Author Archives: Patrick Mallon

About Patrick Mallon

Patrick Mallon (BA, PgDl) is a Grade A personal injury solicitor and head of our EL/PL department, which handles accidents at work and public liability claims, such as slips, trips and falls. He qualified in 2005 and has over 20 years of experience. Patrick is an expert No Win No Fee lawyer and well-known for his successful case, Billie Mae Smith v McDonalds. You can learn all about Patrick, his qualifications and his experience as a solicitor here. Get in touch today for free to see how Patrick and the team can help you.

What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme In The UK And Could You Claim Compensation?

Last Updated On 29th May 2025. If you are unfamiliar with how a criminal injury claim works, you may be asking, “what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?”. The scheme is implemented by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) to award compensation to victims of crimes of violence in Great Britain.

Gavel on a desk with scales and a law book in the background.

This guide will focus on how you could claim criminal injury compensation through the CICA for physical and mental injuries suffered because of a violent crime. As well as showing the criminal injuries that could be claimed for, we will clearly outline the evidence that can be used to support a claim. We will also explain how compensation is calculated using tariffs of injuries.

Finally, the guide will explain how our solicitors could help you with this kind of claim. We will also look at the benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor.

Our advisors are on hand to provide free advice and may be able to put you in touch with an expert solicitor if you have a valid claim and would like to proceed. To get support and answers to any questions about your claim, you can:

Select A Section

  1. What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme In The UK And Could You Claim Compensation?
  2. What Criminal Injuries Could You Claim Compensation For?
  3. How To Prove Your Eligibility To Claim
  4. How Much Compensation Will I Get From The CICA?
  5. How Our Solicitors Can Help You Claim Compensation
  6. Understanding No Win No Fee Criminal Injury Claims
  7. Learn More About What The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme Is

What Is The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme In The UK And Could You Claim Compensation?

As well as asking, ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’ you may also wonder, ‘am I eligible to claim compensation for my criminal injuries under this scheme?’

The CICA is a government department focused on giving criminal injury victims a channel to claim compensation for their suffering. They should be used as a last resort, and you will not be able to claim through them if there’s another route available for you to seek compensation.

A claim could be made via the CICA if you suffered physically and/or mentally as a direct result of a crime of violence in Great Britain that you reported to the police. Later in the guide, we will review what constitutes an eligible violent crime.

Our advisors can help clear up if your experience could be the basis of a claim, so please do not hesitate to call us.

Limitation Periods

Another pivotal condition of claiming is doing so within the time limit. The CICA typically allows for claims to be started within two years of the crime being reported to the police. It is expected that the crime will be reported as soon as is reasonably practicable.

If there’s a delay in you reporting the incident to the police, or in beginning your claim, that was caused by extenuating circumstances, then this could be taken into account, and your claim may still be considered.

The question of how long a criminal injury claim takes can vary depending on the circumstances of the claim. More complicated claims might take longer to conclude; however, the CICA state that the majority of their claims are assessed within 12 months. 

There are exceptions to the time limit that can apply depending on the circumstances. If you want to find out more about time limits and how they can affect your criminal injury claim, please get in touch with our team.

What Criminal Injuries Could You Claim Compensation For?

If you were the victim of an eligible violent crime, the perpetrator does not have to have been caught and prosecuted for you to claim through the CICA. Examples of offences identified as crimes of violence include:

In order to claim, you must show a direct connection between the crime and your physical and mental injuries. To discuss your particular circumstances and see if you could have a valid claim, speak with a member of our team today.

How To Prove Your Eligibility To Claim

The CICA requires the following forms of evidence to prove that you can make a criminal injuries compensation claim:

  • A crime reference number provided by the police when you reported the incident.
  • Proof that you meet the residency requirements.
  • Medical evidence.

The CICA will be able to liaise with the police for information surrounding the incident; for example, they might confirm your conduct or whether you have any unspent criminal convictions that could affect your payout. 

If you feel like you need further guidance on proving your eligibility for a criminal injury claim, please call our team.

How Much Compensation Will I Get From The CICA?

In this section, we return to the question, ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’ The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 lays out the tariff of injuries. After a successful criminal injuries compensation claim, the CICA will use this tariff to award injuries. You can claim for multiple injuries, though the award for each will differ as follows:

  • 100% of the tariff total awarded for the highest-valued injury;
  • 30% compensation awarded for the second-highest valued injury, or injury with an equal value;
  • 15% compensation for the third-highest valued injury, or injury with an equal value.

If the crime of violence causes you to lose a foetus, contract an STI or become pregnant, these will attract additional payments that will not have this formula applied to them.

This table shows some examples of injuries and values from the tariff, except for the first row. 

Compensation table

INJURYNOTESTARIFF
Multiple injuries, special expenses and loss of earnings3 injuries from the main tariff, plus special expenses and loss of earnings paymentUp to £500,000
Major Paralysis (Not Resulting From Brain Damage)Quadraplegia/tetraplegia that is substantially complete in lower and upper limbs.£250,000
EyeBoth eyes lost.£110,000
HandLoss of, or loss of function in, one dominant hand. £55,000
LegThe loss of one leg, above the knee.£44,000
Sexual AssaultResulting in serious internal injury.£22,000
Burns Severe burns causing more than minor disfigurement to the head.£16,500
FaceMultiple fractures to the face.£11,000
KidneyLoss of a kidney.£11,000

Payouts For Special Expenses

You could receive additional CICA payouts for certain special expenses, which you would need to give suitable proof for. They must be reasonable, necessary and incurred directly because of the violent crime. This is a non-exhaustive list of possible special expenses:

  • Physical aids that were damaged during the undertaking of the crime, like glasses or a walking stick.
  • NHS treatment costs or other state health treatments of an equivalent cost.
  • Home adaptation or qualifying care expenses.
  • Administration costs if you are mentally incapable of handling your affairs.

In some cases, you might also be able to claim for a loss of earnings through the CICA. Our advisors can talk you through the criteria for special expenses or lost earnings claims, so please call if you would like to know more.

How Our Solicitors Can Help You Claim Compensation

At Legal Expert, our solicitors are specialists in claims for criminal injuries. They have undergone extensive training and acquired many years of combined experience in helping people claim the compensation they deserve for their suffering.

Therefore, our solicitors can help you with your CICA claim by:

  • Walking you through the CICA claims process
  • Explaining legal terminology associated with your claim
  • Answering your questions, such as ‘What is the CICA scheme?’
  • Explaining how your compensation is calculated
  • Helping you claim on a No Win No Fee basis  
  • Setting you up with appointments such as counselling 
  • Negotiating with the CICA if you decide to appeal the amount they offered you

Our advisors and solicitors understand that suffering from a criminal injury may impact many aspects of your life. They also recognise that starting a claim may be emotional and intimidating. However, doing so will take you one step closer to gaining the justice you deserve. Therefore, they will use their specialist skills and legal knowledge to support you each step of the way.

If you would like to know more about what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme or how our solicitors can help you claim compensation, please contact our helpful advisors.

Understanding No Win No Fee Criminal Injury Claims

Our solicitors can offer a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) when taking on a valid claim and providing their services. A CFA is a form of No Win No Fee agreement where you will not pay for a solicitor’s services:

  • Upfront;
  • During a claim;
  • At all, in the event that you’re not awarded compensation.

If the claim succeeds, the solicitor will collect a percentage of the compensation. Due to the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, the percentage they can take is subject to a legal cap.

Talk To Us About Your Criminal Injury Claim

If you want to know more about what the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is, please call our advisors for a free consultation. What’s more, an advisor can assess your potential claim and put you through to our solicitors if the claim is valid. To see whether you could claim, please:

Learn More About What The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme Is

These guides will further explore the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

You may also want to look at:

We hope we helped answer the question, ‘what is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme?’ If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

Top 10 Councils That Paid The Most Personal Injury Compensation

Here at Legal Expert, we’ve recently conducted research into personal injury compensation payouts made by local councils across the country.

Analysing the results, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 councils with the highest payouts in the past year.

We also discuss the causes of these accidents and how we conducted our research.

If you’d like to learn more about personal injury claims and our No Win No Fee service, then you can find information on that too.

The Top 10 Councils That Paid The Most Personal Injury Compensation In The Last Year

The top 10 councils that paid out the most personal injury compensation between April 2022 and April 2023 are as follows:

  1. Liverpool City Council – 311 claims – £1,743,423.43
  2. Essex County Council – 440 claims – £1,286,745.92
  3. Hampshire County Council – 217 claims – £1,256,506.82
  4. Camden Council – 92 claims – £1,108,472.57
  5. Manchester City Council – 341 claims – £1,081,522
  6. Birmingham City Council – 283 claims – £806,004
  7. Bury Council – 82 claims – £735,000
  8. Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council – 104 claims – £719,454.46
  9. Southampton City Council – 49 claims – £494,970
  10. Sheffield City Council – 79 claims – £481,351.32

local council personal injury compensation

What Are The Top Causes Of These Personal Injury Payouts?

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the causes of these accidents, breaking down each council.

Liverpool City Council – 311 claims – £1,743,423.43

Causes of claims included slips, trips and falls, claimants hit by a falling object, falls from heights and exposure to noise

Essex County Council – 440 claims – £1,286,745.92

Majority of claims involved trips and falls, some pothole accidents and claims relating to physical or sexual abuse

Hampshire County Council – 217 claims – £1,256,506.82

Causes included a fallen tree injury, defective premises, potholes and slips, trips and falls

Camden Council – 92 claims – £1,108,472.57

Claims mostly consisted of slips, trips and falls, but also claimants being struck by a moving object

Manchester City Council – 341 claims – £1,081,522

Slips, trips and falls were the root cause of claims with Manchester City Council.

