Personal Injury Claims

If you’ve been hurt in an accident that wasn’t your fault, our expert personal injury solicitors could help you claim the compensation you’re entitled to.

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What is a personal injury claim?

A personal injury is any injury or illness caused by someone else’s negligence. Legally, you are entitled to compensation when this happens to you.

Compensation for a personal injury claim can help give you the best chance of recovery.

When you make a personal injury claim, your solicitor could also help you get the treatment you need – from physiotherapy to dental work, counselling to surgery. Making a claim for an accident is about ensuring you have the resources you need to help you get better.

You could be able to make a personal injury claim if you were involved in an accident that:

  • Happened in the last three years
  • Caused you harm
  • Was caused by someone else – either wholly or partly – and there is evidence to support this

In most cases, you’ll claim against the insurer of the party responsible for your accident, whether that’s another driver, your employer or a medical professional.

How can I fund a personal injury claim?

Most personal injury claims in England and Wales are handled on a No Win No Fee basis. This means there will be nothing for you to pay upfront and no legal fees to cover if your case is unsuccessful.

We understand that you might be worried about the costs associated with your accident. You may have lost earnings due to your injury, for example, or perhaps you’ve had to pay for further treatment.

But when you make a claim on a No Win No Fee basis, you can rest assured that there will be no financial risk to you – meaning you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

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 35% of the final compensation amount plus VAT for all road traffic accidents.

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

How can First4Lawyers help?

Our team is experienced in all forms of personal injury claims. We understand how distressing this time is, and our compassionate advisors will do all they can to make it less stressful for you.

We’ve won multiple awards for our dedication to helping people like you, who have been hurt unexpectedly and through no fault of their own. We have also helped thousands of people secure the compensation they were entitled to – like Mrs Marshall, who received £100,000 for her broken wrist.

We work with expert personal injury lawyers, who share our determination to put things right when they’ve gone wrong. With our solicitors, your claim will be in the best hands possible.

If you need any help with your claim, or you’re unsure whether you have a case, just get in touch. We’ll talk through your situation with you and let you know what your options are.

Why choose First4Lawyers?

Whether you want to make an accident and injury claim, or need a solicitor for personal or business law matters - our friendly team are here to help, 24/7.

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    FREE INITIAL CASE REVIEW

    Our fully trained legal advisors are happy to offer initial guidance for free

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    NO HIDDEN COSTS

    We provide a transparent, friendly service with no hidden costs or catches

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    NO PRESSURE

    We offer advice with no obligation. We never cold-call or apply pressure to our customers

How much personal injury compensation could I receive?

Compensation for a personal injury claim is usually split into two parts: general damages and special damages.

General damages are awarded for the pain and suffering you’ve been through because of your injury. The amount of compensation you’re awarded in general damages will be based on the Judicial College guidelines:

Injury

Severity

Compensation

Broken arm

Simple fracture

Up to £23,430

Wrist injury

Permanent disability, where useful movement remains

Up to £47,810

Leg injuries

Most serious without requiring amputation

Up to £165,860

Back injury

Recovery takes up to 5 years

Up to £15,260

Brain damage

Very severe

Up to £493,000

Special damages are different as they will compensate you for any negative financial impact your injury has had. This might include a loss of earnings if you’ve been unable to work, as well as any medical treatment you’ve had to pay for, such as physiotherapy.

Your personal injury solicitor will be able to give a more accurate prediction of how much your claim could be worth after speaking to you.

How long do I have to make a personal injury claim?

For most personal injury claims, there is a three-year deadline starting from the date of the accident.

Although this may sound like a long time, it’s a good idea to start your claim as soon as you can. This is because it may be more straightforward to get hold of any necessary evidence if you begin the process sooner rather than later.

Not every personal injury claim will face the same deadline, though.

If you’re claiming on behalf of someone who lacks mental capacity, for example, you won’t face a time limit unless they regain the capacity to bring a claim.

Meanwhile, if you’re taking legal action on behalf of a child, you’ll have until their 18th birthday to do so. From then, they will have until their 21st birthday to bring a claim themselves.

Will my personal injury claim go to court?

The thought of having to go to court puts a lot of people off making a personal injury claim. But this is actually very rare.

