Making a personal injury compensation claim

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

Making a no win, no fee claim could help you get the compensation you need for an injury or illness that wasn't your fault.

What caused your injury?

Although some solicitors handle all types of claim, a specialist personal injury solicitor will give you the best chance of making a successful compensation claim.

Find out more:

Can I make 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.

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. Practically speaking, there are several factors that can have a bearing on whether a successful no win, no fee claim will be possible, such as the circumstances of your injury, if there is an uninsured driver involved or whether causation can be established.

A short phone call will tell you whether you can claim. You will be under no obligation to start a claim with Quittance. If you prefer, you can check your claim online with our Online Claim Checker.

Can a child claim injury compensation?

As an injured child's parent or guardian, you can instruct a solicitor to start a compensation claim on behalf of the child. If you suffered an injury as a child, you have until you turn 21 years old to claim compensation.

Read more:

Child injury compensation claims

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.

Staffordshire road accident claims

Department of Transport data shows there were 1160 road accidents in Staffordshire in 2021, including 961 slight accidents, 175 accidents and 24 fatalities.

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault in Staffordshire, or anywhere in England or Wales, you may be entitled to claim compensation. A compensation claim could be possible if you were injured as a:

  • Driver or passenger in a car
  • Rider or pillion on a motorbike
  • Lorry, HGV or van driver or passenger
  • Public transport user (bus or taxi)
  • Cyclist or e-scooter rider
  • Pedestrian

Whether you have been hurt in a car accident, or sustained an injury riding a bike, this guide explains what you need to do to start a road accident injury claim.

Read more:

Claim road accident compensation

Work injury claims in Staffordshire

Official HSE statistics show that there were 3 fatal and 801 non-fatal work accidents in Staffordshire in 2021 (563 led to 7+ days off work).

If you have been injured or made ill as a result of your employer's negligence, you have the right to make a claim.

By law, employers and site operators owe a duty of care to their staff, to visitors and contractors. Whether you sustained an injury when working as a farm worker or a firefighter, our work accident claim guide explains your rights and to make a successful work accident claim.

Read more:

Work accident compensation

How common are work accidents in Staffordshire?

HSE-reported work accidents in StaffordshireReported Injuries
Other17%
Electrocution1%
Machinery related injury4%
Explosion related (e.g. Nitroglycerine)0%
Fire related (e.g. burns)0%
Harmful substance related2%
Fall from height (ladder)5%
Animal related (e.g. riding accident)1%
Lifting and handling injuries23%
Assault3%
Slip, trip or fall (not from height)28%
Struck against3%
Hit by vehicle2%
Hit by object10%
Trapped under falling object0%

Medical negligence claims in Staffordshire

Medical negligence describes when someone suffers injury or illness due to the lack of care of a GP or other health worker. Quittance's expert panel of injury lawyers can help you claim compensation from one of the clinics and NHS trusts covering Staffordshire.

Read more:

Clinical negligence compensation

Public place injury claims in Staffordshire

An individual or company that owns or occupies a property has a legal duty of care to the people who visit it.

Whether you have been injured when travelling on public transport or in a playground, you could be entitled to claim.

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

Read more:

Claim public place accident compensation

Compensation for serious injuries

Compensation claims for particularly severe injuries include head or spinal injuries, but could also include injuries arising from medical negligence or pharmaceutical error.

If your life, or the life of a family member, has been affected by a serious injury, we can help.

Our panel of catastrophic injury lawyers will help coordinate with medical professionals and insurance providers to ensure you get the care and financial support you need.

Read more:

Serious and catastrophic injury compensation

Will I need to go into a solicitor's office?

There is no need to visit your solicitor's office in person if you are thinking about making a claim.

You can talk to a legally-trained advisor about your accident or injury, before you choose to start a claim.

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.

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 Staffordshire 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

FAQs

Have you helped many claimants in Staffordshire?

Every year, we help hundreds of injury claimants in Staffordshire, the West Midlands and across the UK.

Whether you have been injured in a public place or in a bicycle accident we can introduce you to the best personal injury solicitor for your needs.

Do you work on a 100% No Win, No Fee basis?

Our no win, no fee service means that 100% of your legal fees are covered if your case is not successful. With nothing to pay up front, the success fee is only payable if you win your case.

Staffordshire injury solicitor reviews

All solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Despite the strict professional standards that lawyers must meet, the quality of service they deliver can vary.

Online reviews and recommendations from friends and family can help you to select which solicitor is the right fit for your claim.

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?

Jenny Jones, Senior litigator

Author:
Jenny Jones, Senior litigator