Birmingham City Council – 283 claims – £806,004

Mostly slips and trips, either on public highways and pavements or on council-owned land

Bury Council – 82 claims – £735,000

Nearly half of claims were caused by footway defects, followed by carriageway defects

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council – 104 claims – £719,454.46

Mainly slip, trips and falls, but also noise induced hearing loss and other industrial diseases contributed to the overall sum

Southampton City Council – 49 claims – £494,970

The majority of claims involved claimants being struck by an object, followed by accidents in playgrounds

Sheffield City Council – 79 claims – £481,351.32

Causes of claims included carriageway defects, defective equipment, surface defects and manual handling claims

About Our Research

This information was obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, which were made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Individual requests were made to each local council in the country and the raw data was then analysed and compiled.

If you’d like to see copies of the FOI responses, please get in touch.

slips trips falls local council

About Personal Injury Claims

If you’ve suffered an injury and suspect it was the local council’s fault, it’s important to be aware of the eligibility criteria in place in order to make a claim.

First, you must show that the council owed you a duty of care to minmise the risk of you suffering harm so far as it’s possible for them to do so. This is set out in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.

Secondly, you must show that they breached that duty of care. Let’s take a pothole, for example. If someone has reported the defect to the council and they’ve not taken action to secure the hazard, if you fall and injure yourself they could have breached their duty in not making the repairs.

The final criterion is that you suffer an injury that the accident either caused or contributed to. This means if you already have a bad back but the condition is worsened, you can still claim compensation.

How Long Do You Have To Make A Personal Injury Claim

To make a successful personal injury claim you also must show that you’re in time to make a claim.

The Limitation Act 1980 sets out that personal injury claims must be made within 3 years from the date of the accident. A failure to do so could see the claim time-barred, meaning you can’t recover compensation.

There are some exceptions to this. One relates to children who suffer an injury. As they can’t legally represent themselves, the time limit is frozen until they turn 18 and come of age in the eyes of the law. They then have until their 21st birthday to issue court proceedings.

Another exception relates to people who lack the mental capacity to represent themselves. In this case the time limit is frozen until they regain their capacity.

In the case of both exceptions, it’s possible to take legal action sooner provided there’s someone able to make decisions on the injured person’s behalf. This individual is known as a litigation friend.

Speak With Our No Win No Fee Solicitors Today

If you’d like to enquire about making a personal injury claim today, you can speak with our No Win No Fee solicitors today for free.

We offer a case check to everyone who calls where you can discuss your case and get advice on your legal options, with no obligation to make a claim.

If we believe you have valid grounds to claim personal injury compensation, we can offer to represent you on a No Win No Fee basis. This is a phrase you may have heard before.

No Win No Fee simply means that if your solicitor doesn’t succeed in recovering a payout, you don’t have to pay them.

It also means you don’t have to pay any fees upfront, and nothing to pay as the claim progresses.

Only if your claim succeeds do you pay a fee. And this is deducted from the compensation payout you receive, meaning nothing comes directly out of your pocket. The fee that a solicitor charges is called a success fee and is capped by law to ensure you take home what you deserve.

If you’d like to speak with us today about making a personal injury compensation claim against a local council, our helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. You can reach us by:

How To Make A Complaint About A Misdiagnosis And Claim Compensation

Last Updated On 5th June 2025. In this guide, we will examine how to make a complaint about misdiagnosis. If you have been given the wrong diagnosis when receiving care in a medical setting, you may wonder whether you can report the incident or raise your concerns. There are several bodies that you could make a complaint to about the care you received. In doing so, it could help you understand why mistakes were made. The process you may need to follow to make your complaint may differ depending on who you direct it to. We will explore this further as we move through our guide. 

Additionally, we will look at the duty of care medical professionals owe to their patients and how breaches of this duty can result in you suffering unnecessary or avoidable harm through misdiagnosis. In instances such as these, medical negligence may have occurred. We look at when it could be possible to claim compensation for the harm caused by medical negligence later on in our guide.

Furthermore, we discuss medical negligence compensation payouts to help you understand what they could include as well as how they are calculated.

At the bottom of this guide, there is a brief overview of the advantages of making your medical negligence claim with a solicitor who offers their services under a type of No Win No Fee contract.

For more information about the process of making a complaint following misdiagnosis, or potentially starting a claim for medical negligence, you can speak to our team. To do so, you can:

  • Phone on 0800 073 8804
  • Contact us online by completing a callback form.
  • Use the live chat feature at the bottom of the page.

A silver stethoscope rest on a judge's gavel

Browse Our Guide

  1. How To Make A Complaint About Misdiagnosis
  2. Can I Take Legal Action If My Injury Or Illness Was Misdiagnosed?
  3. Examples Of Medical Misdiagnosis
  4. What Evidence Can Be Used In A Misdiagnosis Claim?
  5. What Payout Could You Claim For Misdiagnosis?
  6. Check If You Could Make A No Win No Fee Misdiagnosis Negligence Claim
  7. Learn More About How To Make A Complaint About Misdiagnosis

How To Make A Complaint About Misdiagnosis

If you’re wondering how to make a complaint about misdiagnosis, we could help. Before starting the complaints procedure, you should find out who it is you should be complaining to. The complaints process may be slightly different depending on where the complaint is being made.

However, some steps you could potentially take include contacting the healthcare provider directly to let them know you are unhappy with their service. Alternatively, there are other bodies you could submit your complaint about misdiagnosis to, including:

  • Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: This is a body set up by Parliament to handle complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments. 
  • Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS): The ISCAS is a voluntary subscriber scheme for the majority of independent healthcare providers. They can handle complaints for those that subscribe to their services.
  • NHS Resolution: This is an arms-length body of the Department of Health and Social Care. They provide guidance to the NHS on resolving concerns or disputes in a fair manner.
  • General Medical Council (GMC): The GMC are an independent regulator for doctors in the UK. You can raise a concern about a doctor to them and they may investigate.

How We Can Help You Make A Complaint

You have the right to complain about the actions of a healthcare organisation or negligent doctor. You may also have the right to claim compensation if you meet the criteria for medical negligence claims.

To learn more about how to make a complaint about medical negligence, including incidents of misdiagnosis, call our team. They can answer any queries or concerns you have about the complaints process, and could help you submit your complaint to the relevant party. They can also assess your eligibility to seek compensation for a misdiagnosis.

Can I Take Legal Action If My Injury Or Illness Was Misdiagnosed?

Medical negligence, sometimes referred to as clinical negligence, is when medical professionals fail in their duty of care. This duty is centred on ensuring the provision of the correct standard of care and ensuring patients do not come to unnecessary or avoidable harm during the course of their treatment. 

Whilst medical professionals have a duty to provide care that meets the correct standard, the ways in which they may be expected to uphold their duty of care can differ depending on the field of medicine they work in. For example, the GMC have published ethical guidance on what constitutes good medical practice, whilst the duty of care for nurses is set out by the Royal College of Nursing.

The criteria that need to be met to have a valid medical negligence claim are: 

  1. A medical professional owed you a duty of care.
  2. There was a breach of this duty.
  3. You suffered unnecessary or avoidable harm as a result of this breach.

Time Limitations

In most cases, the time limit for starting a medical negligence claim, as set out in the Limitation Act 1980, is 3 years from the date of the medical negligence or the date of knowledge. The latter is where you should have connected the harm you experienced to a medical professional providing a level of care that was substandard.

Circumstances where exceptions to the general limitation can apply are:

  • Since children cannot claim for themselves, the 3 years are instead counted from the day they turn 18.
  • Persons who do not possess sufficient mental capacity to direct their own claim will have the limitation period halted altogether.

In both of these situations, a litigation friend can be appointed to act on their behalf during the claims process.

For further guidance on when you could be eligible to make a medical misdiagnosis claim, and how long you have to do so, please contact an advisor on the number above.

Examples Of Medical Misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis can occur in a number of different ways. We have included some possible examples of how a misdiagnosis could occur and the effects this could have on you below.

  • A medical professional failed to correctly interpret an X-ray of your ankle, meaning your fracture was misdiagnosed as a sprain. This led to a progressive worsening of your condition, necessitating surgery to repair the fracture.
  • You have a video examination with a GP exhibiting symptoms of one condition but are misdiagnosed with a different condition and are therefore prescribed the wrong medication.
  • A scan organised to diagnose lung cancer was carried out incorrectly, resulting in you not being referred for further testing and your cancer going undiagnosed. This cancer misdiagnosis meant it was detected much later, by which time it had spread to other organs. 

In a case of misdiagnosis, your medical records can help with proving medical negligence. You have the right to request copies of your GP health records.

If you are unsure how to gather evidence in support of your case, you can call our team. They may be able to connect you with a solicitor from our panel, if they find your case is valid.

Additionally, they can offer further guidance on how to make a complaint about a misdiagnosis.

What Evidence Can Be Used In A Misdiagnosis Claim?

Having looked at how to make a complaint about misdiagnosis, we need to explore the evidence that can be used in a misdiagnosis claim. Proving what occurred is an important part of both making a complaint and claiming compensation so making sure you have the right evidence is a priority.

We have provided a few examples of evidence you could use for a claim after a misdiagnosis complaint here:

  • Your medical records will be of great significance. Documents such as your scans, test results, x-rays, surgical reports and others can all be used to show that a misdiagnosis occurred, and that you underwent additional treatment because of this.
  • Proof of any financial harm you have sustained.
  • Contact information for any relevant witnesses so a statement can be taken during the claims process.
  • Findings from the Bolam test, if applicable.

The Bolam test involves medical professionals from the relevant field assessing the level of care you received and determining if the correct standards were met. While not used in every instance of medical negligence, any findings from the test can be used as part of your evidence.

To find out more about collecting evidence, or to ask one of our advisors, “can I complain if I was misdiagnosed,” talk to our team today using the contact information provided below.

What Payout Could You Claim For Misdiagnosis?

A successful compensation payout can be made up of two heads of claim. The first of these, known as general damages, is awarded for the pain and suffering you have sustained because of the harm caused by medical negligence.

We have used a selection of entries from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to create the following table. The JCG is a document that contains guideline award brackets. A solicitor could use these in conjunction with any medical evidence to calculate the value of the harm suffered.

