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Serious injury claims solicitors

If you have suffered a serious injury that may have caused life-changing or long-lasting changes to your life, you may be able to claim compensation. Contact our specialist solicitors today to start your no win, no fee serious injury claim.

Last Updated November 6th, 2023

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Key points for making an injury claim

The most important things to remember when making a serious injury claim:

  • You can claim compensation if you have suffered a serious injury that was not your fault and it has life-changing or long-term effects on your life.
  • Compensation amounts for serious injuries will depend on the part of your body you have injured, the severity of your injuries and the effect they have on your life.
  • In most cases, you have up to three years from the date you were injured to start a compensation claim for a serious injury.
  • Our serious injury claims are offered on a no win, fee basis.

What is a serious injury claim?

Serious injuries, sometimes called catastrophic injuries, are injuries that have a life-changing impact or extreme long-lasting consequences for a person or their family. 

A serious injury claim can be one of the most complex types of personal injury claims. At Express Solicitors, we understand the considerable impact a serious injury can have on you and your family and have a distinguished track record of recovering the maximum amount of compensation you are legally entitled to.

When can I claim compensation for a serious injury?

You can claim compensation if you have suffered a serious injury that was not your fault and it has life-changing or long-term effects on your life.

  • Your life has been significantly changed because of your injuries.
  • You have to receive lengthy or ongoing treatment
  • Your injury has required long, repeated or ongoing hospital visits
  • You had to take significant time off work

Accidents resulting in severe or catastrophic injuries can happen anywhere. Whether you were involved in a road traffic accident, an accident at work, a victim of medical negligence or were injured in public, your rights to claim compensation for your injuries are the same. 

With over 1,000 years of combined legal expertise, we win cases other firms can not. Get in touch today with our team of no win no fee solicitors who are waiting to offer you legal support and advice. We provide unlimited legal advice at the outset of all claims, so don’t hesitate to contact us.

Get the best legal team on your side

  • Over 1,000 years of combined legal expertise
  • We’ll get you more compensation than anyone else
  • Early payments to cover your expenses*
  • We win the cases other firms can’t
  • Fully independent, and fully regulated.

* Where applicable

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What types of injuries would be considered serious?

Any injury that has had a significant impact on your life would be considered serious, but in our experience, the most common types of serious injury claims are for severe head or brain injuries, back, neck and spinal injuries, injuries to the eye resulting in blindness, limb injuries resulting in amputation, extensive burns, PTSD, and unfortunately fatal injuries.

Additionally, we see serious injury claims caused by medical negligence. For example, serious and life-changing injuries can be caused by surgical errors, leading to blindness, infections or internal organ damage.

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How much compensation can I claim for a serious injury?

Compensation amounts for serious injuries will depend on the part of your body you have injured, the severity of your injuries and the effect they have had on your life. According to the Judicial College Guidelines, settlement amounts for the most serious head injuries can be as much as £344,000.

Serious injury compensation claims calculator

Our serious injury claims calculator below will give you an approximate amount of compensation you may be able to claim.

The calculator considers the part of your body you have injured and the severity of your injuries and provides an approximate compensation amount based on recent case law and the Judicial College Guidelines.

Alternatively, see our table of serious injury compensation amounts at the bottom of this page or try our injury claim calculator to find out how much you may be able to claim.

Find out how much you could claim

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Compensation amounts are estimated based on the level of injury below

These amounts only take into account the amount of compensation you could claim for your injuries, known as General Damages.

In addition, to the amount you may be able to receive for your injuries, known as “general damages”, you can also claim for “special damages.”

Compensation for Special damages can be claimed to cover expenses you may have already incurred or will incur because of your injury.

Compensation could be claimed for expenses that may include, but would not be limited to;

  • Any loss of income or pension
  • Any costs associated with your rehabilitation or ongoing medical treatment
  • Any costs associated with adaptations you may need to make to your home
  • Any costs for the care you may have or will need to receive, even if a family member or friend provides this.
  • Any out-of-pocket expenses you or anyone who has cared for you may have incurred.

Our specialist serious injury solicitors recognise that no amount of money can make up for what you may have suffered, so we take the utmost consideration into ensuring you are compensated correctly in relation to the severity of your injuries, the effects the injury has had on your life, loss of earnings and changes to your lifestyle.

We understand the financial impact of an accident.

In 99% of cases, we recovered more compensation than the insurer’s first offer. We’ll provide financial security with our interim payments wherever possible, meaning you don’t need to rush into an offer that is lower than you’re legally entitled to.

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What is the time limit for making a serious injury compensation claim?

You have up to three years from the date you were injured to start a compensation claim for a serious injury.

There are some exceptions to this – which may be relevant if you’ve had a serious head or brain injury.

If your injury left you ‘mentally incapacitated’, for example, with brain damage, then there are no time limits for your claim.

