two years.
  • Injury causes effects that cause significant disability for the foreseeable future, or permanently.
  • In consequence of defective permanent waving etc. where effects are dermatitis or hair loss leading to distress and effects on social life.
  • Where hair has been pulled out leaving bald patches, or stress-induced alopecia with full recovery within two years.
  • Resulting in pain and temporary interference with vision.
  • Permanent impairment of vision in one or both eyes.
  • Total loss of sight in one eye and reduced vision or other problems with the other eye
  • Total loss of sight in one eye only.
  • Mild tinnitus with some hearing loss
  • With noise induced hearing loss, or moderate to severe tinnitus, or noise induced hearing loss alone.
  • With noise induced hearing loss
  • With or without associated problems such as tinnitus, dizziness or headaches.
  • With or without the speech being affected, or tinnitus.
  • Full recovery with no surgery required.
  • Where recovery is complete after surgery
  • Injuries requiring a number of operations and/or resulting in permanent damage.
  • Simple fracture of the cheekbone, which will fully recover without surgery.
  • Simple fracture of the cheekbone requiring some reconstructive surgery, but with full recovery and little or no cosmetic effects.
  • Serious fractures causing lasting effects such as burning/prickling sensation or an element of disfigurement.
  • Requiring immobilisation but recovery is complete.
  • Serious injury causing permanent damage, such as difficulty eating or opening the mouth.
  • Very serious multiple fractures requiring prolonged treatment. Permanent effects such as severe pain, restricted eating.
  • Assessed per tooth.
  • Single tooth only.
  • Extends over a number of years, including significant deterioration of overall condition of the teeth.
  • Where full recovery takes place between nine months and one year.
  • Fractures or dislocations which cause severe immediate symptoms and chronic conditions, leading to impaired function or limitation of activities.
  • Injuries usually involving serious fractures or disc damage leading to disability, such as substantial loss of movement or loss of function in one or more limbs.
  • Caused by asbestos
  • Varying levels of respiratory disability and reduced lung function (1-10% and in excess of 10%)
  • Severe pain and impairment of the pleura (lung lining) or the peritoneum (lining of the abdominal cavity), affecting function and quality of life.
  • Causing respiratory disability attributed to asbestos exposure.
  • Causing permanent damage, impairment of function, physical disability and reduction of life expectancy.
  • Such as soft tissue damage causing considerable pain but recovery almost complete within two years.
  • Such as frozen shoulder causing limitation of movement and discomfort for up to two years.
  • Causing pain in shoulder and neck, aching in elbow, weakness of arm and hand.
  • Involving damage to the brachial plexus and resulting in significant disability.
  • Temporary or permanent disability as a result of a fracture.
  • Such as strains, sprains, disc prolapses and soft tissue injuries.
  • Such as disturbances of ligaments and muscles causing backache, or compression fracture.
  • Injuries causing severe pain and disability, including impaired bladder, bowel and sexual function.
  • Resulting in significant or permanent disability
  • Most elbow injuries such as simple fractures, laceration and tennis elbow, not resulting in permanent damage or impairment.
  • Injuries causing impairment of function but not involving major surgery or significant disabilty
  • Injuries such as deep lacerations, soft tissue wounds or crush injuries, all recovering within six months.
  • Resulting in impairment of grip or reduced mechanical function. Partial amputations resulting in deformity.
  • Injuries such as a thumb being severed and re-attached, leaving it with little use, amputation of the tip or at the joint of the thumb. Nerve damage or fracture resulting in impaired grip or dexterity.
  • Amputation resulting in very little use and weak grip.
  • Amputation due to crush injuries, or loss of a significant part of the hand due to traumatic injury.
  • Serious injury resulting in extensive damage to both hands, effectively leaving them with little use.
  • Caused by repeated vibration, damage to hands including impaired grip, dexterity and frequent pain.
  • Such as an uncomplicated fracture with full or virtual recovery.
  • Injuries resulting in significant permanent disability, but some useful movement remains.
  • Injuries causing some permanent disability, such as persistent pain and stiffness.
  • Resulting in complete loss of function in the wrist, for example when an arthrodesis has been performed.
  • Such as a broken femur, tibia or fibular
  • Serious fracture or injuries to joints or ligaments, scarring, instability and lengthy treatment required.
  • Fractures where a full recovery is not made.
  • Loss of a leg below the knee
  • Loss of a leg above the knee
  • Both legs being lost above the knee, below the knee, or where one leg has been lost above the knee and the other below.
  • Torn cartilage or meniscus, laceration, twisting and bruising. May be full recovery, or continued aches and pains.
  • Injury or damage causing mild disability or continuing pain, discomfort or limited movement that may require future surgery.
  • Fractures, joint or ligament damage causing constant pain, impairing movement and agility. Requiring prolonged treatment, the injured person will be prone to osteoarthritis.
  • Including fractures where there is full recovery within two years.
  • Significant injury but any permanent disability is not major. Injury may require a hip replacement.
  • Such as extensive fractures resulting in substantial disabilities.
  • Simple metatarsal fractures, ruptured ligaments.
  • Displaced metatarsal fractures resulting in permanent deformity.
  • Fractures to feet resulting in restricted mobility and /or considerable continuing pain.
  • Crush or multiple fractures to two or more toes, resulting in permanent disability.
  • Undisplaced fractures, sprains and ligament injuries.
  • For fractures and ligament tears resulting in moderate disability, such as difficulty walking on uneven ground or on stairs.
  • Injuries involving long periods of treatment, long period in plaster and some permanent disability.

Simply fill in our form below and we’ll call you back at a time to suit you.

Or talk to our team on:
0808 271 6198

There are other types of compensation you could be awarded through your accident such as loss of earnings or damage to property. The estimates given here are simply for your personal injury claim.

First4Lawyers' solicitors will be able to give you the best idea of the amount you should expect from your individual injury.

It is important to keep in mind that every case is different and the advice and estimates you'll be given, once your case has started, will be tailored specifically for your case.

Our No Win No Fee service

Personal injury claims are covered by a No Win No Fee arrangements – also known as conditional fee agreements. This means you will only have to pay your solicitor a fee if you win your claim. If you are unsuccessful, you won’t have to pay any legal fees.

A No Win No Fee agreement means there is no risk to you. It also lets you focus on your recovery rather than how you might fund a compensation claim.

For more information on our No Win No Fee claims or to work out if you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, just get in touch. We are happy to have a chat about your situation and what the most appropriate next step is for you.

Only pay a fee if you receive compensation

Our No Win No Fee solicitors will take a success fee from the compensation you are awarded for a successful claim in the form of a percentage of your damages. This could be up to 25% but it won't be more than that, except in cases of road traffic accidents. Changing laws mean our solicitors will now take a payment of 30% of the final compensation amount plus VAT for all road traffic accident claims.

First4Lawyers are an award-winning claims management company with a track record of delivering service that our clients love.

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