Personal Injury Claims

Suffering from an personal injury as a result of an accident can be traumatic and stressful time for many clients, some worry that their claim will have to go to court which may cause further stress. Many of our cases reach a settlement prior to any court action, meaning clients will never have to engage in the court process or attend court.

Some more complex cases will have to go to court in order to get the maximum compensation for the client, however, our highly experienced specialist personal injury solicitors work closely with the clients throughout the process to provide support and achieve the best possible outcome for them.

Personal injury occurs when you suffer a physical or psychological injury or illness that is caused by the negligence or negligent actions of another. To be successful in a personal injury claim the follow key principles will need to be established:

1. Liability – that the defendant was at fault for the accident
2. Medical evidence – that the accident caused you to suffer an injury

Once these two points have been established the compensation for your injury will be recovered from the Defendant or their insurers.

Ellis Jones are an award winning firm with a team of specialised personal injury solicitors accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) with experience in specialisms for any type of accident you may have suffered.

Compensation for a personal injury claim is usually valued in two parts, General Damages (the damages for your injury, pain and suffering) and Special Damages (the damages for financial losses).

A claim can vary in value from thousands up to millions of pounds, depending on the severity of the injury sustained. The general damages are calculated using previous case law and the Judicial College Guidelines. The level of compensation awarded will be based on the injury itself and the length of pain and suffering.

Aside from this aspect of your personal injury claim you will be also be able to claim for special damages, these are any financial losses you have incurred as a result of the accident, which could include loss of earnings and medical treatment fees such as physiotherapy.

Every client and every case is unique which means that there is no set timescale for settling a claim.

In simpler cases, where liability is admitted at the outset and you have recovered fully from your injury, a personal injury claim can be settled in as little as 6 months. However, if you’ve suffered a serious, life-changing injury, then your compensation claim may take longer because your solicitor will need to understand the full extent of your injury and make sure your compensation will cover any losses you incur as a result of the accident, both past and present.

Our team of specialist personal injury solicitors will ensure that you are always up to date with the progress of your claim and answer any queries you may have along the way.

Under statute you have 3 years to bring a claim, from the date of the accident. If you are a minor (under the age of 18) at the time of the accident you have 3 years from your 18th birthday to bring a claim.

If you are pursuing a claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme you have 2 years from the date of the accident to bring a claim.

It is always best to try and talk to a solicitor about your claim as soon as possible to give them as much time possible to build your case. If you are considering pursuing a personal injury claim please call 01202 057710 to arrange a free consultation with one of our specialist team.