Making a personal injury compensation claim
Our personal injury experts are here to help, so you can focus on your recovery.
Whether you were injured due to a careless driver, employer or anyone else, you may be eligible to claim compensation.
Every year, we help hundreds of people in Yeovil, Somerset and across the UK get the compensation they need to fund their recovery.
What caused your injury?
There are several steps involved in making an injury claim. The steps involved will depend on how and where you were injured.
Find out more:
Do I have a claim?
You should be able to make a compensation claim if you suffered an injury:
- in the last three years (limitation) and
- was caused by another party (causation) and
- that party owed you a duty of care (liability).
Is there anything else that can affect my eligibility to claim?
Yes. There are various other factors that can affect whether a successful compensation claim will be possible, such as the circumstances of your accident or whether a child was injured.
If you would like to find out if you have a claim, speak to us now on 0800 376 1001. You can also find out if you have a claim with our Instant 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.
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:
Road accident claims in Yeovil
Road accidents in Yeovil are quite common. Official gov.uk data shows there were 967 road accidents in Somerset in 2021 (782 slight accidents, 164 accidents and 21 fatal accidents). Accidents in Yeovil in 2013 included crashes on the A30 and A3088 roundabout and on the A37 and A30 roundabout.
If you have been injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault in Yeovil, 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 were involved in a cycling accident, or have been hurt in a collision on the motorway, our expert guide explains how to make a road accident injury claim.
Read more:
Work injury claims in Yeovil
Somerset Health and Safety Executive data for 2021 revealed there were 549 non-fatal and 2 fatal work accidents. The injured worker was required to take 7 or more days off work in 382 cases.
| HSE-reported work accidents in Somerset | Reported Injuries |
|---|---|
| Other | 10% |
| Electric shock injury | 0% |
| Contact with machinery | 5% |
| Fire related | 0% |
| Harmful substance related | 1% |
| Fall from height | 11% |
| Animal related (e.g. livestock) | 0% |
| Lifting and handling injuries | 30% |
| Physical assault | 3% |
| Slip or trip | 22% |
| Struck against | 5% |
| Struck by moving vehicle | 2% |
| Struck by object | 10% |
| Trapped underneath something | 0% |
If you've suffered an injury following an accident at work, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries and any losses or expenses.
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 vehicle technician or a hairdresser, our guide to work accident claims shows you how best to make a successful no win, no fee claim.
Read more:
Medical negligence claims in Yeovil
Clinical negligence (medical negligence) is the term for when a patient is injured or becomes ill as the result of a doctor, nurse or other health worker's lack of care. Quittance's expert panel of injury lawyers can help you claim compensation from one of the clinics and NHS trusts covering Yeovil, including Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Yeovil District Hospital, Higher Kingston, Yeovil, Somerset).
Read more:
Public place injury claims in Yeovil
UK law imposes a duty of care on property owners and operators (occupiers) to ensure that their property is safe for anyone visiting the premises.
Whether your accident occurred at a leisure centre or on a station platform, and another party caused your injury, you could be entitled to make an injury 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:
Serious injury claims
Serious injuries, often referred to as catastrophic injuries, are those which have an immediate and life-changing impact on an injured person and their family. Serious injuries typically include brain injuries or amputations, and can also include other injuries and chronic conditions.
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:
Will I have to visit my solicitor's office in person?
There is no need to visit your solicitor's office in person if you are thinking about making a claim.
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.
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.
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 Yeovil 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 Yeovil?
Every year, we help hundreds of injury claimants in Yeovil, Somerset and across the UK.
Whether you have been injured due to a manager's negligence or as a result of a missed diagnosis 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.
Yeovil solicitor reviews
All personal injury solicitors are regulated by the SRA. Although injury lawyers must meet strict professional standards, service levels can vary.
Online reviews and recommendations from friends and family can help you 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** |
**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:
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).