Your solicitor will do all they can to negotiate a fair settlement with the party responsible for your injuries, before the case ever goes to court. More often than not, the other side will want to avoid court proceedings, too, so these types of cases are usually settled outside of the courtroom.

In the unlikely event that court proceedings are required, your personal injury lawyer will be by your side throughout.

I think I have a personal injury claim – what should I do?

If you’ve been involved in an accident, the most important thing to do is seek medical attention. Not only will this ensure you get the treatment you need, it could also help if you decide to make a claim as there will be a medical record of your injuries.

After this, you could consider taking legal action. We can put you in touch with experienced personal injury solicitors – just give our friendly team a call and we’ll let you know if you could have a strong case for compensation.

To learn more, call us on the number at the top of the screen, request a callback or start your claim online with our quick and easy claims form.

We’re here to help you.

Personal Injury Claim FAQs

How do I make a personal injury claim?

Just get in contact with us! Our experts will assess the details of your claim and advise you whether you have a case.

We don’t believe in encouraging false claims, so we’ll only advise you to start a claim if we believe you have grounds for doing so.

If you decide to start your claim with us, our advisors will talk you through the next part of the process.

An independent panel of solicitors, selected by First4Lawyers, will determine what your claim is likely to be worth if you are successful.

You’ll then enter into an agreement with your solicitor who will be acting on your behalf to make your claim.

They will then file a letter of claim to the person responsible for causing your accident (the defendant).

For more answers, take a look at our guide to making a claim.

Can I get compensation even if no one was convicted?

Yes, you can still claim compensation even if the person responsible for the criminal assault isn’t convicted or brought to justice.

You can do this through the government-backed Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

 

Can I make a public liability claim?

It depends on whether the accident occurred due to the actions or negligence of those responsible for the area where you had the accident.

Claims for accidents in public places are quite common, often as a result of poor highway maintenance, something for which local councils are directly responsible.

If you’ve been injured in an accident on public property, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries.

To find out if you have a claim, just call one of our legal advisors who will assess your case and advise you of your next step.

You can also find more information on our slips, trips and falls claims page.

Can I claim against the council?

Yes, if your accident happened in a location for which the council are responsible.

Local councils are responsible for the maintenance of such things as:

  • Roads
  • Pavements and sidewalks
  • Public parks
  • Libraries
  • Most schools and colleges, which aren’t privately run
  • Town and city squares
  • Community centres
  • Council houses/flats

For all of the above, the council are directly responsible for ensuring that each are maintained to the highest possible standard, posing no health and safety risks whatsoever.

Despite that, some errors are made either through a lack of regular upkeep or poor maintenance.

One common example of how a local council could be deemed responsible for an accident is if someone sustained an injury after tripping over a cracked or poorly maintained pavement. In this case, the council is at fault for not keeping the pavement in good condition and causing a hazard to the public using it.

Our experts have dealt with numerous cases in which a person has been injured in a public place, which could have otherwise been avoided if it was properly maintained by the local authority.

If you’ve had an accident in a public place and are unsure if you’re eligible to claim compensation, have a chat to our experts who will assess the circumstances of your accident and offer advice on your next steps.

You can read more information on how we can help with slip, trip or fall claims.

Can I claim if my accident happened while I was abroad?

Yes, you can still claim if you had an accident while abroad.  But it can be more complex due to varying laws in other countries.

Accidents abroad are very common and can happen to anyone. Some of the most common accidents can include things such as suffering food poisoning from the hotel restaurant, slipping on a wet floor in a hotel or tripping over on a poorly-maintained footpath.

Other scenarios you may be able to claim compensation for include: sport-related accidents from using damaged, faulty or poorly-maintained equipment, sustaining an injury during an arranged excursion and road traffic accidents (including accidents when travelling as a passenger in a car, coach or taxi).

Those who booked their trip with a travel agent or as part of a package holiday are more likely to be able to claim against the travel company once returning to the UK, as opposed to the services used abroad (such as a hotel or restaurant).

At First4Lawyers, we work with solicitors who are experienced in making claims for accidents that have happened abroad, for people who were either on holiday or travelling on a business trip. Contact us for a no-obligation chat.

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