Key points when claiming for a child's injury or illness
- Child injury claims often involve accidents at school, playgrounds, roads, or public places.
- A solicitor will identify the liable party and negotiate the maximum compensation settlement for your child.
- Compensation will depend on how serious your child's injury is. Check our compensation calculator for an estimate.
- A parent or guardian can start a claim on the child's behalf anytime before their 18th birthday. The child then has until their 21st birthday to file a claim themselves.
- Child injury claims can be made on a no win, no fee basis.
Every step of your child's recovery matters. We're here to help.
Seeing your child injured is every parent's worst nightmare, and the impact can be both emotionally and financially overwhelming. If your child was hurt due to someone else's negligence, you can claim compensation to cover the medical costs, rehabilitation, and future care.
Whether you're the parent of an injured child or were injured under 18 yourself, we can help. A personal injury solicitor can guide you through a No Win, No Fee claim to secure the support you need.
You are not alone
Child injuries often occur during play, sports, or at home, and can range from minor cuts and bruises to more serious incidents like falls, burns, or accidental poisonings.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) say that accidents involving children are under-reported. Around 35,000 children are injured in education every year. The majority of these school injuries are slips, trips and falls.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) estimates that many more children are injured on Britain's roads, after exposure to environmental hazards, or as the result of defective products.
50% of all admissions to A&E for children under 14 are from trampoline accidents (injuryprevention.bmj.com).
If you decide to make a child injury claim, your personal injury solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win the claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.
What is the time limit for claiming compensation as a child?
The standard 3 year 'limitation period' does not apply to minors (under 18s).
With injured children, a compensation claim can be made:
- by a parent, guardian or litigation friend on behalf of the child at any time up to their 18th birthday
- by the injured child up to their 21st birthday
What is a 'litigation friend'?
A 'litigation friend' is an adult appointed to represent a minor who cannot legally pursue a compensation claim themselves. Children lack the legal capacity to engage in court proceedings or negotiate compensation settlements.
This person takes responsibility for the claim, handling communications with solicitor, making decisions on behalf of the child, and ensuring that the child's interests are adequately represented
This role is typically filled by a parent, guardian, or another adult close to the child, but can also be a solicitor or medical professional.
How much compensation can I claim for a child's injury?
Compensation for your child's injury or illness will vary depending on:
- how severe your injury is,
- how your injury impacts both your daily life and your ability to work,
- the financial costs and losses you have experienced due to your injury.
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General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.
Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include diagnostic imaging tests, physical therapy and pain management.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average child injury compensation payouts
The following child injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Ankle injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Minor fractures, sprains, and ligament injuries with full recovery | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | A fracture or ligament injury with mild ongoing symptoms | £15,250 to £29,500 |
| Severe | Lengthy treatment required, and your ability to walk has been permanently affected | £34,740 to £55,540 |
Digestive problems
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Pain, cramps and diahorea lasting days or weeks | £1,010 to £4,380 |
| Moderate | Food poisoning, cramps, and affected bowel function, with full recovery in one to two years | £4,380 to £10,580 |
| Serious | Serious food poisoning, possibly leading to toxicosis, hospital admission and IBS, affecting your work and quality of life | £42,640 to £58,250 |
Elbow injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery within 18 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £3,920 |
| Recovery between 18 to 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £7,210 |
| Recovery after 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms or damage | Up to £13,970 |
Facial scarring
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | A hardly noticeable scar (or scars) | £1,890 to £3,920 |
| Moderate | A single scar that can be camouflaged with makeup, or multiple small scars that don't markedly affect your appearance | £4,380 to £15,250 |
| Significant | Significant scarring where the worst affects are reduced by cosmetic surgery, and/or with causing a psychological impact | £10,110 to £33,380 |
Finger injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Relatively minor injury | Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring | Up to £5,270 |
| Index finger fracture | Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis | £10,110 to £13,570 |
| Finger fractures | Fractures that cause deformity, affect sensation, and/or have a long term affect on your grip and ability to use your hand | Up to £40,760 |
Hand injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) injuries to one or both hands | A fracture or break recovering within 6 months, and/or with scarring, tenderness and pain in cold weather | Up to £5,270 |
| Moderate injuries to one or both hands | Moderate crush injuries, penetrating wounds, or deep cuts | £6,280 to £14,730 |
| Moderate/serious injuries to one or both hands | Serious crush injury that causes impaired function andthat cannot be resolved with surgery | £16,040 to £32,170 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery | £29,050 to £48,210 |
Leg injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Simple tibia or fibula fracture | Simple fracture with full recovery | Up to £13,140 |
| Simple femur fracture | Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces | £10,110 to £15,620 |
Non-facial body scars
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Burns with scarring and ongoing pain | £2,630 to £8,690 |
| Moderate | Scarring such as an exploratory laparotomy scar | Around £9,590 |
| Serious | A noticeable laceration scar or single disfiguring scar | £8,690 to £25,220 |
| Severe | Severe burns with continuing pain and psychological injury | Up to £116,300 |
Wrist injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months | £3,920 to £5,260 |
| Moderate | Uncomplicated Colles' fracture | Around £8,250 |
| Moderate | Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery | £6,750 to £11,480 |
Claiming compensation for psychological injuries
If you have suffered psychological harm in addition to a physical injury or illness, you are not alone.
