Personal injury statistics tell a lot about compensation claims and what to expect when you make a claim for injury in an accident that was not your fault. 

More than three million people suffer an injury every year in the UK, but only around 20% of people make a personal injury claim. Many people do not know that they can make a personal injury claim or what they can seek in compensation. The story of what you may receive in compensation, what you are being compensated for and how you make a case, lies behind these figures.

What you can claim for after a personal injury may surprise you. For example, do you know you may be able to claim for a loss of earnings now and in the future after a personal injury? You can, and for other losses, you may suffer after injury in an accident that was not your fault.

If you have suffered a personal injury in an accident that was not your fault or wholly your fault, The Personal Injury Team No Win No Fee solicitors can file your compensation claim for the money you deserve.

Personal Injury Statistics

What is a personal injury claim?

A personal injury claim is when you seek compensation for the damages you suffer in an accident that was not your fault or not wholly your fault.

Some personal injury claims are:

In all personal injury cases, you need to show negligence by the other party. You must show that they had a duty of care to you, and they breached that duty of care, causing you a personal injury. 

The damages you claim are compensation for the effects of the personal injury today and in the future.

Some of the damages you can seek compensation for in a personal injury claim are:

  • Loss of earnings
  • Medical bills
  • Loss of future income
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of amenity
  • Long-term care needs
  • Therapy
  • Medical needs in the future

Not every type of damages you can claim for is included on the above list. Your No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can give you a complete idea of what is possible in a compensation claim.

You are the one who suffered a personal injury, and a successful compensation claim can make a big difference to you getting your life back together again.

What are the common personal injury claims in the UK?

The common personal injury claims in the UK range from road traffic accidents to the injuries seen every day in the workplace. You can suffer a personal injury anywhere, and you may have a compensation claim against the other road user or even your employer.

The three most common personal injury claims in the UK are:

Road Traffic Accident Claims

Road traffic accident claims comprise around 50% of all personal injury claims. It is a huge percentage of the overall compensation claims made in the UK, but then most people make at least one road journey every day.

According to recent government statistics, there are over 130,000 injury casualties annually on UK roads. Of these, more than 27,000 people are seriously injured in road traffic accidents, with over 1,600 fatal casualties. 

You can be in a road traffic accident as a:

Common injuries seen in road traffic accidents:

  • Broken bones
  • Facial lacerations and eye damage
  • Spinal damage
  • Amputation of one or more limbs
  • Internal organ damage

If you are in an accident that was not your fault while on the road, you may have a road traffic accident claim.

road traffic accident compensation

Public space accident claims

Public space accident claims, also known as public liability claims, can happen anywhere the public has access to privately or publicly owned property. An accident in a public space makes up for around 21% of all personal injury claims in the UK, coming in as the second most common type of personal injury claim.

There were over 52,000 public liability, accidents in a public space, compensation claims in the UK during 2023. The number of claims was up on the previous two years, probably reflecting increased activity post-COVID. 

You can suffer a public space accident when:

Common injuries seen in public space accidents are:

  • Torn ligaments
  • Nerve damage
  • Broken limbs
  • Scarring
  • Loss of teeth
  • Shoulder damage
  • Cuts and bruises

The land owner or business owner has a duty of care to you when you are on their property. You could have a public space accident claim if you suffer an injury at any public event or even out shopping.

public liability claim

Workplace accident claims

Workplace accident claims come in at third place in the ranks of personal injury claims in the UK. Around 16% of all compensation claims are for an injury in the workplace, where your employer could be liable for your injury in an accident.

More than 620,000 non-fatal injuries at work were reported in the UK in the 2022 to 2023 period. The rate of injuries is around 1,750 per 100,000 workers, and the current trend has the numbers back at pre-Covid levels. 

Of the reported workplace accidents, 124,000 employees were off work for more than seven days, while 437,000 were off work for less than the seven days. 135 workers lost their lives during the time in fatal workplace accidents.