Compensation Table

Since medical negligence claims are assessed individually, this information has been included for guidance purposes only.

HarmSeverityGuideline Amount
Multiple instances of harm plus special damagesVery SeriousUp to £500,000 or more
Bowels Total Loss of Function (b)Up to £183,190
Bladder Complete Loss of Function (b)Up to £171,680
Seriously Impaired Control (c)£78,080 to £97,540
Lung DiseaseSignificant and Worsening Function (c)£66,890 to £85,460
KidneySignificant Risk of UTI (b)Up to £78,080
Loss of One Kidney (c)£37,550 to £54,760
Wrist InjuriesLess Severe (c)£15,370 to £29,900
Ankle Injuries Moderate (c)£16,770 to £32,450

Special Damages

Special damages, the other of the two heads of claim, can be awarded for any financial losses you incur as a result of the harm you sustained due to medical negligence. Some possible examples include:

  • Travel expenses
  • Childcare costs
  • The cost of domestic care and assistance
  • The cost of home alterations
  • Loss of income

Remember to keep any documentation, such as invoices, payslips, receipts, that illustrate your financial losses.

For a free personalised estimate of what you could potentially receive in compensation following a successful misdiagnosis claim, call our team.

Check If You Could Make A No Win No Fee Misdiagnosis Negligence Claim

Provided you meet the eligibility criteria for starting a medical negligence claim, one of our solicitors may be able to take your case. You could be offered a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), a type of No Win No Fee contract. There are generally no upfront fees, nor any fees as your claim progresses for the solicitor’s services under a CFA. You will also not have to pay the solicitor for their work in the event your claim is unsuccessful.

You will receive a compensation payout following the success of a claim. The solicitor will take a success fee as a percentage of your compensation. The percentage a solicitor can take as their success fee is legally capped and is agreed upon before your claim commences, so you will keep most of your compensation.

For more information on how to make a complaint about misdiagnosis and potentially start a compensation claim, you can speak to our team via:

A solicitor advisinng their client how to make a complaint about misdiagnosis during a meeting

Learn More About How To Make A Complaint About Misdiagnosis

For more of our guides

For other useful resources

Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on how to make a complaint about misdiagnosis. Our advisors are on hand to address your queries and concerns about the procedure you may need to follow. They can also provide more information about potentially starting a medical negligence claim.

Written by Clark

Edited by Mitchell

Contraceptive Coil Negligence – How To Claim Compensation

Last updated 3rd December 2024. This is a guide on when you could have valid grounds to claim compensation for contraceptive coil negligence. We will examine the standard of care medical professionals must uphold and provide those under their care and how breaches of this duty can result in unnecessary or avoidable harm. In instances where a substandard care has provided, medical negligence may have occurred, However, there are certain criteria that need to be met in order to make a medical negligence claim. We explore these further in our guide.

We will also look at how complications can arise from the negligent insertion of a contraceptive coil, the types of harm that could be caused as a result of this, as well as the possible value of a compensation payout in the event of a successful medical negligence claim.

To conclude, there is a brief overview of the advantages to you as a claimant of starting your medical negligence claim under a specific type of No Win No Fee agreement.

Our team of advisors are happy to answer your questions, talk through any concerns and offer advice on the validity of your potential claim. You can get in touch via:

A medical professional sat cross-legged on the floor with his head leaning on his left arm.

Select A Section

  1. How To Claim For Contraceptive Coil Negligence
  2. What Harm Could Be Caused By Contraceptive Coil Negligence?
  3. What Do You Have To Prove In A Medical Negligence Claim?
  4. Estimating Possible Compensation For Contraceptive Coil Negligence
  5. Get Support From A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  6. Read More Advice On Making A Medical Negligence Claim

How To Claim For Contraceptive Coil Negligence

Whether they work in public or private healthcare, all medical professionals owe a duty of care to their patients when administering treatment to them. They must ensure their patients receive the correct standard of care during their treatment in order to prevent causing avoidable harm.

Medical negligence, sometimes referred to as clinical negligence, involves a medical professional breaching their duty of care by failing to provide the correct standard of care, and causing a patient to suffer avoidable harm as a result.

You may be able to make a medical negligence claim for contraceptive coil negligence if you can meet the following criteria:

  1. A medical professional owed you a duty of care.
  2. There was a breach of this duty
  3. You suffered avoidable harm as a result of this breach.

Time Limits For Starting A Contraceptive Coil Negligence Claim

A medical negligence claim must also be started within the relevant time limit, as set out in the Limitation Act 1980. In most cases, this is 3 years from the date the incident of medical negligence took place or the date of knowledge where you first connected the avoidable harm you experienced with a medical professional’s breach of duty. In some circumstances, exceptions to this limit can apply, and an extension may be granted.

To learn more about the time limits and if any exceptions apply to your particular claim, you can speak to our team using the contact information at the top of this guide.

What Harm Could Be Caused By Contraceptive Coil Negligence?

The Intrauterine Device (IUD) and System (IUS) are two forms of contraception often called contraceptive coils. Both forms of the contraceptive coil have effectiveness (when fitted correctly) of over 99%. However, they do work slightly differently. For example:

  • IUD: A small T-shaped plastic and copper device that prevents pregnancy by releasing copper into the womb and lasts for 5 to 10 years.
  • IUS: A small T-shaped plastic device that prevents pregnancy through the release of progestogen and lasts for 3 to 5 years.

There are a number of ways you could suffer unnecessary or harm that could have been avoided due to contraceptive coil negligence. We have included a few examples below:

  • The medical professional fitted the contraceptive coil incorrectly, causing a perforation of the uterus.
  • You contracted an infection to due unhygienic practices during the insertion of the contraceptive coil.
  • You suffered a miscarriage as the medical professional failed to detect you were already pregnant prior to insertion. 

It should be noted that suffering harm does not always mean you are eligible to make a medical negligence claim. There may be some circumstances where it is not possible to avoid causing further injury or illness to a patient when providing the correct standard of care. In these instances, it might not be possible to seek medical negligence compensation.

For further guidance on your potential claim, please contact an advisor on the number above.

What Do You Have To Prove In A Medical Negligence Claim?

A thorough collection of evidence can help prove medical negligence and give an insight into the avoidable harm you experienced as a result. Below we have outlined a few examples of possible evidence you could gather to show you suffered harm due to contraceptive coil negligence:

  • A diary outlining any symptoms you experienced post-insertion.
  • The contact information of anyone present for the procedure. They could give their statement further on in the claims process.
  • Medical records showing you had a contraceptive coil inserted and details of any complications you experienced post-insertion, such as infection or perforation of the uterus. 
  • Correspondence between you and the medical professional regarding the treatment you received.

The Bolam Test

The Bolam test is used in some cases of medical negligence. A panel of relevantly trained medical practitioners assess whether the care given to you was of the appropriate standard. You will not need to worry about organising this, and its usage is decided on a case-by-case basis. If the findings support your case, you could use this as evidence.

You can speak with an advisor about the potential evidence that you could gather to support your case in more detail. They could also assess your case to determine whether a solicitor from our panel could assist you in building your case and seeking compensation.

Estimating Possible Compensation For Contraceptive Coil Negligence

If you have a successful claim for contraceptive coil negligence, your compensation could potentially be made up of two heads of claim. These are called general damages and special damages.

General damages compensate you for the physical and psychological effects of your avoidable harm. This head of claim is awarded in every successful contraceptive coil negligence claim, and covers factors such as:

  • Loss of amenity.
  • How severe your pain is.
  • The extent of the treatment you need.

You may be invited to attend an independent medical assessment during the claims process. Legal professionals can use the reports made from this assessment along with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to value your general damages.

The JCG contains guideline compensation figures for different types of psychological and physical harm.

Guideline Compensation Table

In the table below, you can find some related types of harm and their accompanying guideline compensation figures from the JCG.

Please bear in mind that no amount of contraceptive coil negligence compensation can be guaranteed for your specific potential claim, as all claims are unique. The first figure is also not from the JCG. 

InjurySeverityAmount
Multiple serious types of harm with special damagesSeriousUp to £250,000+
Female Reproductive SystemInfertility caused by injury or disease (a)£140,210 to £207,260
Permanent sexual dysfunction (b)£52,490 to £124,620
Infertility in a young person who doesn't have children (c)£68,440 to £87,070
Infertility without medical complications or sexual dysfunction (d)£21,920 to £44,840
Infertility where the injured person would not have had children in any event (e)£8,060 to £22,800
A delay in diagnosing a ectopic pregnancy but where fertility is not affected (f)£4,140 to £24,930
An unwanted pregnancy from failed sterilisation (g)In the region of £12,450

Special Damages

Special damages compensate you for the money you have lost as a result of your avoidable harm. Examples of costs that could be compensated include:

  • Medical expenses: This can include prescriptions or any other medical costs. 
  • Child or domestic care costs: You may be unable to look after children or need support in the home because of the harm you have suffered. The cost of this care could form part of your compensation.
  • Loss of earnings: You could claim your lost pay if you need to take time off work to recover.
  • Transport costs: You could claim back the costs of any transport to and from work if rendered unable to drive.

However, special damages are not awarded in every successful contraceptive coil negligence claim. For this reason, you must provide evidence of the financial losses you have incurred due to negligence. Such evidence can include payslips, receipts, bank statements, and invoices.

To find out more about how compensation is calculated, please contact us today.

Get Support From A No Win No Fee Solicitor

If you meet the eligibility criteria, one of our medical negligence solicitors may be able to help with your case. They can offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), a type of No Win No Fee contract. Under these terms, there are generally no upfront fees, nor will you have to pay the solicitor for their services as your claim moves forward. Also, if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay the solicitor for their work.

If your claim is successful, you will receive a compensation settlement. The solicitor will take a percentage of this, part of which could cover their services. This is known as a success fee. The percentage a solicitor can take is subject to a cap by law and is agreed upon before your claim begins, so you will keep most of your compensation.

