Is There A Time Period For A Personal Injury Claim?

How long do I have to make a personal injury claim? | Middletons Solicitor 

If you have been injured in an accident you could claim compensation for your injuries. You may have been injured in an accident at work, a car accident, a sports accident or perhaps in a trip or slip.
Whatever the circumstances of your accident, you should get advice from a specialist solicitor to see if you have the right to claim compensation for your injuries. This can be particularly important if you have been seriously injured or you have suffered from life changing injuries.
It is important to know that there are time limits in place in relation to making a compensation claim for the injuries you suffered. This is usually three years from the date of your accident. Where your injuries are life changing or serious, there are benefits to making an early claim for compensation as you could secure interim payments to help you with your living costs whilst you are unable to work or to help with adaptations to your home.

However, the three year period is not always the same and there are a number of circumstances where this differs.

The first exception is for child claims. Children who are injured in an accident and have a viable compensation claim, have three years from their eighteenth birthday to make a compensation claim, rather than three years from the date of their accident. This is because as a minor they have no right to make a decision for themselves until they are an adult in the eyes of the law, at eighteen years old.

This does not mean that they cannot make a claim before they are eighteen, they can but they will need to be represented by an adult, known as a litigation friend, who will make the decisions and settle the claim.
Another circumstance where this differs is for a fatal accident. The three year time limit on making a claim starts from the date of death rather than the date of the accident and if you have an accident abroad, it is important to remember that the time limits are almost certainly different from here in England and Wales. Even Scotland and Northern Ireland may be different.

After any accident, early advice from a solicitor will help you to avoid missing any deadlines to make your claim.

For more information about this article or any aspect of our accident and injury claims services, please call Jenny McKellar on 01373 865577 or email jmckellar@mulaw.co.uk  and we will be delighted to help you (there is no charge for initial telephone discussions).