Personal Injury Solicitors
County Durham

We know how an injury can affect your life

If you were injured or became sick and someone else was at fault, we're here to help.

Whether you were injured as the result of a negligent road user, employer or anyone else, you may be able to claim financial compensation.

How did your injury happen?

Depending on how your injury happened, the compensation claims process will vary. A specialist solicitor will guide you through the stages of making a claim.

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Work accidents Road accidents Public places Medical negligence Other accidents

Do I have a personal injury claim?

You should be eligible to make an injury claim if your injury occurred:

• in the last three years (limitation) and
• was caused by another party (causation) and
• that party owed you a duty of care (liability).

To get a clearer idea if you can make a claim, you can check your claim online, or for a more definitive answer, speak to an injury claims advisor on 0800 376 1001.

Are there any other factors that could affect my right to claim?

Yes. There are a number of other factors that can affect whether a successful no win, no fee claim will be possible, such as the type of illness or injury or whether there was a criminal incident.

If you would like to find out if you have a claim, speak to us now on 0800 376 1001. Alternatively, find out if you have a claim with our Instant Claim Checker.

What if I was injured as a child?

Claimants who were injured as a child have until their 21st birthday to make a claim on their own behalf. An injured child's parent or legal guardian can start a compensation claim on behalf of the child.

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Claim child injury compensation

How much compensation can I claim for an injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the extent of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injury has affected your life. Your solicitor will take all of these effects into account to calculate the correct compensation award for you.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

Special damages

Special damages are for financial losses and expenses you have incurred as a result of the accident.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in an injury claim

Calculate my injury compensation

Calculating how much compensation you can claim for an injury can be complicated.

Our injury compensation calculator tells you if you may have a claim, how much compensation you could claim, and what you can claim for.

Find out what your injury claim could be worth now.

Road accident claims in County Durham

Department of Transport data shows there were 697 road accidents in County Durham in 2021 (501 slight accidents, 181 accidents and 15 fatalities).

If you have been injured on County Durham's roads, or anywhere in the UK, you may be entitled to claim compensation. An injury claim may be possible if you were injured:

• As driver or passenger
• On a motorbike or bicycle
• As a pedestrian
• On public transport

Whether you were injured in a motorbike accident, or were hurt in a crash, we're here to help. Our guide to road accident claims explains what you need to know about the compensation process.

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Road accident compensation claims

County Durham work injury claims

There were 0 fatalities and 452 other work accidents in County Durham in 2021.

If you've suffered an injury following an accident at work, you may be able to claim financial compensation.

By law, all employers owe their workforce a duty of care. Whether you sustained an injury when working as a farm worker or a landscape gardener, our work accident claim guide explains your rights and to make a successful work accident claim.

Read more:

Claim work accident compensation

County Durham medical negligence claims

When a person suffers injury or illness due to a doctor or other medical professional's lack of care, it may be possible to claim clinical negligence compensation. If you have been affected by medical negligence, our panel of expert clinical negligence solicitors can help you make a claim against a clinic or NHS trust covering County Durham, including County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (Darlington Memorial Hospital, Hollyhurst Road, Darlington).

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Claim clinical negligence compensation

County Durham public place injury claims

By law, an individual or organisation that owns or occupies a property has a responsibility for the safety of anyone who visits it.

Whether you were hurt when travelling by train or at a leisure centre, and another party caused your injury, you could be able to start an injury claim.

If you have been injured in an accident in a public place, we can help.

Read more:

Public place accident compensation claims

Compensation claims for serious injuries

Life-changing injuries that have long term or debilitating effect on your life are referred to as 'serious' injuries. These injuries typically include brain injuries, amputations or paraplegia, but could also include injuries arising from medical negligence or pharmaceutical error.

A successful claim will reduce the burden of bills and other financial issues, so you and your family can focus on your recovery. Our panel of expert serious injury solicitors work with medical care specialists and insurance providers, to get the rounded support you need.

Read more:

Claim catastrophic injury compensation

Will I have to visit my solicitor's office?

If you are planning to start a claim, you do not need to go to a solicitor's office.

You can begin with a free phone consultation with a legally-trained advisor. Your advisor will set out your options for compensation, and there is no obligation to proceed.

Whenever you are ready, you can speak to a solicitor. They will address any questions you have, and will take care of each stage of the claims process until you recieve your compensation.

How we can help you

Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning injury claims in County Durham and cross the UK.

• FREE
  consultation
• Find out
  if you can claim
• No obligation
  to start a claim

Frequently asked questions

Has Quittance helped many claimants in County Durham?

Whether you live in County Durham, Durham or elsewhere, we can help you to make no win, no fee injury claim.

Whether your injury occurred during a negligent medical procedure or due to your employer's negligence our team will make sure your claim is handled by a specialist injury solicitor.

Are claims run on a 100% No Win, No Fee basis?

If your claim is not successful, 100% of the solicitor's fees are covered. You don't have to pay any costs upfront, and only pay a standard success fee at the end, if you win your case.

County Durham solicitor reviews

All injury lawyers must meet strict professional standards, but service levels vary considerably. Online reviews and word of mouth will make it easier choose the best solicitor for your needs.

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Personal injury lawyer reviews

Can I claim for someone else?

Yes. It is possible to claim compensation on behalf of another person, in the capacity of a 'litigation friend'.

If, for example, an injured person is either too young or vulnerable, too injured or otherwise unable to claim on their own behalf, their litigation friend can handle the claim process for them.

The litigation friend will be responsible for communicating with the personal injury solicitors, and for making decisions in respect of the claim.

Read more:

Read more about claiming on behalf of another person.

Can I claim if I was partly to blame?

Even if you feel you were partly responsible for your accident, you may still be able to claim compensation.

You may also still be able to claim if something you did (or failed to do) meant your injuries were more serious than they might have otherwise been (e.g. you were knocked off your bike, but you weren't wearing a helmet).

If you were partly to blame, this is known as contributory negligence. Successful claims are often made on the basis of contributory negligence, although compensation may be reduced.

Read more:

Claiming compensation if you were partly responsible for an accident.

How long will my claim take?

The time needed to resolve a compensation claim and pay out compensation can vary considerably.

For example, straightforward car accident claims can settle in a matter of weeks, whereas complex medical negligence cases can sometimes take years.

Injury claims can also take longer if it is not clear who is responsible for your injury, or if liability is denied by the defendant.

This table sets out approximately how long personal injury claims take to settle:

Read more about how long personal injury claims take.

Will I have to go to court?

The vast majority of claims that are settled by the solicitor panel are settled out of court.

Only a very small percentage (approx. 2%) of personal injury claims go to court - typically only very complex cases, or those where liability cannot be resolved.

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Will my injury claim go to court and what if it does?

Can I get an early (interim) compensation payment?

If you suffer financial hardship as a result of an injury, you may be able to claim an interim compensation payment.

An interim payment is a partial settlement of your claim which is paid out to you before your claim is concluded. The amount you receive in interim payments would then be deducted from your final compensation settlement or award.

Read more:

Can I get interim compensation payments?

Author:
Paul Carvis, Personal injury solicitor

About the author

Paul Carvis is a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel, a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and has served as a Deputy District Judge, giving him a uniquely broad understanding of the claims process.