Are there different categories of personal accident injury?
The term ‘personal accident injury' covers a wide variety of different injuries. From minor bruising and short-term tissue damage to life-altering injuries that deeply affect entire families.That is why the Judicial College, part of the Ministry of Justice, have identified numerous injury types and published compensation guidelines to each.
These guidelines take a range of factors into consideration when deciding compensation awards. This includes general damages, awarded on grounds of any pain, suffering or psychological trauma you may have gone through as a result of your injury.
Special damages are also considered under government guidelines. These include any financial losses you may have encountered due to your injury and these are added in addition to general damages.
How is personal accident injury compensation awarded?
How is personal accident injury compensation awarded?
Personal accident injuries fall into many categories. In the table below, we have included some examples and the general damages awarded taken from the 15th and latest edition of the Judicial College guidelines:
| Injury | Guide amount |
| Head injury | £1,760 - £322,060 |
| Facial injury | £1,360 - £322,060 |
| Mild tinnitus to total deafness | £10,040 - £87,410 |
| Whiplash | £300 - £6,290 (with recovery in 1-2 years) |
| Moderate shoulder injury | £6,290 - £10,180 |
| Back injury causing permanent symptoms | £9,970 - £22,130 |
| Hip or pelvis injury | £3,150 - £104,370 |
| Fractured forearm | £5,280 - £15,300 |
| Wrist injury | £2,810 - £47,720 |
| Hernia | £2,710 - £19,260 |
| Ankle injury | £10,960 - £55,560 |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Discorder | £3,150 - £80,250 |
If you can't see your injury listed, don't worry. Most personal accident injuries fall into one of the above categories. Our experienced team of personal injury solicitors are here to help and can advise which category covers your injury type.
How do I begin a personal accident injury claim?
How do I begin a personal accident injury claim?
If you have sustained a personal accident injury and think you could be eligible to claim, always first seek professional advice.
- Contact our experienced team of personal injury solicitors in complete confidence.
- We'll listen carefully to your experience and details of your injury, then let you know if you could be eligible to make a claim.
- Next, we'll talk you through your options so you can make an informed decision about whether to make your claim or not.
- We'll provide you accurate, impartial and compassionate advice and we will never pressure you into making a claim.
Should you decide to proceed with your claim, we will go through the next steps with you and discuss how compensation claims work. Once you are happy with the finer details, we'll start work on your personal accident injury claim.
Meet Jonathan White - he's the Legal & Compliance Director at National Accident Law. As a senior personal injury solicitor, Jonathan is responsible for all legal and regulatory compliance aspects of our law group.
At National Accident Law we strive to deliver a straightforward and tailored experience for our customers.
Is there a time limit to make a personal accident injury claim?
Is there a time limit to make a personal accident injury claim?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of your accident to make a claim. It's advisable to contact us as soon as you can after your accident. We recommend that you start the claim while the details of your accident are still clear in your mind.
There are exceptions to these time limits, as outlined below:
- You can make a claim for a child in your care up until their 18th birthday. It's usually a parent, guardian, family relative or trusted official who performs this role as a child's ‘litigation friend'.
- Once a child reaches 18 years of age, they have until their 21st birthday to make a claim if one has not been made for them as above.
- If the victim of the accident is unable to make the claim themselves due to psychological incapacity from a previous condition or as a result of injury, there are no limits to making a claim.
If you have any questions relating to personal accident injury claim limits, get in touch with one of our friendly advisors on .
How much compensation could I receive?
How much compensation could I receive?
Every personal accident injury claim is different. Therefore, we can't advise on specific compensation amounts before a claim begins. Many different factors can affect the compensation amount you could receive.
If you choose to pursue your claim with us, we will consider the specific circumstances of your case to assess your potential compensation amount. These circumstances include the severity of your injuries, recovery time, any financial losses and the impact on your life in general.
We will also take the following into consideration:
- Lost earnings if you have had to take time off work.
- Costs related to your injury, such as medical bills or prescription costs.
- Changes you have had to make to your home or car because of the accident.
- Any impact your injury has had on your quality of life.
- The effect of the incident on your mental health.
Frequently asked questions...
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to make a claim on behalf of a loved one. For instance, you can claim on behalf of your child if they were injured and under the age of 18.
You may also be able to claim on behalf of an injured person who's suffered head or brain trauma, or someone who has a pre-existing medical condition which means they are unable to make a decision themselves. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is in place to protect vulnerable parties and help people establish when a person lacks capacity to make their own decision.
If you are claiming on behalf of a loved one, it is important you have all the details of their accident and medical treatment. A personal injury solicitor will be able to take you through this and explain how the compensation claim process works in these situations.
If your loved one has died due to an accident that wasn't their fault, we understand how difficult it can be to cope. While we can't take back what happened, we can help you to claim compensation which may relieve some of the financial pressure you're facing.
No win no fee means you will only pay your legal team if your claim is successful and you are awarded compensation.
If you win your claim, your solicitor will typically make the following deductions from the compensation you are awarded:
- A ‘success fee' for winning the claim.
- The other side will usually be required to make a payment towards your legal costs and expenses but any shortfall may also be deducted from your compensation.
- The cost of the premium for any legal protection insurance you may have needed to ensure your claim is risk free.
You keep the rest and this will always be the majority of the compensation awarded to you. The deductions we list above will only be made when your compensation is paid. There are no upfront costs and no hidden charges.
When you talk to one of our personal injury experts, we can determine if you have the right cover and help you organise insurance before you make a claim.
In cases where the injured person was under 18 years of age when the accident or incident occurred, the three-year period expires on their 21st birthday.
If you don't issue your claim within those time limits, you won't usually be able to proceed. This is called being 'time-barred'. Extensions to the time limits are only available in exceptional circumstances and we can talk you though these if they're relevant to your claim.
Get in touch with us today
At National Accident Law, we know that any personal accident injury can have far-reaching impacts on your life. Whether it is continuing pain or financial hardship, we're here to help get your life back on track.
As personal accident injury claim experts, our team of expert personal accident injury solicitors and advisors have the experience to get you the result you deserve. Get in touch with us on , request a call back to speak to us. Or you can start your claim online today.