If you've been injured in an accident that wasn't your fault, the claims process can feel daunting. We explain how UK personal injury claims actually work — the steps, no-win-no-fee, time limits and what compensation covers — so you can talk to a solicitor with confidence.
To claim compensation for a UK accident that wasn't your fault, you generally need to show someone else was negligent, act within the three-year time limit, and instruct an SRA-regulated solicitor — most work on a no-win-no-fee basis. Compensation covers both your injury and your financial losses. This guide walks you through every stage.
An accident — a crash, a fall, an injury at work or in a public place — can leave you in pain, off work and unsure what to do next. A claim won't undo what happened, but it can recover the cost of your recovery and lost income. The hard part is knowing how the process works and who to trust. That's what this site is for: independent, plain-English explanations of every step, with honest signposting to regulated professionals. We are an information service, not a law firm.
Most claims follow the same path. Here are the six stages, from the accident to settlement.
See a doctor or visit A&E — your medical records are the single most important piece of evidence. Note the date, what happened, photograph the scene and injuries, and keep names of any witnesses.
Tip: report a workplace accident in the accident book; report a road accident to your insurer.You generally need to show another person or organisation owed you a duty of care, breached it (negligence), and caused your injury. Road, work, public-place and medical accidents all have established rules.
A free initial consultation with a solicitor will confirm this.Instruct an SRA-regulated personal injury solicitor. Agree how you'll pay — usually a Conditional Fee Agreement (no win, no fee) with After-the-Event insurance to cover costs if the claim fails.
Always check the success fee and any deductions in writing.Your solicitor gathers evidence, arranges an independent medical report and sends a formal "letter of claim" to the person at fault (the defendant). Lower-value claims often go through the official online portals.
The defendant's insurer then admits or denies responsibility.If fault is admitted, the focus moves to value. Your solicitor negotiates a figure for your injury and losses. Around 19 in 20 claims settle here — without ever reaching a courtroom.
You decide whether to accept any offer; nothing is settled without you.If no fair settlement is agreed, court proceedings follow and a judge decides. Once settled or awarded, compensation is paid — usually within a few weeks.
Most claimants never have to give evidence in person."No win, no fee" is the everyday name for a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). It means you don't pay your solicitor's fees up front, and if your claim doesn't succeed you normally pay nothing for their work — as long as you're honest and co-operate.
If you win, a "success fee" is deducted from your compensation. Since the 2013 reforms this success fee is capped at 25% of your general damages and past financial losses (not future losses) in most injury claims. Many people also take out After-the-Event (ATE) insurance to cover the other side's costs if the claim fails.
"What exactly will be deducted from my compensation if I win, and what do I pay if I lose?" A good solicitor will set this out clearly, in writing, before you sign.
| Situation | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Claim loses | Usually £0 for solicitor's work* |
| Claim wins | Success fee, capped at 25% of certain damages |
| ATE insurance premium | Deducted from damages if you win |
| Up-front payment | £0 to start |
*Provided you keep to the agreement and ATE insurance is in place. Always confirm the exact terms with your solicitor — figures are general and not legal advice.
Different accidents have different rules, evidence and typical values. Explore the guidance for your situation.
Car, motorbike, cyclist and pedestrian claims, plus the whiplash reforms and the official injury portal.
Read guide →Employer duty of care, reporting under RIDDOR, and claiming without losing your job.
Read guide →Public-place and occupiers' liability claims against councils, shops and landlords.
Read guide →The fixed-tariff system, the £5,000 small-claims limit, and how the reforms changed payouts.
Read guide →Claims against the NHS or private care when treatment falls below an acceptable standard.
Read guide →Injuries in shops, restaurants, gyms and on the highway, and who is responsible.
Read guide →Pick an injury for a rough, indicative bracket based on the Judicial College Guidelines (general damages — the pain and suffering element only). This is a starting point for understanding, not a valuation or legal advice.
Important: These brackets are illustrative ranges for general damages drawn from published Judicial College Guidelines and are rounded. They exclude special damages (lost earnings, care, treatment), which are often the larger part of a claim. Your actual entitlement depends entirely on your medical evidence and circumstances. Only an SRA-regulated solicitor reviewing your case can value your claim. How compensation is calculated →
Personal injury law differs between the UK's legal systems. England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own courts, rules and (sometimes) time limits. Choose your nation or city.
We don't sell leads or recommend specific firms. Instead, we help you find genuinely regulated, accountable professionals. In England & Wales, personal injury solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA); you can check any firm or individual on the official registers below.
Straight answers to the questions people ask most before they start a claim.
Get medical attention and keep records, then contact an SRA-regulated personal injury solicitor — most offer a free initial assessment and work on a no-win-no-fee basis. They'll check whether someone else was legally at fault, gather evidence, arrange a medical report and formally notify the other side. The large majority of claims then settle by negotiation without going to court.
Usually three years from the date of the accident, or from the date you first realised your injury was linked to it ("date of knowledge"). This applies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for most injury claims. For children, the three years runs from their 18th birthday. Different rules apply to industrial diseases and to people who lack mental capacity. Because missing the deadline usually ends a claim for good, it's wise to seek advice early.
With a Conditional Fee Agreement you pay nothing up front and, if you lose, normally nothing for your solicitor's work (provided you co-operate and have After-the-Event insurance). If you win, a success fee — capped at 25% of your general damages and past losses in most cases — plus any insurance premium is deducted from your compensation. Always ask for the exact deductions in writing before signing.
It has two parts. General damages compensate for the injury itself — pain, suffering and loss of amenity — and are guided by the Judicial College Guidelines and comparable past cases. Special damages reimburse your actual financial losses: lost earnings, medical and rehabilitation costs, travel, care and future losses. Add them together and you have the claim's value. See our compensation guide for detail.
Almost certainly not. Around 95% of personal injury claims settle by negotiation between solicitors and the defendant's insurer. Court proceedings are issued only when liability or the amount can't be agreed, and even then most cases settle before a hearing. Very few claimants ever give evidence in person.
No. We are an independent information website. We do not give legal advice, take on claims, or sell your details to claims firms, and contacting us creates no solicitor-client relationship. We explain how the process works and point you to regulated solicitors and official bodies such as the SRA, the Law Society, Citizens Advice and gov.uk. See our disclaimer for full details.