If you were under 18 at the time of the accident, you can claim for up to three years after your 18th birthday or have a responsible adult (a ‘litigation friend) represent you.

If your injury was caused by a defective or faulty product, the time limit you can claim may be extended if the product was found to be faulty, such as a product recall. In such instances, the time limit would be three years from the date of the recall or the date of your injury – whichever is greater.

How much personal injury compensation can I claim?

What is the serious injury claim process?

The best place to start is to contact us. You’ll receive free, unlimited legal advice, and we’ll be able to advise you of your legal rights.

To explain your legal rights and if you are able to make a claim, we’ll ask you about the circumstances that caused you or your loved one’s injuries. The more information you can provide, the better we can advise you of your rights.

We may ask some of the following questions;

  • Where and when the accident took place
  • The injuries you’ve suffered as a result of the accident
  • Who may have been at fault for the accident
  • If you have any of the following (if applicable) witness statements, accident reports, photographs, police reports or CCTV of the accident scene
  • What medical treatment you’ve received, and when you received it
  • If you have medical reports
  • What injuries and pain you’ve suffered and are still suffering
  • The amount of time you’ve had to take off work
  • The amount of loss of earnings you may have incurred
  • Any adaptations you’ve had to make to your daily life, home and routines

Why should you choose us?

100% No-Win-No-Fee

Contact us with the comfort of knowing you’ll never be at financial risk when you claim with us. We cover all legal costs, never charge upfront fees, and we only get paid if you

Advanced payments available

We understand how an accident can affect your financial position. We always look to collect an early compensation (interim) payment where possible.

We can take over your case

With legal specialists for every type of accident claim, we can take over your claim at any stage from another solicitors. We take pride in winning cases other firms turn down.

Can I make a no win no fee serious injury claim?

Yes. Our serious injury claims are processed on a no win, no fee basis.

No win no fee agreements are also known as Conditional Fee Agreements (CFA). This agreement means that there is only a fee on the condition that you win. It means you are safe to pursue a compensation claim knowing that you have no financial risk if it’s unsuccessful.

When your claim is successful, the other side (typically their insurer) pays most of the legal costs, and the law firm takes a fixed and agreed percentage of your compensation. This means you’d never be out of pocket when claiming, and with us, you keep the majority of your compensation.

When making a no win no fee claim, we take out an insurance policy on your behalf, which protects you in the rare event the claim isn’t successful. This is known as an After The Event (ATE) insurance policy, which means you have no upfront costs and nothing to pay if you lose the case.

Frequently asked questions about serious injury claims

How long does it take for a serious injury claim to pay out?

There are no set time periods for serious injury compensation claims to pay out. Generally, we aim to get all of our claims settled within a few months, but this can vary considerably depending on the seriousness of your injury and the evidence we present for your case.If your claim takes longer, it is only because we are doing everything to get the largest amount of compensation you're legally entitled to. In some cases, we may be able to provide 'early compensation payments to tide you over while you're waiting for your full settlement. However, in some cases, claims can take up to two years.

Can I claim for anxiety after an accident?

You can claim for life-changing effects that are not always physical, including effects on your mental health. For example, some people may suffer symptoms such as post-traumatic stress disorder after an incident. Similar to physical injuries, you will need to be able to provide proof that you have sought medical help for your anxiety symptoms. We can help you to gather this evidence.

Can I claim for a serious injury on behalf of somebody else?

You can claim for serious injuries on somebody else's behalf. This is called being a 'litigation friend', and you need to be over 18 years of age. You can claim on behalf of a child until their 18th birthday or on behalf of somebody 'mentally incapacitated' – for example, somebody with brain damage.

Compensation claim amounts for serious injuries

Part of bodySeverity of injuryAmount of compensationTypes of injuries
HeadMinor£1,880.00 to £10,890.00Covers head injury with recovery within a few weeks. Higher compensation if symptoms include headaches.
HeadModerate£13,430.00 to £112,130.00Symptoms ranging from poor concentration, lower and higher risk of epileptic attacks, minor personality changes, depression, more severe intellectual impairment, or injuries/symptoms leading to a vegetative state.
HeadSerious£186,890.00 £240,590.00Covers reduced life expectancy, serious physical symptoms, serious changes to personality or intellect, large dependence on others due to paralysis or otherwise.
HeadSevere£240,590.00 to £344,640.00Covers minimally conscious state (life expectancy less than 15 years), severe disability, brain damage with little/no response, vegetative states needing full-time nursing.
EyeSevere£56,080.00to £229,260.00Complete blindness on one/both eyes or severe visual impairment on one/both eyes.
FaceMinor£1,460.00 to £7,460.00Light or no scarring on the face, but no fractures, loss/damage of one/two front teeth, simple fractures of the jaw or nose, but with a possibility of complete recovery.
FaceSerious£15,320.00 to £26,010.00More serious fractures such as a broken jaw or nose, breaking/damage/loss of several teeth.
FaceSevere£26,010.00 to £38,850.00Severe injuries resulting in facial disfigurement, several jaw fractures, chronic tooth pain, and scarring. May lead to eating restrictions or higher risk of joint arthritis. Covers negative effects on mental health.
Ear/ hearingMinorUp to £5,980.00Possible Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), slight/occasional tinnitus.
Ear/ hearingModerate£12,700.00 to £25,350.00Partial hearing loss or mild to severe tinnitus.
Ear/ hearingSerious£25,350.00 to £38,850.00Complete deafness in one ear. Severity varies based on additional symptoms (e.g. dizziness, tinnitus, etc.).
Ear/ hearingSevere£77,430.00 to £120,040.00Complete deafness in both ears. Higher compensation for child injuries also resulting in a loss of speech.

