Our Personal Injury Services
Has your life or ability to work been affected by your injury? Our personal injury specialists can help.
If you have been injured and you think it is someone else's fault, you could make a claim for financial compensation.
Every year, we help injured people in Portishead, Somerset and throughout the UK. We can help you claim your compensation too.
How did your injury happen?
The claims process is different, depending on how and where you were injured. Personal injury solicitors tend to specialise in specific types of claim.
Read more:
Am I eligible to make a personal injury claim?
If you have been hurt in an accident that was not your fault, the law entitles you to claim financial compensation. To make a successful claim, your injury must have 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 points to consider?
Yes. There are quite a few other factors that can affect whether a successful no win, no fee claim will be possible, such as the context of your injury or if there is an uninsured driver involved.
Speak to a legally trained expert now on 0800 376 1001 to find out if you have a claim. If you prefer, you can check your claim online with our Claim Checker.
Can I start an injury claim on behalf of a child?
An injured child's parent or legal guardian can start a compensation claim on behalf of the child, as a 'litigation friend'.
If you were injured when you were under 18 years old, you have until your 21st birthday to make claim.
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.
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:
Portishead road accident claims
Accidents on Portishead's roads are relatively common. Government data indicates there were 294 road accidents in North Somerset in 2021; 245 slight accidents, 47 accidents and 2 fatalities.
We can help people injured in road accidents that have occurred in Portishead and throughout England and Wales. You may be able to claim compensation if you were injured as a driver, passenger, cyclist or pedestrian and another road user was liable.
Whether you sustained an injury in a hit-and-run, or have been hurt in a crash, our expert team can help. our useful guide explains how to claim road accident compensation.
Read more:
Work accident claims in Portishead
According to the HSE, in 2021, there were 136 non-fatal and 1 fatal work-related accidents in North Somerset. 85 of these accidents led to 7 or more days off work for the injured worker.
| Work accidents in North Somerset (HSE) | Reported Injuries |
|---|---|
| Not Known | 12% |
| Electricity related | 0% |
| Machinery related | 3% |
| Explosion related (e.g. Nitroglycerine) | 0% |
| Fire related | 0% |
| Harmful substance exposure (e.g. TCE) | 1% |
| Fall from height (scaffolding) | 7% |
| Injured by an animal | 0% |
| Lifting | 25% |
| Physical assault | 4% |
| Slip, trip or fall | 28% |
| Struck against | 5% |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 1% |
| Struck by object | 13% |
| Trapped under falling object | 0% |
If you've suffered an injury following an accident at work, you may be able to claim financial compensation for your injuries and any losses or expenses.
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 shop worker or a caterer, our guide to work accident claims covers everything you need to know about making a successful claim.
Read more:
Clinical negligence claims in Portishead
When someone suffers injury or illness as the result of a GP, nurse or other medical professional's carelessness, it may be possible to claim compensation for medical negligence. Our expert solicitor panel can help you make a claim against a private clinic or NHS trust covering Portishead.
Read more:
Public place accidents claims in Portishead
There is a legal duty on the owners (occupiers) of premises to take reasonable care to ensure the safety of visitors.
Whether you were hurt at an amusement park or in a restaurant, and someone else caused the accident, you may be entitled to claim.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a public place, we can help.
Read more:
Serious injury compensation
Catastrophic injuries usually lead to long-term health issues, ongoing medical treatments, disability or reduced life-expectancy. These injuries include amputations, paralysis and brain injuries.
If you have suffered a serious injury, we understand the vital difference a successful claim can make.
Our panel of catastrophic injury lawyers will help coordinate with care professionals and insurance providers to ensure you get the best medical and financial support.
Read more:
Serious injury compensation claims
Will I need to meet my solicitor face to face?
When making a personal injury claim, you won't need to attend your solicitor's office at any stage.
A friendly advisor will talk to you about what happened on a brief phone call. Your advisor can then confirm if you may have a claim, but there is no obligation to proceed.
If you decide to start a claim, you will speak to a specialist solicitor. Your solicitor will always be available to answer any questions, and they will keep you updated every step of the way.
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.
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 Portishead and cross the UK.
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FREE 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:
FAQs
Have you helped many claimants in Portishead?
Each year, we help hundreds of injured people in Portishead, Somerset and across the country.
Whether you have been injured in a supermarket or due to a manager's negligence we can introduce you to the right solicitor for your claim.
Do you work on 100% No Win, No Fee?
If your claim is not successful, 100% of the solicitor's fees are covered. With nothing to pay up front, you only pay a success fee if your solicitor wins your case.
Portishead 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** |
**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?
Author:
Paul Carvis, Personal injury solicitor
About the author
Paul 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.