You can speak to our team via:

Read More Advice On Making A Medical Negligence Claim

More of our guides:

More resources:

Thank you for reading our guide on how to claim for contraceptive coil negligence. You can contact our advisors using the contact information above with any questions or if you would like to talk more about your potential claim. 

Written by Clark

Edited by Mitchell

How To Make A Complaint To The HSE After An Accident At Work

Last Updated On 17th June 2025. This guide aims to explain complaints to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Great Britain’s workplace health and safety regulator. If you have never had to raise concerns about an employer before, you may be wondering how to make a complaint to the HSE after an accident at work.

We will start this guide by discussing the complaints process for issues in the workplace. This section will look particularly at complaints to the workplace health and safety regulator, the HSE.

Also contained in this guide are sections about making a personal injury claim following an accident in the workplace. These will include looking at the eligibility criteria, examples of workplace accidents, as well as compensation guideline figures for workplace injuries.

Finally, we will touch on the benefits of getting No Win No Fee representation from our personal injury solicitors.

For more information on how to make a complaint to the HSE after an accident at work, please read our guide or reach out to our dedicated advisors for a free consultation on your potential accident at work claim. You can:

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  1. How To Make A Complaint To The HSE After An Accident At Work
  2. Could I Take Legal Action Against My Employer And Claim Compensation?
  3. Examples Of Accidents At Work You Could Claim Compensation For
  4. Examples Of Compensation Payouts For Accidents At Work
  5. Check If You Can Claim For A Workplace Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis
  6. Learn More About How To Make A Complaint To The HSE After An Accident At Work

How To Make A Complaint To The HSE After An Accident At Work

In this section, we are going to look at how to make a complaint to the HSE after an accident at work or about any other workplace issue you are having. 

Employee safety in the workplace is essential. If an employer falls short in their duties, you can alert the HSE to health and safety risks, as it is the health and safety regulator for Britain’s workplaces.

Firstly, it is worth confirming that the HSE is the right party to complain to. In some cases, a complaint may need to be directed to the local council or another authority.

You can make your complaint to the HSE online, you will go through a questionnaire that will ask which country your place of work is, and your contact details, and then it will ask you what kind of issue you have had.

The HSE will review your concerns and issue, if further investigation is needed, they will communicate this with you.

Making A Complaint To The HSE After An Accident At Work

It is worth noting that as well as having the right to make a complaint about your place of work, you may have the right to seek compensation for an injury caused by unsafe health and safety practices. In the following sections of this guide, we are going to discuss not only the eligibility criteria for those injured in a workplace accident to make a claim, but it will also provide advice on what accidents could lead to a claim and compensation guidelines figures for different injuries.

Our advisors can give you a free assessment to see if you have grounds to make a personal injury claim. If you do, you could then be connected with one of our accident at work solicitors as well as providing representation for your case, they can also help with the complaints procedure. 

Could I Take Legal Action Against My Employer And Claim Compensation?

There are eligibility criteria which must be met for a personal injury claim after a workplace accident, you must prove that:

  • An employer owed you a duty of care at the accident time and location;
  • They breached their duty of care; and
  • This caused an accident which led to your physical and/or mental injury.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 applies a duty of care on employers, stating in Section 2 that they must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure employee safety in the workplace.

An employer could be in breach of their duty if they do not take reasonable and practicable measures to prevent avoidable injuries, such as:

  • Keeping floors and walkways free of unnecessary obstructions.
  • Giving necessary training to employees.
  • Providing PPE to employees that need it to do their job safely 
  • Carrying out regular risk assessments and paying attention to any warnings that assessments raise.

You can speak to us for advice on making a claim if an employer’s negligence has caused you harm.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?

A claim must also start within the time limit. The Limitation Act 1980 states that, in most cases, a personal injury claim for an accident at work must be initiated within three years of the accident date. However, some exceptions could apply.

If you are not sure about time limits or what applies to your workplace accident claim, our advisors can provide the answer as part of a free consultation.

What Evidence Do I Need To Claim For An Accident At Work?

You will need to supply evidence of your injuries and the incident that caused them. Once you have made an accident at work HSE complaint, you should start gathering some of the following pieces of evidence if you wish to claim compensation:

  • A copy of your medical records
  • A copy of your accident report 
  • Photos of your injuries
  • Videos of the incident (such as CCTV footage)
  • Bank statements and payslips (this can show expenses related to recovery or lost income due to time taken off work)

You may also require an independent medical assessment to prove the full extent of your injuries. The conclusions that medical professionals draw could lend support to your case. If you are eligible to work with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors, they can organise an independent medical assessment for your case. It is important to note that they will not arrange this without your prior consent.

Our advisors are available 24/7 to discuss the specifics of your case and explain what evidence you will need to strengthen your specific claim for compensation. You can also get in touch with any general enquiries you have about how to make a complaint to the HSE after an accident at work.

Examples Of Accidents At Work You Could Claim Compensation For

Accidents could happen in any workplace, no work environment is 100 per cent safe. As we have discussed, in order to be eligible to make a workplace injury claim, you must establish negligence. We have provided some examples below for which an accident at work claim could be made: 

  • A slip, trip or fall on a spillage that has not been cleaned up in a timely manner or no warning signage has been used. This leads to an arm injury like a broken forearm.
  • Because of insufficient training in manual handling, a load that is too heavy to be lifted without apparatus is carried physically across the warehouse floor, causing a back injury.
  • A shelving rack is overstocked with heavy items. An item from the top shelf comes loose and causes a traumatic head injury.
  • A crushing finger injury is caused by defective machinery that has been brought to the employer’s attention but not repaired or replaced. 

If you have been hurt in an accident at work due to employer negligence, please get in touch with our advisors for a free case assessment.

Examples Of Compensation Payouts For Accidents At Work

A personal injury settlement can consist of up to two heads of claim. One head of claim is special damages, where you can claim for costs incurred due to an injury, such as a loss of earnings or prescription fees.

The head of claim compensating you for pain and mental suffering brought about by injuries is general damages.

You can see some example compensation brackets for various injuries in the below table. These figures are from the Judicial College Guidelines, which legal professionals often use along with medical evidence to value injuries. Also we’ve included a figure in the top row, not from the JCG, to illustrate for you how settlements could include compensation for multiple injuries as well as related costs, such as nursing care and lost wages. 

This table is only a guide. 

Compensation table

INJURYSEVERITYCOMPENSATIONNOTES
Multiple injuries with the associated financial costsSevereUp to or more than £1millionSettlements could compensate for multiple severe injuries and related costs.
Brain and headVery severe£344,150 to £493,000Some ability to follow basic commands, recovery of eye opening and return of sleep and waking patterns.
Brain and headModerately severe£267,340 to £344,150In this bracket, the injured person will suffer a serious level of disability.
BackSevere (i)£111,150 to £196,450The injured person will experience disability and pain to a severe level, alongside significantly reduced bladder, bowel and sexual function, and incomplete paralysis.
NeckSevere (i)In the region of £181,020Injuries are linked to resultant permanent spastic quadriparesis or incomplete paraplegia.
NeckSevere (ii)£80,240 to £159,770Serious fractures or damage to discs in the cervical spine.
ArmLoss of one arm (i)Not less than £167,380The arm is amputated at the shoulder.
LegSevere (i)£117,460 to £165,860This bracket acknowledges injuries which fall short of amputation but are so severe that damages will be similar to amputation cases.
HandAmputation of index and middle and/or ring fingers£75,550 to £110,750Any remaining grip in the hand is especially weak, meaning that the hand does not hold much use.

Check If You Can Claim For A Workplace Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis

Our solicitors could provide their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA.) A CFA is a form of a No Win No Fee contract.

The benefits for you are:

  • You do not pay upfront for the solicitor’s services.
  • There are no solicitor fees during the process.
  • You will also not have to pay for their services if the case fails.

Should your claim win, your solicitor will collect a success fee. This is a percentage of the compensation and is capped by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, ensuring that the majority of the compensation goes to you.

To find out and learn about your options for free, please get in touch with our dedicated team of advisors today.

You can reach us by:

  • Calling 0800 073 8804;
  • Enquiring about a claim online by filling out our contact us form;
  • Visiting the live chat feature.

Learn More About How To Make A Complaint To The HSE After An Accident At Work

You can see some more useful guides here:

How To Contact The HSE:

Thank you for looking through our guide on how to make a complaint to the HSE after an accident at work and how to seek work injury compensation. 

How To Make A Complaint About Medical Negligence And Claim Compensation

Last Updated On 24th June 2025. Are you wondering how to make a complaint about medical negligence? If so, this guide could help. Medical professionals owe a duty of care to their patients. This means they need to provide care that meets the correct standard. If there is a failure to do so, medical negligence may have occurred. In these instances, you could make a complaint to the relevant regulatory body. We will explore the process you could follow as we move through our guide.

Additionally, we will explore when you could be eligible to make a medical negligence claim. It will discuss the criteria that need to be met in order to have valid grounds to seek compensation, the evidence that can be gathered to strengthen a potential claim, and the compensation that could potentially be awarded if a claim succeeds.

Our guide concludes with an overview of how our expert solicitors offer their services in a No Win No Fee capacity to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

For more information or to see if you have grounds to claim, please contact an advisor using the contact details below:

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  1. How To Make A Complaint About Medical Negligence
  2. Can I Take Legal Action For Medical Negligence?
  3. Will Making A Complaint Affect My Medical Negligence Claim?
  4. Examples Of Clinical And Medical Negligence
  5. How Much Compensation For Medical Negligence Could You Claim?
  6. Check If You Could Make A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Claim
  7. Learn More About How To Make A Complaint About Medical Negligence

How To Make A Complaint About Medical Negligence

You may be wondering how to make a complaint about medical negligence. There are several regulatory bodies that you could contact. However, who you make your complaint to will depend on where you have experienced a substandard level of care. For example, you could submit a complaint to your GP surgery or the hospital in which you received poor care.