Serious injury compensation amounts for back, neck, shoulders and upper body injuries

Part of bodySeverity of injuryAmount of compensationTypes of injuries
NeckMinorUp to £6,680.00Soft tissue injuries or whiplash with recovery within 3 – 24 months. Compensation factors include severity of pain and amount of negative effects on everyday life.
NeckModerate£7,410.00 to £47,760.00Covers injuries that accelerated a pre-existing condition, disc lesions, cervical spondylosis, serious limitation of movement, permanent and/or recurring pain, all caused by fractures or dislocations.
NeckSevere£56,100.00 to £139,210.00Serious fractures, severe soft tissue damage, chronic pain conditions, disc damage, partial paraplegia, or significant, permanent disability.
BackMinor£2,090.00 to £10,670.00Includes lighter strains, sprains, disc prolapses, and soft tissue injuries. Recovery between 3 months and 5 years.
BackModerate£11,730.00 to £26,050.00Includes: spinal fusion, compressed or fractured lumbar spine (possibly resulting in higher risk of osteoarthritis and constant pain), prolapsed discs and other injuries that may require surgery and a continued acceleration/worsening of a pre-existing back condition.
BackSevere£36,390.00 to £151,070.00Typically requires surgery. Injuries include: damaged spinal cord and partial paralysis, psychological issues, loss of bladder and/or bowel function, disc lesions, impaired movement, arthritis, etc.
ShoulderMinorUp to £6,730.00Soft tissue injury resulting in pain. Full recovery between 3 – 24 months.
ShoulderSerious£10,890.00 to £16,380.00Fractured humerus, clavicle or rotator cuff needing surgery.
ShoulderSevere£16,380.00 to £40,970.00Significant disability caused by severe damage to the neck or brachial plexus.
Pelvis & hipsMinor£3,370.00 to £10,750.00Complete recovery after minor soft tissue injuries. Little or no disability within 2 years.
Pelvis & hipsModerate£10,750.00 to £33,430.00No serious disability, but covers injuries requiring hip operations, replacement of hips (or the need for either in the future).
Pelvis & hipsSevere£33,430.00 to £111,690.00Severe hip/pelvis fractures resulting in bowel damage or spinal fusion, childbirth complications, hip replacement, and/or leading to higher likelihood of future surgery.
Scarring (not facial)Minor£2,020.00 to £7,380.00One noticeable scar or several superficial, unsightly scars on the legs, arms, or hands.
Scarring (not facialModerateUp to £7,380.00Full recovery within 2 years, up to a partial recovery with symptoms that are not largely debilitating.
Scarring (not facialSevere£6,680.00 to £19,390.00Several noticeable laceration scars or a single disfiguring scar.

