Personal Injury Solicitors
Somerset

Have you been injured in an accident that wasn't your fault?

Has your life or ability to work been affected by your injury? Our personal injury specialists can help.

If you were injured in the last 3 years and another person was to blame, you could claim financial compensation.

We have helped hundreds of people in Somerset and across the UK get the best possible compensation for their injuries.

How did your injury happen?

There are several steps involved in making an injury claim. The steps involved will depend on how and where you were injured.

Read more:

Work
accidents

Road
accidents

Public
places

Medical
negligence

Other
accidents

Am I eligible to make a personal injury claim?

It should be possible to make a compensation claim if you were injured:

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

Is there anything else that can affect my eligibility 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 accident or whether the claim is considered to be low-quantum.

It costs nothing to find out if you have a claim. Speak to a personal injury solicitor now on 0800 376 1001. You can also find out if you have a claim with our Instant Claim Checker.

Are claim rules the same if a child is injured?

As an injured child's parent or guardian, you can instruct an injury lawyer to start a compensation claim on behalf of the child until they turn 18 years old. 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.

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:

Serious injury claims

Any major injury or long-term health condition that has had a life-altering impact may be referred to as a 'serious injury'. Examples include paraplegia, spinal and brain damage and amputations.

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:

Claim serious injury compensation

Do I need to visit a solicitor's office?

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

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 make a compensation claim, your solicitor will take you through the process over the phone. You will be able to speak to your solicitor at any stage and you wlll receive regular updates.

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 Somerset and cross the UK.

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

FAQs

Has Quittance helped many injury claimants in Somerset?

We can help you make a no win, no fee injury claim whether you live in Somerset, the South West, or anywhere across the UK.

Your lawyer will work hard to recover the best possible compensation for your injuries, regardless of whether you were injured in a public park or at your place of work.

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.

Somerset 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 word of mouth can help you 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:

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:
Jonathan Speight, Senior litigator

About the author

Jonathan has over 30 years' experience in the personal injury sector and has been awarded the rank of Senior Litigator by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).