Examples of some of the parties where you could submit your complaint include:

  • NHS Resolution This is the body that provides expertise to the NHS on resolving concerns and disputes fairly.
  • General Medical Council The independent regulator for doctors in the UK. They can review any concern you bring forward and may investigate further if necessary.
  • Parliamentary and Health Service OmbudsmanThey make final decisions on complaints that have been left unresolved by the NHS in England, and other public organisations in the UK.

We Can Help You With Your Complaint

If you are unsure of the process involved in making a complaint for poor medical service, please get in touch with our team.

An advisor can provide further guidance on the complaints procedure you can follow. Also, they can assess whether you are eligible to bring forward a claim for medical negligence. You can get in touch by calling the number above to learn more.

Can I Take Legal Action For Medical Negligence?

In order to be eligible to make a claim for medical negligence, you must ensure the following criteria have been met:

  • A duty of care was owed – Medical professionals owe all of their patients a duty of care. This means they are expected to provide care that meets the correct standard.
  • There was a breach of duty of care – If a medical professional provides you with care that falls below expectations, this would constitute a breach of duty.
  • You experienced avoidable harm – The breach of duty needs to have caused you harm that could have otherwise been avoided.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?

As well as meeting the criteria above, you must also begin your medical negligence claim within a certain time period. The Limitation Act 1980 states that you will generally have 3 years from the date of the medical negligence, or the date you became aware of it. However, there are exceptions to this time limit.

For more information on the eligibility criteria, including the time limit, for medical negligence claims, please speak with an advisor on the number above.

A sitting woman looks out of her hospital room window.

Will Making A Complaint Affect My Medical Negligence Claim?

No, making a complaint won’t affect your medical negligence claim as they are 2 separate processes. In fact, your medical negligence complaint can run concurrently alongside any claim you make for compensation. However, it can be beneficial for the complaint process to have already concluded by the time you decide to pursue compensation since its findings may be useful as evidence.

Even if you get an unsatisfactory response, your complaint can still be advantageous when building a case. In particular, it can create an effective narrative account detailing what you endured due to medical negligence, such as:

  • Your appointment dates.
  • Any notes you took down while attending your appointments.
  • Correspondence relevant to your complaint, such as letters and emails.
  • Documents showing treatments, diagnoses, and prescriptions.
  • An overview of how your day-to-day life has been affected.

If you decide to work with a solicitor, they can use this kind of information as a starting point to help you develop a strong, evidence-based claim. 

If you have any other questions concerning the claims process or how to make a complaint about medical negligence, please reach out to our 24/7 team of advisors. Whether you have a query like ‘Can I complain about medical negligence?’ or want to know about claiming compensation, you can get answers at a time that’s most convenient for you.

Examples Of Clinical And Medical Negligence 

There are various types of medical negligence. We’ve provided you with some examples in this section. However, the list below is not exhaustive, and there are examples outside of these scenarios.

  • MisdiagnosisYou may have visited the hospital with clear symptoms of a fractured ankle. However, the doctor misreads your scan and incorrectly diagnoses you with a sprain.
  • Surgical errors A surgeon may have operated on the wrong part of your body. For example, your right leg may have been amputated instead of your left.
  • Prescription errors You may be prescribed the wrong medication or dosage to treat your illness. Taking the wrong medication could cause a reaction with other medicine you’re taking, and the wrong dosage could cause your health to deteriorate.

You can call an advisor today to discuss your specific case. They can determine whether you have a valid claim for medical negligence. Additionally, they could help you understand the process of how to make a complaint about medical negligence.

How Much Compensation For Medical Negligence Could You Claim?

Settlements following a successful medical negligence claim can comprise 2 heads of claim. The first is known as general damages which compensates for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced due to medical negligence.

Medical evidence can be used, as well as a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), to help calculate the value of general damages. The JCG contains guideline compensation brackets, based on successful past court cases.

Examples Of General Damages

The table below contains some extracts from the JCG (with the exception of the top row). You should use the figures only as a guide because compensation is calculated on a case-by-case basis.

HarmCompensation
Multiple Forms of Very Severe Harm + Special Damages (e.g. Care Costs)Up to £1,000,000 +
Moderately Severe Brain Damage£267,340 to £344,150
Moderate (i) Brain Damage£183,190 to £267,340
Kidney (a)£206,730 to £256,780
Kidney (c)£37,550 to £54,760
Bowels (b)Up to £183,190
Bowels (c)In the region of £97,530
Complete Loss of Bladder FunctionUp to £171,680
Seriously Impaired Bladder Control£78,080 to £97,540
Spleen (a)£25,380 to £32,090

Special Damages For Clinical Negligence Claims

The other head of claim you could be awarded is special damages which compensate for the financial costs and losses caused by the harm you experienced. For example:

  • Medical expenses, such as private treatments
  • Loss of earnings
  • Travel costs
  • The cost of additional care at home
  • Special equipment or home modifications to accommodate a disability or other condition

Get in touch today if you’d like to share your experience and get advice tailored to your specific circumstances. Our advisors are available 24/7, ensuring all queries get prompt answers.

Check If You Could Make A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Claim

There are several benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor. For example:

  • Hands-on assistance with tasks such as gathering evidence.
  • Being able to ask your lawyer to clarify certain parts of the claims process.
  • Help valuing your claim.

Our solicitors operate under a kind of No Win No Fee arrangement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This helps you access their expertise and many services without paying any immediate or ongoing solicitor fees.

Your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation if your claim wins as payment for their work. This is taken as a percentage, which has a legal cap. If the case fails, you’ll have no solicitor fees to pay at all.

Our advisors are here 24/7 to provide further guidance on how to make a complaint about medical negligence. They can also offer a free case assessment to see if you can pursue compensation for medical negligence. If you have an eligible claim, you can be put in touch with one of our specialist medical negligence solicitors. To get started, you can:

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Learn More About How To Make A Complaint About Medical Negligence

Other guides of ours:

Information from other sources:

Call our team if you have any other questions about how to make a complaint about medical negligence.

Written by Bibby

Edited by Mitchell

How To Make A Complaint And Claim Compensation

In this guide, we will discuss how to make a complaint about an organisation, company or service that you have received. There are various instances where you may want to make a complaint against an organisation, for example, if you have suffered harm due to an accident at work, a personal data breach or medical negligence.

Within this guide, we will discuss how you could make a complaint against an organisation and how our advisory team could help you with making said complaint. Additionally, we will explore whether you may be able to make a claim for compensation for the harm you have suffered. We will also explain the eligibility criteria you must meet for different cases. Furthermore, we will discuss how one of our No Win No Fee solicitors could help you with your claim.

For free advice and help with any questions you may have, you can contact our advisory team. Our friendly advisors are on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help you.

To talk with an advisor today, you can:

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A Guide To How To Make A Complaint

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How To Make A Complaint And Claim Compensation

Depending on the type of organisation you are making a complaint about, where and how you will make your complaint will differ. You could want to make a complaint for all different kinds of reasons. 

For example, if you have suffered an accident at work and would like to make a complaint against your workplace, you could complain to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Alternatively, you would make a complaint about an organisation to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a personal data breach. If you would like to make a complaint for medical negligence, you could make this complaint via the NHS Resolution.

We Can Help You With Your Complaint

As well as having a right to make a complaint about an organisation for its failings, you could also have the right to seek compensation in certain circumstances.

Call our advisors now to have your case assessed to see if you are eligible to make a claim for compensation, if you are, they can offer to connect you with the most appreciated solicitor who could also aid you in the complaints procedure too.  

Could I Claim Compensation?

In certain circumstances, you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation. However, you need to meet the specific eligibility criteria for the type of claim you are wishing to make.

For accident at work claims, you would need to prove that your employer breached their duty of care and this caused you to suffer an injury.

To be able to make a medical negligence claim, you would need to prove that a medical professional breached their duty of care causing you to suffer unnecessary harm.

For personal data breach claims, you would need to prove that an organisation failed to adhere to data protection laws, causing your personal data to become compromised and, as a result, you suffered financial loss or psychological harm.

These are just a few examples of how you could be eligible to make a compensation claim to find out if you are eligible, please call our advisors today.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?

As well as meeting the eligibility criteria, you must also ensure that you start your claim within the relevant time limit. These are:

  • Accident at work claims – 3 years from the date of the accident.
  • Medical negligence claims- 3 years from the date you were harmed or connected the harm with negligence.
  • Personal data breach claims – Generally 6 years or 1 year if the claim is against a public body.

It is important to note that certain exceptions may apply to your claim.

You can contact our advisors to see if you could be eligible to make a compensation claim or to learn how to make a complaint against an organisation. 

Examples Of Accident And Injuries That You Could Claim Compensation For

There are various types of incidents where you may suffer harm and may be eligible to claim compensation. Some examples could include:

  • If your employer failed to give you sufficient manual handling training, and you suffer a back injury due to poor lifting technique.
  • You go to hospital with clear symptoms of a wrist fracture. However, the doctor fails to order an X-ray and misdiagnoses you with a sprain, causing your fracture to worsen.
  • Your bank failed to update its cyber security systems, resulting in your personal banking details being accessed during a cyber attack and, as a result, money is withdrawn from your account.

To see if you could be eligible to make a compensation claim, you can contact our advisors. They can also inform you of how to make a complaint against an organisation.

How Much Compensation Could You Claim?

If you make a successful personal injury or medical negligence claim, your compensation settlement could consist of general and special damages.

General damages compensate you for the harm you have experienced. The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)  is a document that many legal professionals will refer to when valuing this head of claim. This is because the JCG provides compensation guidelines for various physical and psychological injuries. We have made a table using the amounts listed in the 16th edition of this document.

This table is only to be used as a guide.