Workplace accidents can occur:

Common workplace injuries are:

  • Back injuries
  • Repetitive Strain Injuries, RSI
  • Vibration White Finger, VWF
  • Spinal damage
  • Lifting injuries
  • Broken limbs
  • Scarring
  • Poisoning
  • Asbestos exposure
  • Lacerations
  • PTSD

Your employer has a duty of care to you and to fellow employees. If they breach their duty of care and you suffer an injury, you may have a workplace accident compensation claim.

Workplace injury compensation

Are personal injury claims successful?

Yes, personal injury claims can be successful. If you manage your claim properly, you could see a successful outcome, but you must have a genuine claim from day one. 

Recent statistics show that around 75% of personal injury claims in the UK are settled in advance of court and that less than 3% of cases even make it to issuing court proceedings.

A significant part of making a successful personal injury claim is engaging a personal injury solicitor as soon as you realise you have suffered an injury. A No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can guide your case from day one and advise you along every step of the way.

To have a strong personal injury claim, you will need to show:

  • You suffered an injury in an accident
  • The accident was not your fault or not wholly your fault
  • The party you claim is responsible owed you a duty of care
  • They breached their duty of care, causing your injury in the subsequent accident

Your No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can look at your case, listen to the facts of the accident and injury and advise you if you have a strong compensation claim.

A personal injury solicitor will know what evidence to gather and how to form your claim for compensation. They will contact the negligent party and know how to deal with them. The solicitor will keep you involved in the case and advise when you should settle.

Only a No Win No Fee solicitor with personal injury claims experience can use their expertise to form your claim and fight for the compensation you deserve.

How much compensation will I win in a personal injury claim?

There is not one fixed amount of compensation you can win in a personal injury claim. Every personal injury claim is different, and you may see differences in similar cases due to the effects of the injury on the individual involved.

Sample compensation amounts in a personal injury claim are as follows. Please note these are figures for the injuries only. Financial losses would apply in addition:

  • Soft tissue neck injury from £4,350 to £7,890
  • Facial scarring from £9,110 to £30,090
  • Fracture of the nose and other facial injury from £10,640 to £23,130
  • Moderate hip and pelvis injury from £12,590 to £39,170
  • Severe shoulder injury from £19,200 to £48,030
  • Moderate neck injury from £7,890 to £38,490
  • Severe back injury from £38,780 to £160,980
  • Traumatic chest injury from £65,740 to £100,670
  • Back injury with nerve root damage from £74,160 to £88,430
  • Total deafness from £90,750 to £109,650
  • Moderate brain injury from £43,060 to £219,070
  • Paraplegia from £219,070 to £284,260

(The figures given here are for General Damages amounts only. You might also receive compensation for any financial losses you suffer due to the personal injury. Figures are taken from Judicial College Guidelines 16th Edition and are accurate as of April 2023.)

Personal injury claim calculator

Circumstances differ from person to person and claim to claim, and the amount of compensation awarded is tailored to the circumstances of your claim.  

A No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can give you an idea of what to expect from their experience in compensation claims.

Find out how much you can claim for a personal injury today

Find out how much you can claim for your personal injury by using our online assessment tool today. It will give you an idea of what you might be able to claim for and what compensation you might be able to expect in a personal injury claim.

Compensation amounts are guidelines only on what to expect from your personal injury claim. Our personal injury solicitors can advise you using their expertise and experience and can quickly tell you if you have a valid claim and what to do next.

Our team of No Win No Fee personal injury solicitors can take your case to seek the compensation you deserve. We have the experience to handle your claim for personal injury compensation and see it through to a successful conclusion, whether the claim is worth £1,500 or more than £10,000,000.

When you suffer a personal injury, the effects on your life can be devastating. If the personal injury is not your fault, it can make the situation feel even worse.

Take our online assessment today to get an idea of claim amounts and what you could be due for the pain, suffering and impact on your life.

Contact your Personal Injury Team today for immediate expert advice tailored to you.

how much can you claim for personal injury