Making a Claim for a Personal Injury

If you’ve suffered a personal injury, you could have grounds to make a claim. We can help you take the first step towards compensation and support.

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How to claim compensation for a personal injury

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, it can include doctors and hospitals.

If you’ve suffered a personal injury in the last three years, you could be entitled to claim compensation from those responsible to aid your recovery.

To begin the process of making a personal injury claim, try to gather as much evidence as you can to support your case. Depending on the type of injury you suffered, this could include:

  • CCTV or other video evidence
  • Medical records
  • Photos of your injuries
  • Police reports
  • Proof of time taken off work

Then all you’ll need to do is get in touch with us. You can either give us a call on the number at the top of the screen, request a callback or fill in our online claims form – whichever method works best for you.

I’ve suffered a personal injury – how can First4Lawyers help?

Making a claim can sound daunting. But it doesn’t need to be. We’re passionate about making legal support accessible for anyone who needs it. And with solicitors based up and down the country, we could put you in touch with a local specialist.

When you first speak to us, we’ll offer you a free initial consultation. This will involve us asking a few straightforward questions so that we can evaluate whether or not you have a strong claim.

Next, if we think you have a case, we’ll ask if you’d like to be put in touch with one of our expert solicitors. This decision will be completely up to you, and we’ll never pressure you either way.

But if you do decide to pursue a claim, we’ll match you with a solicitor who will manage your case and work to secure you the best possible outcome.

What happens during a personal injury claim?

The process of making a claim can feel less overwhelming when it’s broken down. These are the five key stages involved:

  1. Your first consultation with your solicitor
    After you’re matched with a solicitor, they’ll speak to you about the details of your case and you may be asked to provide documents such as medical records and photos of your injuries. This will help your solicitor to assess how your accident has affected you, and what your claim could be worth.
  2. Identifying who was responsible
    Before proceeding with your claim, your solicitor will need to work out who should be held responsible for your injuries. This could be an organisation – such as your employer – or an individual. But it will need to be proven that they failed in their duty of care towards you.
  3. Reaching out to the other party (the defendant)
    When your solicitor has all the details of your case, they’ll contact the other side on your behalf. This will notify the defendant of your intention to submit a claim, and they will need to send a response either accepting or denying liability for your injuries.
  4. Negotiating your compensation
    If the defendant accepts responsibility for your injuries, the next step will be to negotiate your compensation. But if liability is denied, your solicitor will need to gather further supporting evidence to present to the other side.
  5. Settling your claim
    Most personal injury claims are settled outside of court, so it is unlikely that you’ll need to appear in a courtroom. Usually, a court hearing will only be needed if the other side continues to deny liability. But it is still possible for a settlement to be reached before your court date if one is scheduled.

How long does the personal injury claims process take?

As with any claim, how long it takes for your case to be settled will depend on a number of factors, including:

  • The severity of your injuries
    If your injuries are more complex, it may not immediately be apparent what the impact on your life will be. Your solicitor might choose to wait until they know the full extent of your injuries before attempting to value your claim.
  • Who your claim is against
    In some cases, it may take longer to identify who should be held responsible for your injuries. For example, if you were injured in a taxi, your solicitor would need to establish whether the claim should be made against the driver or the taxi company.
  • Whether the other party accepts responsibility
    If the individual or organisation accused of causing your injuries denies liability, the claims process could be prolonged. This is because your solicitor will need to go away and build further evidence to support your case.

Personal injury claims can be unpredictable, which means it’s difficult to say exactly how long your case will take to settle. But once you’ve started your claim, there is no time limit on when it is resolved. So you won’t need to worry about missing any deadlines.

You can learn more about the timings surrounding these types of claims by reading our free guide.

Our No Win No Fee service

In England and Wales, personal injury claims can be covered by No Win No Fee agreements. This means you will only have to pay your solicitor a fee if you win your claim. And if you’re unsuccessful, you won’t have any legal fees to pay.

The rules are slightly different in Scotland, where No Win No Fee agreements can be applied to personal injury cases but not those involving medical negligence. It’s also worth noting that No Win No Fee arrangements are not permitted in Northern Ireland.

Our claims advisors can explain exactly how our No Win No Fee service works and answer any questions you may have, so you’re comfortable going forward.

To find out more, give us a call on the number at the top of the screen, request a callback or start your claim online through our website.

We’re here to help you work out your next steps, whenever you’re ready.

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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