Edit
Injury Severity Notes Compensation Guidelines
Kidney (a) Permanent and serious damage to both kidneys. Or, they have both been lost. £169,400 to £210,400
Psychiatric Damage Generally Severe The claimant will have severe problems dealing with daily life, work or education and with future vulnerability. £54,830 to £115,730
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Severe There will be permanent effects that prevent the injured party from working or functioning the same as they did before the trauma occurred. £59,860 to £100,670
Back Injuries Severe (iii) The person suffers with chronic conditions due to disc lesions or fractures. £38,780 to £69,730
Chest Injuries (c) There has been damage to the lung(s) and chest, causing some continuing disability. £31,310 to £54,830
Arm Injuries Less Severe Despite suffering with substantial disabilities a noticeable degree of recovery will have taken place or is expected to. £19,200 to £39,170
Neck Injuries Moderate (i) Severe immediate symptoms due to fractures or dislocation in the neck, and may need spinal fusion. £24,990 to £38,490
Leg Injuries Less Serious (i) Fractures that make a reasonable recovery but leave the person with a mental implant or limp. £17,960 to £27,760
Hernia (b) A direct inguinal hernia that risks recurrence even after repair, despite the person suffering with no pre-existing weakness. £7,010 to £9,110
Pelvis and Hip Injuries Lesser (ii) Complete recovery from a minor soft tissue injury. Up to £3,950

Special damages compensate you for the monetary losses you have suffered due to being harmed. For example, if you required time off work to recover, you may be able to recover any lost earnings under this head of claim. 

You will need to provide evidence of your losses, such as with bank statements or payslips.

Data Breach Claims

For data breach claims, you could receive compensation for your non-material damage. This refers to the mental harm you have suffered due to a personal data breach.

You could also be awarded compensation for your material damage. This refers to the financial losses you have suffered due to a personal data breach. For example, if your credit card information was comprised in a data breach, this could result in charges being made to that card.

Contact our advisors today to discuss your potential claim and learn how to make a complaint about an organisation.

Check If You Can Make A No Win No Fee Claim

If you meet the eligibility criteria to make a claim for compensation, one of our solicitors may be able to help you. Our solicitors have experience with various types of claims, including those being made for accidents at work, personal data breaches and medical negligence.

If one of our solicitors agrees to take on your claim, they may offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). A CFA is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement. When making a claim with a solicitor under a CFA, they will not expect you to pay them for their work if your claim fails.

If the solicitor you are working with succeeds with your claim, they will deduct a success fee from the compensation awarded. The law caps the percentage that this success fee can be.

You can contact our advisors to see if you could be eligible to work with one of our solicitors for your potential claim. Furthermore, they can help answer your questions and offer free advice on how to make a complaint against an organisation.

To talk with an advisor today, you can:

Learn More About How To Make A Complaint And Claim Compensation

Additional guides by us about claiming compensation:

Further information and resources:

Make A Compensation Claim For A Pneumonia Misdiagnosis

Last Updated 3rd June 2025. Pneumonia is a potentially fatal illness that can develop without you realising it. In this guide, we look at cases where you can claim compensation for a pneumonia misdiagnosis. 

Below, we look at the claims process, eligibility criteria, and how much compensation you could receive. If you’d rather speak with us now to see if you can make a pneumonia misdiagnosis claim, then get in touch with us for free.

Our team of advisors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can offer free advice. You can speak with us now

To talk to an advisor:

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  1. Can I Claim For A Pneumonia Misdiagnosis?
  2. How Does Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Occur?
  3. How Do I Prove My Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Claim?
  4. How Much Compensation Could I Receive?
  5. Why Claim Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Compensation With Our Solicitors
  6. Get Help From A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Solicitor
  7. Learn More About Claiming For Negligent Medical Care

Can I Claim For A Pneumonia Misdiagnosis?

The misdiagnosis of a condition could happen for different reasons. Not all misdiagnoses will mean that the practitioner has breached their duty of care. So, in order to make a claim for your pneumonia misdiagnosis, you must meet the medical negligence claiming criteria. You must be able to prove that:

  • You were owed a duty of care. 
  • There was a breach of duty. 
  • You suffered unnecessary harm because of the breach. 

When you are under the care of a medical professional, they must provide you with the correct standard of care. If you suffer unnecessary harm because they failed to adhere to the duty of care they owe to you, you might be eligible to seek compensation. 

However, not all pneumonia misdiagnoses will mean you have a valid medical negligence claim. For example, you may not be able to claim if your pneumonia diagnosis was missed because you failed to communicate all your symptoms with the doctor. 

Is There A Time Limit To Make A Claim?

Claims for a pneumonia misdiagnosis must be started within the time limit as set by the Limitation Act 1980. Typically, this is three years from the date of the incident. This could also be three years from the date of knowledge: the date that you first realised, or would have been expected to realise, that the harm you suffered was caused by medical negligence. 

However, in certain circumstances, there are exceptions to the time limits. These include:

  • Those who lack the mental capacity to file a claim for themselves have an indefinite suspension applied to the time limit, which lasts for as long as they are unable to claim for themselves. During this time, a court-appointed litigation friend could bring proceedings on their behalf. Should capacity be regained, they will have three years from that date to file a claim if one was not made on their behalf.  
  • Those under the age of 18. For these cases, there is a pause to the time limit that lasts until their 18th birthday. Prior to this, a litigation friend could start the claiming process for them. Once they turn 18, they will have three years to start proceedings if a litigation friend did not act for them. 

One of the advisors from our team can evaluate whether you are within the medical negligence claims time limit. 

How Does Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Occur?

In our list below, we look at a few examples of how a pneumonia misdiagnosis could occur. 

  • A negligent doctor does not listen to the patient who is describing symptoms that reflect pneumonia. Pneumonia shares symptoms with a lot of other illnesses, such as bronchitis and the flu. 
  • X-ray negligence could occur, such as misinterpreting the results or failing to order x-rays to begin with. 
  • Delayed treatment could occur that worsens your condition as you are misdiagnosed with a different illness as your patient records and results are mixed up with another patient. 

If you would like to discuss the situation that resulted in your medical misdiagnosis, please contact one of our advisors. 

What Impact Could A Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Have?

According to the NHS, most pneumonia sufferers will recover in two to four weeks with the right treatment. However, if it’s left untreated, pneumonia can cause severe respiratory failure or a lung abscess. As cases are generally caused by bacterial infection, it is not unheard of for sufferers to contract sepsis due to the infection being allowed to spread and worsen.

Aside from the potential physical effects, the constant coughing, breathing problems and fatigue could prompt mental illness such as depression. In turn, these issues could affect someone’s ability to work, learn or enjoy life in general.

If a negligent diagnosis error has led to you being harmed unnecessarily, you could have the right to make a pneumonia misdiagnosis claim. Call today and our advisors can share guidance on your options.

How Do I Prove My Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Claim?

Collecting sufficient evidence could help support your claim for medical negligence. It could help prove that you suffered unnecessary harm due to your pneumonia misdiagnosis. 

Here are some examples that could be helpful in a misdiagnosis claim:

  • X-ray, scan or test results. For example, if your x-ray was misinterpreted you may have been sent away without the medication necessary to treat pneumonia causing it to worsen. You could provide the x-ray along with your medical records and further x-rays to show how your condition worsened. 
  • A copy of your medical records. These will contain information about when you first sought treatment for the illness, along with what was initially diagnosed. 
  • Witness contact information. For example, if someone accompanied you to the appointment where you were misdiagnosed.  

How Much Compensation Could I Receive?

Settlements in claims for a pneumonia misdiagnosis may consist of two heads of claim: general and special damages. 

The head of claim to compensate for the physical pain and mental suffering caused by the medical negligence is general damages. When valuing your claim, legal professionals can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them. This text lists compensation brackets for different types of harm you could suffer. 

General Damages 

Our table below contains a selection of figures listed in the JCG. It is only to be used as guidance and it is important to note that the top figure was not taken from the JCG.

Type of HarmCompensation BracketNotes
Multiple Severe Illnesses Plus Financial DamageUp to £250,000+A payout reflecting numerous forms of severe harm caused by pneumonia. The payout also reflects associated costs such as a loss of earnings, medical bills or domestic care fees.
Lung Disease (a)£122,850 to £165,860The claimant is young and suffers a serious disability with the probability of a premature death caused by progressive worsening.
Lung Disease (c)£66,890 to £85,460Harm in this bracket causes significant and worsening lung function and breathing impairments.
Lung Disease (d)£38,210 to £66,920Breathing difficulties require the fairly frequent use of an inhaler and the symptoms impact the claimant's lifestyle.
Lung Disease (e)£25,380 to £38,210
Claimants in this bracket suffer from bronchitis and wheezing. However they may experience varying levels of anxiety about the future.
Lung Disease (f)£12,990 to £25,380
The claimant suffers slight breathlessness. They are likely to make a permanent recovery.
Asthma (a)£52,550 to £80,240The claimant suffers severe and permanent asthma that is disabling in nature.
Asthma (b)£32,090 to £52,490Chronic asthma that causes breathing difficulties and a need to use an inhaler from time to time. There is an uncertain prognosis, plus restricted employment prospects.
Asthma (c)£23,430 to £32,090
Bronchitis and wheezing that affects working or social life. Substantial recovery is likely within a few years.

Special Damages In Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Claims

Additionally, your settlement might include special damages. This head of claim compensates you for the financial losses caused by medical negligence. To recover your losses, you should provide evidence, such as your payslips or receipts. 

Here are some examples of the costs you might be able to recover as part of your claim:

  • Loss of earnings, including your past, present and future losses. 
  • Medical expenses, such as wheelchair rental and therapy. 
  • Home help. For example, you might need a cleaner to help you with chores following damage to your lungs. 

If you would like your claim for medical negligence valued for free, get in touch with one of the advisors from our team. 

Why Claim Pneumonia Misdiagnosis Compensation With Our Solicitors

If you have suffered avoidable harm following a pneumonia misdiagnosis, our solicitors at Legal Expert may help you claim the compensation you deserve. They have undergone extensive training to become specialists in such claims so, they may be the best fit for you. 

