COMPENSATION UK ACCIDENT CLAIMS

The circumstances that may give rise to a compensation claim include:

• Accidents in public places.
  If you are injured as a result of a defect in a public place then you may be able to claim compensation.
• Injuries incurred at other peoples homes.
  Most home occupiers have home insurance which covers injuries, including injuries caused by their pets.
• Road Accidents.
  If you have been involved in an accident as a driver, a passenger or passer-by you may be able to claim compensation.
• Accidents at work.
  There are strict laws regarding employment including the safety of your work place, safe systems of work and machinery which may be dangerous.

For free advice on compensation claims from a solicitor just complete the compensation UK contact form and a member of The Law Society panel of personal injury experts will telephone with compensation advice at no cost and with no obligation.

TIME LIMITS

Following an accident a claim for compensation must either be settled or proceeding issued in the court within 3 years of the accident. The court will usually refuse to allow a compensation claim to be pursued once the 3 year period has elapsed although the court does have a discretion to increase the period however that discretion is rarely used except in certain unusual circumstances. The main exceptions to the 3 year rule are;

• If a potential claimant was under 18 when the accident happened then the 3 years only starts to run from the claimants 18th birthday.
• If at the time of the accident the injury, illness or disease was not obvious but became apparent later then the three years starts to run from the date that the problem was discovered.
• If the claimant has a mental disability then the 3 year period may never start to run.

COMPENSATION

Compensation UK can give you detailed advice about compensation for personal injury claims however the main items awarded are as follows;

• Special damages is compensation for money that has had to be paid out or money that has been lost because of the accident, injury or illness and which can be accurately determined and may include money spent on travel, prescription fees, special equipment costs, loss of wages, damage to property, insurance excess etc.
• General damages represents compensation for losses which may continue into the future and where it is difficult to accurately estimate a final figure and includes compensation for loss of job opportunities, disadvantage in the labour market, pain and suffering, inability to carry out day to day tasks, future loss of earnings etc.
• Interest may be claimable on certain parts of compensation awards. The rate of interest and the time that it can be claimed varies upon the type of damages.