Serious injury compensation amounts for arm, hand, and finger injuries

Part of bodySeverity of injuryAmount of compensationTypes of injuries
ArmMild£5,630.00 to £16,380.00Fractured forearm.
ArmModerate£16,380.00 to £33,430.00Serious arm injury leading to long-lasting symptoms.
ArmSerious£33,430.00 to £111,690.00Serious injury resulting in an inability to use the arm(s) to some extent. Does not result in amputation.
ArmSevere£82,040.00 to £255,930.00Results may include the amputation of one/both arms. Compensation amount will depends on amputated area, whether phantom pain is experienced, and on other effects on the quality of life.
ElbowModerateUp to £10,750.00Includes: tennis elbow, deep cuts, simple fractures, no permanent damage.
ElbowSerious£13,360.00 to £27,320.00Results in restricted movement but does not require surgery or cause disability.
ElbowSevere£33,430.00 to £46,780.00Injury causes severe disability or requires surgery.
WristModerateUp to £8,740.00Uncomplicated Colles fracture or minor undisplaced fractures with recovery between 1 – 2 years. May include use of plasters.
WristSerious£10,750.00 to £20,900.00Soft tissue damage or broken wrist causing some permanent disability.
WristSevere£20,900.00to £51,070.00.Significant permanent disability or complete loss of wrist function.
HandMinorUp to £4,050.00Covers lacerations and crush injuries, and soft tissue injuries (recovery within 6 months).
HandModerate£4,780.00 to £11,330.00Covers penetrating wounds and crush injuries resulting in permanent but non-intrusive symptoms, or soft tissue damage and deeper cuts resulting in impairment of the hand (may require surgery).
HandSevere£24,740.00 to £171,920.00Covers amputation and rejoining of several fingers, resulting in a clawed, impaired, or unsightly hand, amputation of one/both hands (alternatively, amputation of several fingers rendering the hand almost useless).
FingerMinorUp to £4,055.00Includes: full-healed fractured finger bones (healed within 1 year) with/without minor scarring.
FingerModerate£3,370.00 to £5,000.00Includes: complete (or almost complete) recovery after broken finger, amputation or loss of a part of the little finger.
FingerSevere£10,380.00 to £31,350.00Includes: complete amputation of one/more fingers, fractures of the index finger. Compensation depends on level of disability and suffering.
ThumbMinorUp to £4,055.00Short-term, severe pain gone within 3 months.
ThumbModerate£3,370.00 to £10,750.00Covers fractures with recovery within 6 months, damage to nerves or tendons resulting in partial loss of sensation, and cosmetic thumb deformities.
ThumbSevere£10,750.00 to £46,780.00Partial/complete amputation of the thumb, surgical wire insertions, nerve damage, fractures, inability to grip.

Serious injury compensation amounts for leg and foot injuries

Part of bodySeverity of injuryAmount of compensationTypes of injuries
LegMinor£7,780.00 to £12,010.00Minor injuries with recovery within a few months (e.g. soft-tissue injuries, bruising, cuts, and contusions). Slightly more severe injuries such as simple fractures of the femur, tibia, or fibula.
LegModerate£15,320.00 to £46,780.00Minor fractures with partial recovery, serious soft tissue injury, injuries to one leg (e.g. broken bones, crushing injuries), ligament injuries, compound fractures leading to near certainty of arthritis or instability.
LegSevere£46,780.00 to £240,590.00Severe injuries resulting in extensive degloving, bone grafting, permanently reduced mobility, or amputation of one/both legs (above/below the knee).
KneeMinorUp to £11,730.00Includes soft tissue injuries (recovery within a few months), a twisted knee, lacerations, or bruising resulting in discomfort or pain.
KneeModerate£22,340.00 to £37,070.00Includes: seriously damaged kneecaps, ligaments, or muscles, dislocation, a torn meniscus, acceleration injuries (over several years), resulting in ongoing discomfort or pain.
KneeSevere£44,470.00 to £82,080.00Covers constant pain, severe disability, or muscle wastage. Higher compensation if need for surgery or injury effects quality of life.
AnkleMinorUp to £11,730.00Smaller fractures, but bone has not been displaced. May include sprains, injured ligaments (likely leads to scarring). Smaller injuries can allow for full recovery within a year, without any scarring.
AnkleModerate£11,730.00 to £42,710.00Includes ligament tears, fractures, leading to smaller disabilities while standing/moving. Increased risk of osteoarthritis. Operation/cast needed. May lead to inability to work or call for special footwear.
AnkleSevere£42,710.00 to £59,480.00Severe injury resulting in deformities, disabilities, or even amputation of the body part down the line.
AchillesMinor£6,200.00 to £10,750.00Minor instability due to tendon damage around the ankle. Some more severe cases might involve scarring.
AchillesModerate£10,750.00 to £17,970.00More serious injury and partially ruptured tendon. More severe cases tend to involve disability and/or permanent scarring.
AchillesSevere£21,320.00to £32,780.00Restricted movement of the ankle due to severed muscle tissue. Small likelihood of further improvement of limp and residual scarring.
FootMinorUp to £11,730.00Includes: minor fractures, lacerations or contusions (with complete recovery within 2 years), ruptured ligaments or other puncture wounds that result in chronic pain or a permanent limp.
FootModerate£11,730.00 to £59,730.00Includes: metatarsal fractures resulting in permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms, fractured heels (both), restricted mobility, degloving and heel fusion.
FootSevere£71,640.00 to £171,920.00Injury needing amputation of one/both feet or traumatic amputation of the forefoot (to prevent need for complete amputation).
ToeMinorUp to £8,190.00One or more broken toes with a varying recovery period. Compensation depends on presence of long-term symptoms and speed of recovery.
ToeModerate£8,190.00 to £11,730.00Multiple fractures, crush injuries to two/more toes, permanent disability. May have involved unsuccessful past operations.
ToeSevere£11,730.00 to £47,830.00Severe crush injuries leading to less/surgical amputation of one or two toes (not including the big toe), amputation of all toes or the big toe.

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