Further, our solicitors have also gained decades of combined experience in supporting people with their misdiagnosis of pneumonia claims. So, if you are eligible to start one, they can also help you by:

  • Walking you through every stage of the claims process
  • Explaining legal terminology associated with your claim
  • Helping you obtain evidence to prove third party liability 
  • Explaining how compensation for pneumonia misdiagnosis is calculated
  • Helping you apply for interim payments if you need any financial support
  • Setting you up with appointments such as an independent medical assessment 
  • Negotiating compensation settlements with third parties on your behalf 

Understandably, suffering from a pneumonia misdiagnosis can have a detrimental effect on your physical and mental health. However, you have a right to claim compensation for your suffering and our solicitors want to support you through this process.

Our solicitors are also renowned for providing a high level of customer service, professionalism and expertise. Therefore, it may benefit you to start a pneumonia misdiagnosis claim with them.

If you would like to learn more about how our solicitors can assist you with your claim, please reach out to our advisors anytime that suits you. 

Get Help From A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Solicitor

If you would like to make a medical negligence claim for your pneumonia misdiagnosis, you might benefit from legal representation. One of our solicitors could support your case. They have lots of experience with medical negligence claims. 

Our solicitors usually offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA)

Under this type of agreement, you won’t be charged upfront or ongoing fees for your solicitor’s services. Additionally, your solicitor won’t ask for payment if your claim isn’t successful. 

If your claim for clinical negligence is successful, your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation award. The percentage that can be deducted is limited by the law. 

Talk To Our Experts

If you need any free advice about claiming for medical negligence, please get in touch with an advisor from our team. Additionally, they can assess whether you have valid grounds for a claim and if you do, you could be put in touch with one of our medical negligence solicitors

To talk to an advisor:

Learn More About Claiming For Negligent Medical Care

Additional guides you may find helpful:

External resources that might be useful:

If you have any questions about claiming for pneumonia misdiagnosis, please reach out to one of our advisors.

Can I Receive Compensation For Emotional Distress?

By Stephen Hudson, Last Updated 19th March 2025. In this guide, we will discuss when you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim to receive compensation for emotional distress. The term personal injury covers various types of claims, such as road traffic accident claims, accident at work claims and public liability claims.

As we move through the guide, we will explain the eligibility requirements that your claim must meet for you to have potentially valid grounds to seek compensation for a personal injury. Following this, we will look at different types of psychological injuries that an accident could cause, such as emotional distress, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important to note that a personal injury claim can be made for psychological damage either alongside or independent of physical injuries.

We will also provide information regarding the evidence you could obtain to support your claim and explain how personal injury compensation could be calculated.

To conclude, we will explain the potential benefits of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor to pursue personal injury compensation. 

If you would like to ask any questions regarding your potential personal injury compensation claim, you can speak to a member of our team at any time, as they are available 24/7 to provide you with free advice and guidance. Also, they have access to our specialist No Win No Fee personal injury solicitors, but this does not mean that they will place you under any obligations to further your claim with us. 

To get in touch, you can:

  • Call 0800 073 8804 to speak to a team member.
  • Claim online by filling out our form, or
  • Type to an advisor via the live chat window on this page.

A personal injury claim form on a desk with a gavel and pen sitting on top of it

 

Select A Section

  1. Can I Receive Compensation For Emotional Distress?
  2. What Constitutes A Psychological Injury?
  3. How Do You Prove A Psychiatric Injury Such As Emotional Distress?
  4. Time Limits For Claiming Psychological Injury Compensation
  5. How Do You Calculate Damages For Emotional Distress?
  6. Contact A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  7. Read More About Claiming Compensation For Emotional Distress

Can I Receive Compensation For Emotional Distress?

In certain scenarios, you are owed a duty of care by another party. A breach could result in an accident that causes physical and/or mental injuries. This could lead you to claim emotional distress compensation (if you meet the eligibility).  Examples of such scenarios include the following:

  • At work: employers are required to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. A failure to do this that causes emotional distress could be a lack of maintenance. If you were using a forklift that had not undergone maintenance, resulting in the lifting arm collapsing, despite not being physically injured, you could suffer serious psychological impacts from almost being crushed.
  • On the roads: road users have a duty of care to each other to do everything they can to avoid causing each other harm. This means abiding by both the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code. So, for example, if a speeding driver crashed into you at a junction, you could suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder as well as physical injuries.
  • In public places: the parties in control of public spaces, called “occupiers,” must take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of all visitors as per the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. As an example, the management of a cafe failed to repair the bathroom light despite multiple staff reporting the switch was faulty. You received a substantial electric shock from the light switch, causing burns and considerable emotional distress.

If you have been involved in an accident and as a result suffered emotional distress, a claim in response may be possible if the following applies:

  • Another party owed you a duty of care, which they breached.
  • Due to this breach, you suffered psychological harm and potentially physical injuries as well.

Emotional Distress Caused By Violent Crimes

Additionally, you could be eligible to start a criminal injury emotional distress claim. This type of claim allows victims of violent crimes to receive compensation for mental and physical injuries. Such crimes include:

  • Sexual abuse, assaults and rapes
  • Other forms of assault causing psychological or bodily harm
  • Arson and attacks using harmful substances, such as acid
  • Domestic abuse

These work by claiming through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is the agency that pays compensation to eligible victims. 

Compensation for emotional distress under a criminal injury claim is assessed differently from personal injury claims. It is calculated using set tariffs for different types and severities of injury. If you would like more information about this, please contact our team of advisors. 

Primary Vs Secondary Victims

A primary victim refers to a person who was directly involved in an incident or accident caused by another person’s negligent actions. This resulted in them experiencing harm.

A secondary victim refers to a person who has not directly experienced negligence. However, they have experienced psychological harm due to witnessing an accident or incident. 

The criteria you must meet in order to claim emotional distress compensation differs between primary and secondary victims. Please speak with an advisor for more information, as they can assess whether you are eligible to claim compensation through this route.

What Constitutes A Psychological Injury?

There are various types of mental health conditions that can affect your life. Mental health problems can cause you to feel that the ways you’re thinking, reacting, and feeling are difficult, or near impossible, to cope with. 

Examples of some of the psychological injuries you could experience after an accident include: 

In some cases, mental harm may be the result of experiencing a severe and life-altering physical injury, such as an amputation or facial disfigurement. However, psychological damage can also be caused where no physical injury is present. If you have experienced psychological damage due to third-party negligence, please speak to a member of our team to discover whether you may be eligible to receive compensation for emotional distress.  

How Do You Prove A Psychiatric Injury Such As Emotional Distress?

To support a personal injury claim for emotional distress, it is important that you can prove the occurrence of negligence. To do this, you should seek medical attention for your psychological damage and/or physical injuries and obtain a copy of the medical records produced.   

Other evidence you could gather includes: 

  • Photographic evidence
  • CCTV footage, or footage from a dashcam if the accident occurred on the road
  • The contact details of witnesses who could be contacted for a statement at a later stage
  • A diary of your symptoms and treatment 
  • A copy of the incident report from the accident at work book, if the accident happened at work

If you would like to ask one of our advisors, ‘How do you prove a psychiatric injury?’, get in touch. They can provide further information on how you can strengthen a claim for personal injury compensation for emotional distress.  

Time Limits For Claiming Psychological Injury Compensation

The time limit to claim compensation for emotional distress is usually 3 years, commencing from the date negligence occurred. This is outlined in the Limitation Act 1980

However, this time limit is put on hold for claimants who:

  • Are mentally incapacitated. 
  • Are younger than 18. 

While the time limit is put on hold, someone can step in and begin a claim on the claimant’s behalf as a litigation friend

If a litigation friend doesn’t step in, however, the usual 3-year time limit will begin once the claimant either:

  • Recovers their mental capacity (starting from the date of recovery).
  • Turns 18 (starting from the date of their 18th birthday).

To learn more about the emotional distress claims time limit, contact us today. Additionally, please continue reading to find out how an emotional distress compensation amount is calculated in successful claims.

How Do You Calculate Damages For Emotional Distress?

If your personal injury claim is successful, your compensation for emotional distress could potentially be made up of two heads of loss. These heads of loss are known as general and special damages. 

General damages compensates you for the psychological effects of your emotional distress, and for the physical effects of any other injuries you may have suffered. Here are some factors that are looked at under general damages:

  • Loss of amenity.
  • The prognosis of your emotional distress.
  • What treatment is required.

Legal professionals can calculate a potential general damages figure by examining your medical evidence alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG publication lists the compensation guidelines for England and Wales for various psychological and physical injuries.

Compensation Guidelines

We have included some of the JCG compensation guidelines below. But, please bear in mind that the top figure is not from the JCG, and the emotional distress compensation amount you could potentially receive may differ from these figures, as all claims are unique:

  • For suffering multiple serious psychological and/or injuries and financial losses, the compensation bracket is up to £250,000+.
  • For general psychological damage considered severe, the compensation bracket is £66,920 to £141,240.
  • For moderately severe psychological damage, the compensation amount is £23,270 to £66,920.
  • In cases where there is moderate psychological damage, the compensation amount is £7,150 to £23,270.
  • For less severe cases of moderate psychological damage, the compensation bracket is set at £1,880 to £7,150.
  • The compensation bracket for severe PTSD is £73,050 to £122,850.
  • For moderately severe PTSD, the compensation amount is £28,250 to £73,050.
  • For moderate PTSD, there is a compensation bracket set at £9,980 to £28,250.
  • When less severe PTSD is being claimed for, the bracket is £4,820 to £9,980.

Special Damages

Special damages compensates you for the financial effects of your emotional distress. This includes:

  • Loss of earnings for needing time off work to recover from your psychological injury.
  • Therapy costs.
  • Travel expenses for going to and from medical appointments. 

