Car accident lawyer

What is a car accident lawyer?

Car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and the consequences can be life-changing -even life-threatening. We understand that the physical injuries and mental strain can leave you with a heavy burden, especially if someone else was to blame for the incident.

We can't stop car accidents from happening. But car claim solicitors might be able to help you get compensation if you've been in an accident and it wasn't your fault. Your legal team will fight to earn you the compensation you deserve.

How common are car accidents?

According to the Department for Transport, there were 132,977 casualties of all severities from reported road traffic accidents in Great Britain in 2023. A scary statistic, particularly when you consider that 1,624 of those resulted in fatalities. Many others will have led to life-changing injuries or had a drastic impact on those involved, too.

Why should I claim compensation through a car accident lawyer?

With years_since years' experience, we know compensation can make a difference and can provide you with the support you need during your recovery. For example, it can help to cover the costs of:

• Your injury
• Specialised treatment, including physiotherapy and counselling
• Adapted travel costs, such as bus, taxi or specialised transport
• Your time off work and any time your loved ones have taken off to be there for you

While it can't erase the suffering you've had to face, compensation can go some way towards helping you rebuild your life after an accident.

For free, impartial advice and to find out if our UK-wide network of car accident solicitors can help you, contact us on .

Who can car accident claims solicitors help?

Of course, it's not just drivers of cars that are involved in road accidents. In fact, as stated in the Highway Code, pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road users and are most likely to suffer a serious injury following an accident.

If you're looking for advice following a road accident, we can help. Call us on - we'll listen to your story and, if we think you have a case, we can connect you with a professional car accident claim lawyer.

Whether you were involved in an incident as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or any other type of road user, we can help. Click on one of the links below to find out more about your accident type:

• Passenger
• Pedestrian
• Cyclist
• Motorcyclist
• Accidents on public transport

Can I make a claim on behalf of someone else?

If someone you know - for example, a family member - was involved in an accident and suffered life-changing injuries, they may be unable to claim compensation for themselves. In that case, you might be able to make a claim on their behalf.

You can also make a claim for a child at anytime up until their 18th birthday, after which time they can bring their own claim until they are 21.  

Speak to us on and one of our friendly advisors will talk through your case with you. We appreciate this is a difficult time and we'll handle your case with sensitivity and understanding.

Is there a time limit on contacting a car accident lawyer?

In most cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to claim for compensation. This means you'll need to start court proceedings or settle a claim within this time. If you think you might be approaching that deadline, we recommend you contact us as soon as possible so we can assess your situation.

However, some circumstances will have different time limits:

• For example, if the person involved in the accident suffered a head injury and lacks mental capacity, the time limit on claiming can be extended. You can claim at anytime on behalf of the individual in this situation unless they regain mental capacity, even for a short time. If this happens, the three-year limit begins from this date.
• If your child was involved in a car accident, they have three years from their 18th birthday to start a compensation claim and begin court proceedings, if a claim hasn't already been lodged.
• If your accident occurred abroad, the time limits in that country may be shorter, although you may still be able to seek help from car crash solicitors and legal teamshere in the UK depending on the nature of the incident.
• If you sustained injuries due to somebody's deliberate actions, you may be able to make a separate claim with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. In those circumstances, a two-year time limit will apply. 

If you'd like to pursue a claim at a later date, you'll need to issue court proceedings within the given time limits. 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.

How can I claim with the help of a car accident lawyer?

We understand that being involved in a car accident is a traumatic experience that can result in serious and life-changing injuries. We also appreciate that the prospect of claiming for compensation and speaking to a legal team might seem daunting and complicated, which is why we aim to make the process as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

To take the first step, all you have to do is pick up the phone and dial completely free of charge. Your call will be taken by one of our helpline advisors, each of whom goes through an intensive training process to make sure they're able to give you the best possible advice.

During your call, your advisor will ask you some questions about your accident and injury so they can fully understand how we can help you.

They'll let you know if they think you have a claim. But they'll never rush or pressure you into making one. If you decide you'd like to take the next steps, they can transfer you over to our panel of expert car accident lawyers.

Calls to us are always completely free and confidential. We're here to give you the help and guidance you need after being injured in an accident.

Can I make a small personal injury or whiplash claim?

On 31st May 2021, updates were made to the rules for making a small personal injury claim following a road traffic accident. A government tariff was introduced for whiplash claims linking compensation awards to the duration of the injury. The updates include the following:

• The small claims general damages limit rising for road traffic accident injuries from £1,000 to £5,000.
• Compensation for soft tissue and whiplash injury claims becoming fixed, banded by severity, and lower than before.
• People no longer being able to recover their legal costs from the other side in a small claim. These are now deducted from compensation awards up to £5,000.
• Some other minor road traffic accident injuries - like simple fractures - are classed as small claims.
• People do have the option to make a small road traffic accident claim themselves online, without a solicitor but the complexity surrounding valuing claims makes this risky. In these situations, claims have to go all the way to the Supreme Court to be resolved, which is not a simple process.

Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.) will be able to make small personal injury claims, but these rules do not apply in these cases. Other unaffected claim types include medical negligence, work accidents and public accidents.

How much compensation could a car accident lawyer claim for you?

All road accidents - and the people involved in them - are unique, so there is no set amount of compensation that you could be awarded if your claim is successful.

The compensation you receive will depend on a number of factors such as the nature of the accident, the severity of your injuries, any harm to your mental wellbeing and any impact on your ability to work, as well as financial implications such as loss of income.

We cannot therefore provide you with an exact answer, but you can use our free claims calculator tool to get an idea of how much you may be able to claim.

Can car accident solicitors still help if the other driver is uninsured?

Even if you were involved in a collision where the other driver was uninsured or did not stop to share their contact details, car accident claim solicitors may still be able to help you. The Motor Insurers' Bureau is a body that has been set up to act as if they were the other party's insurer and they may be able to provide a way of claiming in certain situations.

Can car accident lawyers still help if you're at fault?

You may still be able to receive legal help, although it will depend on the nature of the incident. For example, you may also be able to make a claim if you were only partly at fault. If that is the case then it's likely the amount of any compensation you receive will be reduced.

Whatever your circumstances, our friendly advisors will listen to your story and let you know if they think you're able to make a claim. Call us today on and find out if we can help.

Do car accident solicitors work on a no win no fee basis?

Most of our cases are taken on a no win no fee basis. This means:

• Low risk - you only pay if your claim succeeds.
• No upfront costs - you'll take out no-upfront-cost insurance policy at the start which covers expenses like court fees and medical reports.
• No win, no fee - if your claim doesn't win and you stick to the agreement's terms, you won't pay a penny.

Contact us on to start your no win no fee claim today.

Why choose National Accident Helpline?

We have years_since years of experience in helping people claim compensation for road traffic accidents and we never cold call, so you can be sure that we have only your best interests at heart.

Our friendly, fully trained advisors will listen while you tell your story in your own time and at your own pace. Once they understand everything about your accident, they'll be able to tell you whether they think you have grounds to make a claim. If you do, the decision about whether to proceed is entirely yours - we'll put no pressure on you.

• Any car accident lawyer we connect you with will be registered with The Law Society in England and Wales or the Law Society of Scotland
• We're rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot following thousands of positive reviews from people we've helped
• We, and all legal firms we partner with, are registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which monitors the conduct of solicitors in England and Wales

How do I start a claim with a car crash solicitor?

The first step is to call our helpful advisors for a free, no-obligation chat. They'll go through the details of your case with you and let you know if they think you can make a claim.

Give us a call on . Or, if you prefer, request a call back from us to begin your journey to getting the help and compensation you deserve.