Our personal injury solicitors are based in the City of London, Marlow and High Wycombe. Our solicitors win over 95% of the personal injury court cases which they issue.

If you have suffered a personal injury and someone else was to blame then we may be able to progress your claim on a no win, no fee basis. Please complete and return our Personal Injury Questionnaire and we will quickly provide you with a free initial assessment of your case.

As part of your personal injury claim you will be able to seek damages which comes in two forms: general damages and special damages.

General damages
This head of damages compensates you for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity. The level of general damages depends on the severity of your injuries. For a guide as to the levels of general damages that can be awarded for an injury, please click here.

Obviously you are likely to recover more quickly from your injuries if you receive ongoing medical treatment or rehabilitation. We can often arrange this at no cost to you.

Special damages
This head of damages compensates you for the financial losses you have suffered as a result of your injuries. You should keep a record of your expenses and any receipts so that you can prove these losses in due course. Typical financial losses include the following: –

• loss of earnings.
• cost of medical treatment.
• cost of carer support.
• hire charges for replacement vehicles.

In some cases where the injured person cannot return to work it is possible to claim additional damages for loss of congenial employment. This is awarded on the basis that their employment was “more than just a job” to them. The majority of awards for this head of damage do not exceed £7,500.

One of the most important pieces of evidence that will be needed if you are to be successful with your claim is a medical report. The medical report will document the nature and extent of your injuries, your recovery, any ongoing or permanent health problems and the effect the injuries have had on your life.

Will my GP be able to prepare a report?
To ensure your opponent’s insurance company and the Court (in the unlikely event your case goes to trial) consider that the medical report is unbiased, the report cannot be prepared by your GP or anyone else who may have treated you.

The medical report appointment
Our solicitors will arrange for you to see a medical specialist. The specialist will want to know how well you have recovered from the accident and if there are any permanent injuries. Depending on the extent and severity of your injuries, your medical appointment will probably last between 20 minutes to 1 hour. You will not usually need to undress but the specialist may wish to examine you. Once you have had the medical appointment the specialist will prepare a written report and send it to us. We will then forward a copy of the report to you and discuss the next steps to be taken.

Sometimes if the injury is substantial, it is necessary to obtain reports from different types of specialists. For example, it might be necessary to instruct a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and a Consultant Psychiatrist if you have suffered a debilitating whiplash injury that has brought about a period of depression.

Procedure after medical report is obtained
Often once the medical report is obtained it is possible to assess your likely claim for general damages and special damages. At this point it is probable that both parties (you and the Defendant’s insurer) will want to make offers of settlement to try to compromise the claim. If a settlement cannot be agreed at this point then it is possible that court proceedings will be commenced. For further details please see our guide on the overview of a court claim.

Time limits
The most common cause of action for a personal injury claim is negligence and the time limit to bring a claim is 3 years. This means the Court proceedings must be issued within 3 years of you first being aware that you have suffered an injury.

Personal injury trusts
At the conclusion of the case we will be able to advise you on whether it would be helpful for you to have a personal injury trust and we will be able to draw this up for you.

Nobody wants to have to claim compensation. The need to seek damages always arises from difficult circumstances. You want to know where you stand.

Please contact us today for a free no obligation telephone discussion by calling either our London, Marlow or High Wycombe offices or by email:  personalinjury@curzongreen.co.uk