General damages are awarded to everyone who has a successful personal injury claim, whereas special damages are only awarded to some people. This is why you’ll need to provide supporting evidence when claiming for financial losses. So be sure to hold onto payslips, receipts, travel tickets, invoices, bank statements, and other documents. 

Please contact us today to learn more about how emotional distress compensation is calculated.

Contact A No Win No Fee Solicitor

If you allow one of our advisors to assess your claim today, they may find that you have an eligible personal injury case and could potentially connect you with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors specialising in emotional distress claims. 

A popular type of No Win No Fee agreement that our solicitors can offer is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This can have the following potential advantages for your claim: 

  • Firstly, there will not be any upfront or ongoing payments for you to make for the services provided by your personal injury solicitor. 
  • Secondly, if your emotional distress claim is unsuccessful, there will be no payments to be made at any time for the services your solicitor provides.
  • Lastly, in the case that your emotional distress claim is successful, your No Win No Fee solicitor can receive a small success fee from the compensation. This is a percentage capped by the law.

Here are some of the services that our solicitors provide on a No Win No Fee basis:

  • Help with gathering your evidence. 
  • Ensuring the emotional distress compensation amount is correct.
  • Ensuring the emotional distress claims time limit is adhered to.
  • Explaining legal jargon. 
  • Communicating with the defendant so you don’t have to.
  • Keeping you regularly updated on the progress of the case.

Talk To Our Team

Please don’t hesitate to speak to a member of our team today to learn more about claiming personal injury compensation for emotional distress.

You can:

  • Call 0800 073 8804 to speak to a team member,
  • Contact us by filling out our callback form, or
  • Type to an advisor via the live chat window on this page.

A personal injury solicitor sat at a desk with scales of justice in front of him

Read More About Claiming Compensation For Emotional Distress

Firstly, to learn more about personal injury claims for psychological damage, explore more of the guides on our website: 

Also, visit the following external links for further information: 

Thank you for reading this article on when you may be eligible to claim personal injury compensation for emotional distress. If you have any additional questions, contact an advisor via the details provided above.

Can I Receive Compensation For Future Medical Expenses?

Compensation-For-Future-Medical-Expenses

A Guide To Claiming Compensation For Future Medical Expenses

During this guide, the focus shall be on whether claimants can claim compensation for future medical expenses. 

In order to claim medical expenses, you first must establish whether you are eligible to make a personal injury claim. We cover three types of personal injury claims: accidents at work, public liability and road traffic accidents. 

For a claim to be valid, there are criteria in place you must satisfy. The criteria define negligence, which is a failure to adhere to a duty of care placed on a third party causing injury.

Additionally, we will provide some examples of medical expenses you might be able to claim and some examples of evidence that could be used to prove your medical costs.

Furthermore, we have provided a compensation section that features a table of compensation brackets.

If you are interested, please continue reading the guide until the end. Our penultimate section covers the benefits of claiming with a No Win No Fee solicitor.

Alternatively, you can contact one of our advisors for free today. After a free consultation, they can assess the facts of your case and advise you on your next step. They may even connect you with one of our specialist solicitors who have expertise in cases similar to your own. Contact us by:

Contact Details

  • Phone 0800 073 8804.
  • Contact us by filling out our online form.
  • Speak to an advisor over our live chat pop-up window.

Pick A Topic

  1. Can I Receive Compensation For Future Medical Expenses?
  2. Future Medical Expenses You Could Claim For
  3. Proving Your Personal Injury Claim
  4. What Compensation Could You Receive For Your Injuries?
  5. How To Claim Compensation For Future Medical Expenses With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  6. Read More About Claiming For Special Damages

Can I Receive Compensation For Future Medical Expenses?

Following an accident, you may be left with injuries that necessitate the need for care or prolonged treatment and medication. This can be expensive, but you may be able to claim for medical expenses as part of a personal injury claim. As you go about your daily life, certain third parties owe you a duty of care, such as:

In this instance, employers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 owe a duty of care to take reasonable steps to maintain a safe working environment and to prevent injuries to their employees. 

In public, under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, those who are in control of a public space must ensure that they take steps to keep those members of the public who are using the space for its intended purpose reasonably safe. 

Whilst on the roads, all road users have a duty of care to one another. Road users must navigate the roads in a safe manner so as not to cause injury, harm or damage to themselves or others. This means abiding by the rules in the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code

To be eligible to make a personal injury claim, you will need to meet the following criteria:

  • Firstly, you were owed a duty of care.
  • Secondly, there was a breach of duty.
  • Finally, this breach was the cause of your injuries. 

Additionally, you should begin legal proceedings within the standard claim time limits, which is generally three years from the accident date, outlined in the Limitation Act 1980. However, there are exceptions that can prolong the limitation period.

Our solicitors have a wealth of knowledge and experience in personal injury claims. This experience can be crucial when dealing with challenges. If you are interested in hiring the services of a proficient solicitor, contact Legal Expert today.

Future Medical Expenses You Could Claim For

If you make a successful personal injury claim, you can be awarded up to two heads of loss. General damages, which we will discuss further down and special damages. The latter reimburses claimants or provides funds for the past, present and future financial losses. Under the head of special damages are medical expenses.

If you are eligible to make a personal injury claim and your injuries necessitate paid medical care, this can be taken into consideration. However, you should always check before paying out for any medical fees that these costs can be reimbursed. If the costs are unreasonable or the medication or treatment could have been funded in a different way, the third party may dispute them. 

Here are some examples of medical expenses you could claim:

  • Private medical expenses. For example, for treatment that is unavailable on the NHS.
  • Medical aids. Some examples are crutches, hearing aids or glasses.
  • Prescriptions. Medication for injury or illness.
  • Home adaptations. Life-changing injuries could mean you need adaptations to your home, such as a stairlift.
  • Care costs. If you require care due to a brain injury.

If you would like more information regarding compensation for future medical expenses, you should contact one of our advisors. They can give you a free consultation and advise you on what to do next.

Proving Your Personal Injury Claim 

Suppose you have suffered a personal injury in an accident and have decided to claim compensation. In that case, you should provide as much sufficient evidence to have a better chance of a successful claim.

Some of the evidence you could collect we have listed below:

  • Collect name and contact information from eyewitnesses.
  • If you are at work, record your accident in the accident workbook.
  • Seek adequate medical attention and get your medical records.
  • Keep hold of financial expenses such as receipts and bank statements.
  • Collect CCTV or dashcam footage if available
  • Take images of any visible injuries and/or the accident scene

These steps can be a good way to start a personal injury claim. Our solicitors can help clients collect evidence for their case as part of their service. They can also advise you on what to do next. If you would like to learn more, contact our advisors for free.

What Compensation Could You Receive For Your Injuries? 

After achieving a successful claim, your compensation settlement may comprise two heads of claim called general and special damages

General damages accounts for the physical pain and psychological injury. 

To give you an idea of how general damages are calculated, we have provided a table of compensation brackets taken from the Judicial College Guidelines. These guidelines are often used by professionals to help them value claims. 

 

Edit
Injury Value Notes
Tetraplegia £324,600 – £403,990 At the top end of the bracket will be cases where physical pain is present or where there is a significant effect on senses or ability to communicate.
Moderately Severe Brain Injury £219,070 – £282,010 Substantial dependence on others, and disabilities such as limb paralysis or impaired intellect.
Loss of Both Hands £140,660 – £201,490 Serious damage resulting in total or effective loss of both hands.
Severe Back Injury (i) £91,090 – £160,980 Incomplete paralysis and impairment of bowels, sexual function and bladder.
Loss of One Arm (i) £109,650 – £130,930 Injuries resulting in an above-elbow amputation.
Severe (i) Hip/Pelvis Injury £78,400 – £130,930 Substantial residual disabilities resulting in sexual dysfunction, deformity and lessened control of bowels.
Very Severe Leg Injuries (ii) £54,830 – £87,890 Permanent problems with mobility and constant need for mobility aids.
Wrist Injuries (a) £47,620 – £59,860 Arthrodesis has been performed.
Elbow Injuries (a) £39,170 – £54,830 Injuries that are severely disabling.
Moderate Neck Injuries (i) £24,990 – £38,490 Injuries leaving impaired function and vulnerability to further trauma.

 

The compensation brackets are for guidance: they are not guaranteed amounts for a successful claim due to the individual nature of each case. 

If you would like a claim valued, feel free to contact us today. We can offer a free consultation and advise you on what to do next.

Special Damages 

After an injury, it is not uncommon for someone to have additional costs that they must pay for. If so, you can include these losses in your personal injury claim as special damages. 

Special damages are there so that any costs that have been accrued or future costs relating to the injuries can be reimbursed; this includes medical expenses. You can find some examples of medical expenses earlier in this guide. However, special damages are not limited to medical expenses. You may also be able to claim for:

For more information about how much compensation for future medical expenses you could be owed, contact us today.

How To Claim Compensation For Future Medical Expenses With A No Win No Fee Solicitor

The aftermath of an injury can be a chaotic and confusing time. But don’t worry, Legal Expert are here to help. We can offer you support and advice on what to do next. 

The thought of taking legal action can be daunting. If so, you could opt to make a claim with a No Win No Fee solicitor. 

For instance, your solicitor will not charge you any upfront fees to begin your claim or any ongoing fees whilst the claim is in progress.

In the event of a successful claim, your solicitor will take a percentage of your compensation. Success fees have a ceiling they can’t exceed, as outlined by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013. Furthermore, you will usually agree on the percentage before legal proceedings begin, therefore, you have transparency and clarity.

How To Get In Touch With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?

You should be aware that not every solicitor will agree to take your case on a No Win No Fee basis. However, here at Legal Expert, we have a team of experienced No Win No Fee solicitors who all work on this basis. Take the first step today and contact us for free:

  • Phone 0800 073 8804.
  • Contact us by filling out our online form.
  • Speak to an advisor over our live chat pop-up window.

Read More About Claiming For Special Damages 

Below we have included a range of links that also include information about claiming compensation for future medical expenses. 

Internal links:

External links: