What is a serious injury?
The term "serious injury" is often used to cover a wide range of injury types. Generally, an injury is considered serious if it causes severe impact to your daily life, your future and the daily lives of those around you.
We typically consider an injury to be serious if you've experience any of the below:
- Had to spend a long time in hospital or require long-term medical treatment
- Repeatedly visited hospital about your injury
- Had to take significant time off work
- Needed care from friends, family members or paid professionals
When you contact us about your serious injury, we will try to gather as much information as possible from you, to ensure your solicitor has as much information as possible.
That's because your solicitor will negotiate for the maximum amount of compensation you're entitled to. This is so that your compensation covers the impact on you and your future, and any impact felt by your family members, including:
- Compensation for the care your family members or friends have given to you
- Repaying your loved ones for any time they've had to take off work
- Covering the cost of travel and accommodation your loved ones may have paid
Compensation for a serious injury can also cover:
- Loss of future earnings
- Loss of ability to take part in extra-curricular and spare time activities and sports
- Any adaptations that might be needed
- Any prescription and travel costs
If you've suffered a serious injury, please don't feel anxious about contacting us. We have experienced, personal injury advisors who can give you free, impartial advice on making a claim for your injury. You can speak to one of our advisors now for a no-obligation chat on .
What is a typical serious injury?
There are no typical examples of what a serious injury might look like. However, we know from our years_since years that serious injuries can be the result of road traffic accidents, including cyclists, pedestrians and passengers who have been injured in an accident that wasn't their fault.
We also know that accidents at work can cause serious injury, due a lack of preventative training or safety measures. For example, a serious injury might occur where somebody works with dangerous machinery or at height.
Over our years_since years we've also worked with people who have suffered a serious injury as a result of medical negligence.
While any injury can be considered serious if it meets certain criteria, we do have dedicated pages of content to some of the more commonly known serious injuries, such as:
Can I claim on behalf of a family member or friend?
Yes, you can make a claim on behalf of a friend or family member who has suffered a life-changing injury.
We understand that sometimes serious injuries result in the victim being dependent on someone else, like a friend or family member. Supporting them through their claim could be one of the most useful practical ways you can help.
To make a compensation claim whether for yourself or on behalf of a loved one, the accident needs to have been somebody else's fault, such as a negligent employer or a careless driver.
In the vast majority of cases affecting adults, the law says that the accident must have happened in the last three years; however, if your loved one has suffered an injury that means they are no longer able to make legal decisions, then you may still be able to claim if it has been more than three years since the accident.
If you're at all unsure, we recommend contacting us for advice, as we can discuss the circumstances of the accident and provide you with free, impartial advice about your options, with no obligation to begin a claim. Alternatively, please visit our claiming on behalf of someone else's behalf page for more information.
Can I claim if my partner or family member has died?
If you've recently lost your partner or a close family member in a fatal accident, we're very sorry for your loss.
While we're unable to fully understand how you might be feeling, we can use our experience working with fatal accident claims to help you secure compensation if the accident was someone else's fault.
Your compensation may not be able to lessen the sorrow of having lost a loved one, but it can provide financial stability at a time when you should be focusing on your family.
Read more about our work with fatal accidents. Or you can contact us today for advice based on your experience. You're under no obligation to make a claim if you contact us.
How long do accident claims take?
Each case is completely individual. Because of this, we're unable to advise at the outset how long your claim will take. However, we do hold all of our solicitor firms to high standards, and we know they'll work as quickly as your case allows to settle your claim, and allow you the chance to put your accident behind you.
You can read more about the standards we hold our solicitor firms to in our customer charter.
When claiming for a serious injury, it's important that we understand the full impact your injury has had on your life. This includes not only the impact on your finances, but also the effect on your ability to move freely around your home, to drive and to work, as well as any impact on your family.
We want to make sure the settlement you receive completely compensates you for the extent of your injury. This may mean that your case could take quite a while to go through, but when you claim with us, our solicitors will keep you informed every step of the way.
If you have financial needs that require support before your final settlement, then you may be able to claim an interim payment via an immediate needs assessment. Find out more information about immediate needs assessments.
We've helped thousands of people in our years_since years by providing jargon-free advice about their accident and compensation.
Read how we've helped others
We understand that you might like to know how we've helped others who have also suffered a life-changing injury and have claimed compensation. As part of our commitment to providing great service we ask people to review us on the independent review site TrustPilot.
