Can I make a personal injury claim for someone else?
In certain circumstances, it is possible to claim compensation on behalf of another person in the capacity of a 'litigation friend'.
If an injured person is either too young or vulnerable, too injured or otherwise unable to claim on their own, the litigation friend can handle the claim process for them.
The litigation friend will be responsible for communicating with the solicitors and making decisions in respect of the claim.
A litigation friend could be a:
- parent or guardian
- family member
- friend
- professional adviser (such as a solicitor)
- social worker
- anyone with power of attorney.
Claiming on behalf of a child
A parent or guardian can claim on behalf of an injured child. A claim can be made on behalf of a child at any time up to their 18th birthday.
The child then has until their 21st birthday to start a claim themselves if they wish.
Protected parties
In certain circumstances, a claim can be made on behalf of an adult who is considered by the courts to be unable to conduct their own claim. Such claimants are known as ‘protected parties'.
The person making a claim on behalf of a child or protected party is called a ‘litigation friend'.
What happened?
The claims process will vary depending on how your injury happened. Click the icons below to learn more:
How we can help you with your injury claim
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.
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Questions about the injury claims process?
Get all the answers in our comprehensive FAQ section:
- How will a personal injury claim affect my benefits?
- Will I have to pay tax on my injury compensation award?
- What can I claim for in an injury claim?
- Can I claim injury compensation if there were no witnesses?
- Can I make an injury claim if I don't know who's to blame?
Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.