According to our 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.
Injuries in children can lead to anxiety and developmental trauma, impacting their sense of safety and trust in the world around them.
Your solicitor will help ensure that any psychological harm you have suffered as the result of another party's negligence is recognised and included in the calculation of your compensation award or settlement. In addition, you can also claim for mental health treatment costs that may not be readily available on the NHS.
Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.
Am I eligible for child injury compensation?
Yes, you are entitled to make a claim for a child's injury or illness, if:
- you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
- another person was at fault, and;
- that person owed you a duty of care.
Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
What if I was partially at fault?
Personal injury claims where both the defendant and claimant share some responsibility are relatively common.
In our recent 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents thought they could be partially to blame for their accident.
You may still be able to claim compensation even if your actions may have contributed to the accident. Claims where there is fault on both sides (contributory negligence) are often resolved with a split liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
Other questions
What if my child was partly responsible for the accident?
A claim for compensation can still succeed, even if you or your child's actions contributed to the accident..
Children do not always appreciate possible risks or consequences when faced with danger. They are not expected to foresee and avoid injury to the same degree that an adult would.
With occupier's liability claims, following an accident on someone else's property, the defendant is held to a higher standard when a compensation claim involves a child.
What are the chances of winning a claim?
For a claim to be successful, it must be shown that another party was the cause of the injury. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the liable (responsible) party might be the owner or operator of a business, the manufacturer or distributor of a defective product, a driver or road user, a local authority or NHS trust.
If the other party (defendant) admits liability, the claim should be successful.
If liability is contested, or only partly accepted, the claim will be mere challenging. However, if the evidence supports your version of events then the claim is likely to succeed.
Read more:
How likely am I to win a personal injury compensation claim?
Can my child's identity be protected?
Yes. An application can be made on behalf of the claimant to have their identity protected. 'Anonymising' the proceedings ensures that the claimant's privacy is respected and that potentially vulnerable claimants are not put at risk of future harassment.
Read more:
Injury claims for 'anonymous' or 'protected parties'
What if my child was hurt by a dangerous or defective toy?
Usually, yes. Companies that manufacture children's toys are held to a higher standard of safety and have a special responsibility to ensure their products are safe for use by children. Despite this, each year around 35,000 British children are injured in accidents involving toys.
Dangerous and defective toys are a frequent cause of accidents involving children. If your child is injured by a danger or defect results from negligence of other breach by the manufacturer, you can claim compensation on behalf of your child, under the UK's product liability laws that address defective product claims.
Examples of defective or dangerous toys include those with sharp edges, those that have been manufactured using harmful materials, and toys assembled using sub-standard production techniques that may cause them to break or splinter during play.
Claims are brought against the toy manufacturer. In some cases, the retail store where the toy was purchased may also be held liable, as retailers must take every reasonable step to ensure the products they sell are safe for use.
Read more:
Defective product compensation claims
How can compensation help me or my child?
A compensation award or settlement cannot change the past, but it can assist with treatment and ongoing care costs.
Compensation can be claimed on behalf of a minor for:
- their medical treatment and care costs
- anticipated future treatment and care
- other expenses including travel costs
- damage to personal possessions
- loss or reduction of mental or physical capacity
- general pain and suffering
How long will a child injury claim take?
How long it can take to process a child accident claim can vary considerably.
If the defendant accepts liability, a claim might be concluded in 3 - 4 months. If liability is contested, however, it could take considerably longer.
On average child injury claims take around 4 to 9 months.
Read more:
How long will an injury compensation claim take?
Caring and sensitive support
A solicitor will handle the claim from initial consultation with you (or the litigation friend), through to the financial settlement. The solicitor will work with other specialists to help with:
- Access to treatment and therapies not always available on the NHS.
- Advice on personal injury trusts, tax and welfare benefits.
- Coordination with rehabilitation providers and therapists.
- Financial support, including interim payments if you are unable to work when looking after an injured child.
We recognise that claiming compensation on behalf of a child requires the utmost care, sensitivity and professionalism.
Parents and guardians often prefer to discuss the options with a specialist before proceeding with a claim. For a FREE consultation, call 0800 376 1001, or arrange a callback from a friendly, legally-trained advisor.
How has Quittance helped others?
Our panel of solicitors has acted on behalf of children injured in a wide range of circumstances. We can assist with claims including:
- accidents and injury at school or on school trips
- accidents on public property
- injuries sustained on poorly-maintained parks and playgrounds
- birth injuries and other clinical negligence
- injury or illness sustained as a result of discarded waste or harmful substances
We can help you focus on your child's treatment, care and recovery, giving clear advice in plain English throughout the process.
What caused your child's injury?
The claim process for a child's injury will depend on the location and cause of the accident. Click the icons below to learn more:
Can I make a no win, no fee child injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim child injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
- Confidential consultation
- No obligation to claim
- No Win No Fee solicitors
Call 0800 376 1001
or arrange a callbackSources
Anxiety disorders in children - NHS (reviewed: 28/07/2024)
Health and Safety Executive (reviewed: 02/08/2024)
RoSPA Statistics (reviewed: 01/08/2024)
Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor
About the author
Howard Willis qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years. He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is a recognised Law Society Personal Injury Panel expert.