Below are a handful of reviews from some of the people we've helped make a compensation claim for their injury.
What information do I need to make a claim?
We understand that reliving aspects of your accident or injury can be distressing. It may even be preventing you from contacting us.
We don't want you to feel uncomfortable when you call us. That's why when you do get in touch, our personal injury advisors will listen to everything you have to say about your experience and will only ask you questions that are necessary to check whether you have a claim.
To make this process as simple and stress-free as possible, we advise having the following information to hand for your call:
- The date of your accident (it doesn't need to be the exact time)
- What you were doing when the accident happened, for example driving or working
- Dates of any medical treatment you've received for your injuries, and if possible what type of treatment you've received
- Dates of any time you've taken off work because of your accident
- Details of any adaptations you've had to make to your life
- Details of pain you've suffered because of your injury
Don't worry about having every last detail in place before your call. For example, if you're unsure of the total time you've had to take off work, or the name of any medical treatment you've received, don't worry - it's likely we can still help you.
If you've been seriously injured in an accident, the impact on you and those around you - both financially and emotionally - cannot be underestimated.
Will I have to go to court?
Most of the cases we work with never enter the courtroom. This is because often a settlement can be agreed without court proceedings.
There are rare occasions where a court summons may be issued. This could be because the other party is denying they are to blame for your accident, or because a compensation figure can't be agreed.
If this happens during your case, your solicitor will be on hand throughout the process and will guide you through every step.
To put your mind at ease, over 95% of our cases are completed without having to go to court.
How much compensation could I receive?
We wish we could give you a final compensation figure before you begin your claim, but unfortunately there are a lot of factors affecting your settlement which makes it difficult for us to say how much compensation you could receive.
What you can be sure of is that when your solicitor negotiates on your behalf, they will work hard to get you the maximum amount of compensation available.
To do this, they'll consider a number of things, including:
- The type of injury you've suffered and the severity of your injury
- Any loss of earnings you've suffered and will continue to suffer
- Any costs you've had to pay, such as prescriptions, travel, accommodation, private care
- Any costs you'll need to pay in the future, as listed above
- Any care given by a family member or friend
- The length and nature of your recovery, and any counselling you may need
- Any adaptations you will have to make to your car, home or life
If you're looking for a guide figure on how much you may be entitled to you, you can try our compensation calculator.
How much will a claim cost for me?
There are no upfront costs when you start your claim with us. In fact, there are no upfront costs involved in making a claim at all.
Because we only work with solicitors who can handle your case on a no win no fee basis, there is no risk to claiming because you only pay for your solicitor's services if you receive a settlement; and you'll have agreed on a fee for your solicitor's services before you begin your claim.
Quite simply, that means, if for any reason, your claim isn't successful, you won't pay a penny.
How do I start a claim?
We're proud of the work we do helping people like you make genuine claims for compensation. We have friendly and personal injury advisors ready to take your call, give you free impartial advice and let you know if they feel you have a compensation claim.
Give us a call on , and you could know if you have a claim in minutes.
If you'd prefer to be called back, you can enter your details in the form at the bottom of this page and we'll call you back within 30 minutes during standard opening times.
We understand that you may not always be available to answer the phone when we call, so don't panic if you miss a call from us, we'll leave a message to let you know we've called and try again later.
The process of starting your claim doesn't take a long time, and you're also under no pressure to start your claim if you change your mind during the call.
As we take your privacy very seriously, we've made our site secure. That means when you fill out a contact form your personal details are safe and we'll only call you about your accident.
We also won't pass your details on to one of our solicitor firms without your clear permission. In fact, we'll take great care to ensure that your details are kept safe and are never passed on to anyone without your clear permission.
How long do I have to start my claim?
Generally, we advise that you have three years from the date of your accident to make a compensation claim.
There are some exceptions to this, for example where a loved one has suffered a brain injury and is no longer able to make legal decisions. In those situations, there is no time limit on making a claim.
If you're thinking of making a claim for a child who has suffered a serious injury, then we can help you start the process and take the stress out of picking the right solicitor for your child's case. When making a claim on behalf of a child, you have until three years after their 18th birthday to contact us.
Still need answers?
If you have more questions about making a serious injury claim that haven't been answered here, please give us a call on .
We can provide advice based specifically on your accident over the phone and for free.
You can also find more information about claiming by clicking any of the below links.