A physical injury or psychological illness that happens to you because of another person is a Personal injury. It also includes defamation of character and mental stress. This falls under the jurisdiction of civil law and allows you to make a legal claim for recompense. You can get financial compensation for your physical or psychological loss. The compensation heavily depends on the type and severity of your loss. This in return provides relief to the victims.
Personal injury is of various types and usually follow the same approach. However, you have to be careful to construct your case carefully. The type of injury decides how much compensation you can get.
Types of claims
Personal injury claims can be claimed for diverse circumstances. The suffering person can consult No Win No Fee Personal Injury Lawyers to pursue a claim. These different situations include:
- Workplace illness or injuries
- Medical negligence- issues of carelessness during treatment
- Holiday accidents
- Animal injury claims- attacks by pets
- Home-based accidents
- Public place slip or fall
- Road traffic accidents
- Criminal Claims- Assault or offence
- Faulty services or goods
Time Limitation for a Claim
Generally, for a personal injury, the time limitation for a legal claim is 3 years. It means that a person has three years of time from the day after experiencing a personal injury. If a case is not made during this period it turns into statue barred. However, some exceptions are made.
For example, in case someone suffers brain damage then the person have a lifetime claim. Also, persons who experienced psychological problems get 3 years for claim after recovering from the disorder. In some cases, injuries occur after some time. In such a scenario the claim time will be considered with the start of suffering.
Another exemption is for children below the age of 18 years. They can peruse a claim after Turing 18 and can make a claim until the age of 21.
How to Make a Claim?
Whether or not you should go for a claim can prove to be a difficult decision. You need a solicitor who knows what is required to get you a satisfactory compensation. Surely as a victim, you would want sufficient recompense for your loss. You have to provide personal information and then the solicitor will go through accident-related questions. Like how and when it happened, how you have been hurt and whom you find responsible.
It is wise of you to give all the information. Don’t forget to mention the medical attention that you have sought after the incident. This can prove to be medical evidence in court hearings.
How Much Compensation Can You Claim?
A person can calculate compensation by examining the injuries or losses. For example, recompense for head injury is between £3,000 and £6,000. Whereas for a physical injury the amount ranges from £4,000 to £10,000. On the other hand, upper-body injury is usually compensated between £4,000 and £6,000. Likewise, injuries to different body parts result in a different amount of compensation. However, claims for severe injuries may provide compensation more than average.
Other compensation claims include loss of society, finances and services. In case the bread earner of a family dies, the family may claim compensation for loss of support.
Average Payout for a Personal Injury
A question that is frequently asked by clients is ‘how much they can get?’ in terms of compensation. This is a straight question but the answer isn’t that simple. Every personal injury case has its own dimensions. Although cases may seem similar, no two claims are identical.
To get compensation, different areas have to look into with respect to the claim. Even a personal injury has various subsections like an injury at the office that may have multi-dimensions. The plaintiff can experience an unlike trauma or suffering. He or she may have different financial or personal situations. That’s why it is not possible to tell how much a person can get from a claim.
However, an approximate estimate can be calculated in light of previous case scenarios. The claimant may get a clear idea after a medical report has been compiled by a doctor. This can provide a medical prediction regarding injury for the future. Thus, economic loss and sufferings can be calculated in advance.
You can get an idea about the average payout for a personal injury claim from the below table. However, the figures do not represent a factual picture.
| Type of Injury | Compensation Amount |
| Criminal Claims | Above £2,500 |
| Holiday Accident Claims | Average of £56,000 (fractured bone), Above £690 for food poisoning |
| Work Claim | Above £5500 |
| Fall or Slip | Above average of £1000 |
| Whiplash | Above £2,500 |