Making a car accident claim

With more than 33 million cars registered to British owners, our roads are busy - and getting busier every year. And although cars are getting safer all the time, drivers can still make mistakes. And one moment of negligence can be the reason for a serious accident.

First4InjuryClaims are here to help you take action after a car accident that someone else was responsible for. We can also help you arrange your car repairs and hire a replacement vehicle, which can make day-to-day life more straightforward.

Our aim is to help you feel confident in claiming the compensation you’re entitled to.

How much compensation could I claim?

The law around how much compensation you can claim for certain injuries caused by car accidents changed at the end of May 2021. It affected the amount of compensation you can claim for whiplash injuries.

For whiplash lasting up to three months, you can now claim £240. The amount rises with the length of time you are injured. Whiplash lasting between 18 and 24 months will see compensation of £4,215.

If you’ve suffered a non-whiplash injury, you could receive compensation based on certain guidelines. For example, a fracture to your hand that lasts up to six months could see compensation up to £4,461. Meanwhile, the loss of several of your front teeth could mean you receive up to £10,710.

As well as compensation for your injuries, you could also make a claim for any financial losses your accident has caused.

This includes spending on things like:

• Car hire
• Damaged personal items, including your phone, watch or anything else in your car at the time of the accident
• Loss of earnings if you’ve had to take time off work and not been paid - this includes any overtime, commission or bonus you may have missed out on
• Medical care, including any medication you need to purchase or treatment like physiotherapy

Make sure you keep any receipts or invoices from anything you’ve spent money on because of your accident. You’ll need them as evidence of the financial impact the accident has had on you.

If you have any questions about what you might be entitled to claim for, don’t hesitate to ask us. We’re here to make things clearer and easier for you.

Who can make a car accident claim?

If you were injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else in the last three years, you could make a claim for compensation.

You could have been the driver or a passenger in a car involved in an accident. It doesn’t matter if someone else in the car has made their own claim separately - you’re still entitled to claim compensation for your own injuries.

It’s not just those in cars who can claim compensation for car accidents. If you were a pedestrian, a cyclist or any other road user who has been hurt in a collision with a car, you could make a claim.

How long do I have to make a claim?

In most cases, you’ll have three years to make a claim from the date of the accident. It’s always a good idea to start your claim as soon as possible so you won’t have to worry about the deadline.

There are some exceptions to that deadline, though. You can make a claim on behalf of a child injured in a car accident at any point until they turn 18. From then, they have three years to make a claim themselves. That means they can claim at any point until they turn 21.

And if you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one who lacks the mental capacity to claim for themselves, you will only face a deadline if they regain capacity. If they don’t, you can submit your claim at any point.

How can I pay for my claim?

At First4InjuryClaims, we want to help everyone get the justice they deserve. That’s why we won’t charge you anything upfront to start work on your claim. If we think you have a strong claim, we will enter into a No Win No Fee agreement with you.

That means you won’t have to worry about funding your claim. You can focus on your recovery and feeling better instead.

It also means that you won’t have to pay a fee if your claim is not successful – so there is no financial risk to you in pursuing justice. Only if your claim is successful, will we receive payment of our fees. This will be up to a maximum of 35% of your compensation plus VAT, but the exact figure depends on the type of accident you were in.

What do I need to make a claim?

Evidence is hugely important to a successful claim. To give yourself the best chance of success, we’ll help you identify the best pieces of evidence to submit with your claim.

This could include:

• CCTV footage of the accident
• Medical reports – you’ll have to have a medical assessment as part of your claim
• Photographs and video footage of your injuries and the accident scene
• Police reports
• Witness details and statements

If you have any questions about what counts as evidence, just ask. We’ll be happy to help with any queries you have.