Making a personal injury compensation claim

Has your ability to work or daily life been affected by your injury? We're here to help.

If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be able to claim compensation.

We have helped hundreds of people in Derby, Derbyshire and throughout the UK claim No Win, No Fee compensation for their injuries.

What happened?

The process your solicitor will follow when making an injury claim will depend on where and how you were injured.

Please select how you were injured:

Do I have a claim?

You should be able to claim financial compensation for your injury if the accident (or 'date of knowledge') happened:

  • within the last three years, and;
  • another person was to blame, and;
  • that person owed you a duty of care.

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

Yes. Practically speaking, various other factors can affect whether a successful no win, no fee claim will be possible, such as the specific details of the accident or when the date of knowledge was.

It costs nothing to find out if you are entitled to injury compensation. Speak to a legally trained expert now on 0800 376 1001. Alternatively, find out if you have a claim with our Online Claim Checker.

Can I claim compensation on behalf of a child?

You can claim injury compensation yourself, at any time until you are 21 years old, whether you were injured in a road accident, at the park, or in any other situation. If you are the parent or guardian of an injured child, you can start a claim on their behalf.

Read more:

Claim child injury compensation

Check my claim online

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.

What can I claim for after an injury? (see list)

Examples of special damages (losses you can claim for) include:

  • Lost earnings (including future earnings)
  • Medical treatment costs
  • Physiotherapy
  • Travel costs
  • Costs of care
  • Costs of adapting your home or car

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:

Calculate my claim

Road accident claims in Derby

Accidents involving drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and other road users in Derby are reasonably common. Government data indicates there were 1607 road accidents in Derbyshire in 2021 (1229 slight accidents, 352 accidents and 26 fatalities). Accidents in Derby in 2013 included road traffic collisions on the A38 and A52 roundabout and on the single carriageway of the A52 and A601 crossroads.

Drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians all owe a duty of care to all other road users. If you have been injured as a result of the actions or negligence of another road user, you may be able to start a claim for compensation.

Whether you were hurt in a car collision, or sustained an injury as a pedestrian, our guide explains what you need to do to start a road accident claim.

Read more:

Road accident compensation claims

Derby work injury claims

Derby Health and Safety Executive data for 2021 revealed there were 190 non-fatal and 0 fatal work accidents. The injured worker was required to take 7 or more days off work in 143 cases.

Work accidents in Derby (RIDAGGR)Reported Injuries
Not Reported10%
Electric shock injury0%
Machinery related injury5%
Exposed to explosion0%
Fire related0%
Harmful substance exposure (e.g. radiation poisoning)1%
Fall from height (ladder)7%
Animal related1%
Lifting and handling injuries27%
Physical assault5%
Slip, trip or fall (not from height)28%
Struck against4%
Struck by moving vehicle2%
Hit by falling object8%
Crushed by something collapsing1%

If you have sustained an injury due to of your employer's negligence, you may be legally entitled to make a claim.

Whether you were injured or became ill working as a fitness trainer or a miner, our work injury claim guide shows you how best to make a successful claim.

Read more:

Claim work accident compensation

Derby medical negligence claims

When a patient sustains an injury or illness as the result of the carelessness of a consultant or other health professional, 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 claim compensation from any of the clinics and NHS trusts covering Derby.

Read more:

Clinical negligence compensation claims

Derby occupiers liability accident claims

UK law states that owners (occupiers) of premises are liable for the safety and welfare of all visitors.

Whether your accident occurred in a gymnasium or when travelling by train, and the owner or occupier of the property was responsible, you could be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries and any financial losses.

If you have been injured in an accident in public, we can help you make a public place accident claim for financial compensation.

Read more:

Claim occupiers liability injury compensation

Compensation for serious injuries

Serious or 'catastrophic' injuries are those that can have a long-term or permanent effect on a claimant's life. Serious injuries typically include amputations, paralysis and brain injuries, and can also include other long-lasting injuries and chronic illness.

Personal injury solicitors understand the importance of focussing on treatment and recovery. Your solicitor will take care of the legal process and will coordinate with medical professionals and insurance companies at every stage of the claim.

Read more:

Serious and catastrophic injury compensation

Do I need to visit a solicitor's office?

When making a personal injury claim, you won't need to attend your solicitor's office at any stage.

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.

Once you do start your claim, a specialist solicitor will take you through each step. Your lawyer will be with you throughout the process, from your initial questions to the day you recieve your compensation.

No win, no fee injury compensation claims

With no win, no fee, you can claim 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.

Find out more about how no win, no fee claims work

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 Derby and cross the UK.

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

If you have any questions, or would like to start a No Win No Fee claim, we are open:

  • 8am to 9pm weekdays
  • 9am to 6pm on Saturday
  • 9.30am to 5pm on Sunday

Call us for FREE advice on 0800 376 1001, or arrange a call back from a friendly, legally-trained advisor:

Call me back

Frequently asked questions

Have you helped many Derby injury claimants?

We help 100's of injured workers, road users and other claimants in Derby and Derbyshire every year.

A specialist solicitor will fight hard to settle your claim and recover the best possible compensation sum, regardless of whether you were injured due to a negligent diagnosis or due to your employer's negligence.

Does Quittance offer 100% No Win, No Fee

If your claim is not successful, our No Win, No Fee policy covers 100% of your legal fees. This means that there is no financial risk in making a claim.

Derby solicitor reviews

All personal injury solicitors are regulated by the SRA. Although injury lawyers must meet strict professional standards, service levels can vary. Personal recommendations and online reviews can make it easier decide which solicitor is the right fit for you.

Read more:

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:

Personal injury claim type

Estimated claim duration*

Road accident claims

4 to 9 months

Work accident claims

6 to 9 months

Medical negligence claims

12 to 36 months

Industrial disease claims

12 to 18 months

Public place or occupiers’ liability claims

6 to 9 months

MIB claims (uninsured drivers)

3 to 4 months**

CICA claims (criminal assault)

12 to 18 months**

*RTA and other claims processed through the Ministry of Justice portal can settle faster.
**Official Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)  Government agency and Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) figures.

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.

Read more:

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?

Paul Carvis, Personal injury solicitor

Author:
Paul Carvis, Personal injury solicitor