When should I make a personal injury claim?

What is a personal injury claim?

A personal injury claim allows people who have been injured through no fault of their own to make a claim for compensation. Injuries can arise from a wide range of incidents, including road traffic accidents, workplace injuries, medical negligence, or slips and falls in public places.

To make a personal injury claim, you must typically prove three key points:

• Duty of Care: The party responsible owed you a duty of care (for example, drivers must operate their vehicles safely, and employers must provide a safe working environment).
• Breach of Duty: The responsible party failed to meet this duty through negligence or unsafe actions.
• Injury or Loss: You suffered an injury or loss as a direct result of this breach.

The goal of a personal injury claim is to recover compensation to cover expenses such as private medical bills, loss of earnings, rehabilitation, and the pain and suffering caused by the injury. While compensation can’t undo the harm, it aims to help you regain financial and emotional stability.

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s actions or negligence, you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation. Our team of personal injury lawyers at Beacon Law are on hand to assist you and answer any questions you might have about the claims process and when you should make a personal injury claim. Please get in touch with us today to find out more.

What types of personal injury claims can Beacon Law help with?

At Beacon Law, we specialise in assisting clients with a wide range of personal injury claims. Our experienced solicitors are here to guide you through the claims process and help you secure the compensation you deserve. The types of personal injury claims we handle include:

• Road Traffic Accident Claims: Whether you were a driver, passenger, cyclist, motorcyclist, or pedestrian, we can help you if you’ve been injured in a road traffic accident caused by another party’s negligence.
• Accidents at Work: Employers have a legal duty to keep workplaces safe. If you’ve suffered an injury at work due to unsafe conditions, faulty equipment, or inadequate training, you may be entitled to compensation.
• Public Liability Claims: If you’ve been injured in a public place, such as a supermarket, restaurant, park, or pavement, you can claim compensation for slips, trips, falls, or other accidents caused by hazards or poor maintenance.
• Medical Negligence Claims: We support clients who have suffered injuries or worsened health conditions due to negligent medical treatment, misdiagnoses, or surgical errors.
• Dog Bite Claims: If you’ve been injured due to a dog attack or bite, you may be able to claim against the dog owner, especially if the dog was known to be dangerous or not properly controlled.
• Slips, Trips, and Falls: We can help you seek compensation if you’ve suffered an injury due to hazards like wet floors, uneven pavements, or poorly maintained surfaces.
• Product Liability Claims: If you’ve been injured by a defective or unsafe product, you may have a claim against the manufacturer or supplier for failing to ensure safety standards.
• Catastrophic Injury Claims: For life-changing injuries such as spinal cord damage, brain injuries, or amputations, we provide dedicated support to help you achieve the compensation and care you need.

No matter the type of injury, Beacon Law is committed to helping you understand your rights, gathering the evidence needed, and guiding you every step of the way to achieve the best possible outcome. If you have suffered an injury and are wondering when you should make a personal injury claim then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.

How long do you have to make a personal injury claim?

If you have suffered an injury, it is very important that you contact a personal injury solicitor as quickly as possible, as there are a number of strict time limits within which you must commence legal proceedings. These time limits can vary, and if you miss the deadline, you will be unable to make a claim.

During any initial consultation, we will advise you of the applicable limitation rules, and provide you with advice to enable you to proceed with a claim.

In England and Wales, a personal injury claim must be issued within 3 years of the date of the accident, or 3 years from the date that you discovered your injuries were directly related to the accident. This is known as the limitation period and is set out in the Limitation Act 1980.

The 3 year time limit does have some exceptions to make note of:

• If you were a child at the time of the accident, you have until your 21st birthday to commence proceedings. Alternatively, a parent or family member can make the claim on your behalf up until your 18th birthday.
• Another exception to the three-year time limit applies when the claimant lacks the mental capacity to start an accident claim. In such cases, the 3 year limit does not apply. The claimant can initiate their claim at any point once they regain the mental capacity to proceed.
• If your injury was caused during a criminal act, your claim will be handled by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). You will typically have 2 years from the incident to start the claim.

Why should you make a claim sooner rather than later?

The sooner you begin your claim with us at Beacon Law, the easier it will be to gather crucial evidence to support your case. This includes witness statements, medical records, photos of the accident scene, and any damaged property. Over time, evidence may be lost or become less reliable, weakening your claim.

Additionally, witnesses’ memories fade with time, and they may not be available later. By starting your claim early, you can ensure that witness statements are collected while their recollections are still fresh and accurate.

Making a claim sooner means you may be able to secure compensation more quickly, helping to cover immediate expenses such as medical costs, lost wages, and rehabilitation. Delays can result in prolonged financial stress and may lead to difficulties in assessing ongoing or future needs.

Why choose Beacon Law?

Beacon Law provides a team of highly qualified Solicitors and legal professionals with many years of experience in all personal injury matters. We can assist in all types of personal injury cases, including accidents at work and medical negligence claims for all types of injury. If you have suffered an injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, please get in touch with us today, as you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation.

We offer a high level of service and will guide you throughout the claim process. We work hard to ensure you receive the highest level of compensation for your injuries. We are specialist no win, no fee Personal Injury claims solicitors with expertise in all types of claims, including road traffic accidents, slips, trips, falls, and criminal injuries.

Beacon Law is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. To find out about more about how we can help you get a successful compensation settlement and how we can help you with your legal fees, have a look at the funding section on our website.

For more information on how we handle personal injury claims, take a look at our frequently asked questions.