Introduction to UK Accident Compensation
|
|
An Introductory Guide to UK Personal
Injury Claims |
Introduction to UK Personal Injury Compensation
Thousands of people in the UK suffer personal injuries which are not their
fault. If you have an accident which is down to someone else’s mistakes
then you may be able to claim compensation. Claims such as this are on the
rise and now make up a large proportion of all civil cases.
This guide attempts to take you through the minefield of personal injury
claims and accident compensation. We address the different types of personal
injury claim and guide you towards further sources of information.
What is it?
There are many different types of personal injury claim but most are either:
We will discuss the exact procedures for each type of injury claim further
on in this guide.
If you have an accident you must decide whether or not you would like to
make a compensation claim, or whether a complaint to the person or
organisation involved will suffice. You will find further information on
claiming below.
Claiming for Personal Injury Compensation
If you feel that you have a case for compensation you must make a personal
injury compensation claim. In most cases you must make the claim within 3
years of the accident, but in some cases this may be waived as you may not
realise you have an injury or illness until later.
When claiming it is also important to consider if the action that needs to
be taken is worth the time and possible financial investment on your part.
Some claims will of course be very simple, but other cases can be very
complicated and time consuming. It is also crucial to consider whether or
not the person you are claiming damages from will be able to pay, or whether
they will be covered by insurance.
There are two major ways to make a claim:
Personal Injury Solicitors and Lawyers
If you wish to bring a civil or criminal case against someone in order to
claim damages from them you will have to hire a good personal injury
solicitor. In the relevant section later on in this guide we explain this
procedure, and its benefits and pitfalls in greater detail.
Small Claims Courts
Going to either the high court ort county court can be expensive and time
consuming, and may not be worth it if you are only likely to be awarded a
relatively small amount of compensation.
By making a claim to the small claims court you do not have to enlist the
help of a specialist personal injury compensation claim lawyer. You are able
to present your case to a judge by yourself.
Browse more useful guides on Life
Insurance