Personal Injury Claims

Car Accidents Claims

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Do you know someone who’s been involved in a car accident? We can help drivers, passengers, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians secure rightful car accident claim compensation.

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Can I make a car accident claim?

Unfortunately, road accidents can cause the most devastating injuries. According to the road safety charity Brake, five people die every day on the road in the UK and 80 are seriously injured. As a result, personal injury claims for a car accident aren’t uncommon in the UK. If you’ve suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, whether you were a driver, passenger or pedestrian, you could be eligible for car accident compensation.

Our personal injury solicitors have the necessary experience to act for people who have suffered the most serious injuries in road accidents, including brain injuries and spinal injuries, loss of limb and death.

Our expert personal injury solicitors force the pace of the litigation to ensure interim payments are obtained as early as possible and cases are concluded on the best terms. We can even come to see you or your loved one in hospital or at home to give advice about making a claim.

Can I make a claim if I was driving?

If you were injured in a road accident and you were driving at the time, it may not be clear whether you or the other party was to blame. There may be issues such as speed or uncertainty as to who had right of way, for example. It may be your word against the other driver’s word.

Whatever the circumstances, we can provide you with advice about making a claim because, over the last 25 years , we have dealt with every scenario of road accident. We have experience of accidents involving:

Roundabouts
Overtaking
Changing lanes
Failure to give way
Excessive speed
Rear shunts
Emerging from a side road or a parked position into your path
Failure to observe traffic lights
Misleading signals
Crossing over the central white line.

What happens if I am partially responsible for the accident?

When the person bringing the car accident injury claim is partially responsible for the incident, the legal term used is contributory negligence.

If you contribute to the accident, it simply means that the amount of your compensation is reduced by the same percentage for which you were to blame. Therefore, if you were found to be 20% to blame, your compensation would be reduced by 20% but it would still be worth making an accident compensation claim. The Law Reform (Contributory Negligence) Act 1945 made this possible.

What happens when a car accident claim involves untraced or uninsured drivers?

If you are injured in a road accident involving an untraced or uninsured driver, you will need specialist legal advice. Drivers must have third-party motor insurance to meet any personal injury claim brought against them.

Claims against untraced (hit and run) drivers or a driver who doesn’t have insurance are dealt with by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The MIB is an organisation set up by motor insurers as a compensation fund of last resort, and it will meet car crash injury claims from road traffic accident victims in these circumstances. If your accident was caused by a hit-and-run driver, it’s very important to contact the police as soon as possible and cooperate with them.

Why choose Bolt Burdon Kemp for car accident compensation claims?

You can count on Bolt Burdon Kemp to handle your car accident claim with absolute integrity. Here’s why:

Highly knowledgeable: Drawing on over 35 years of experience means we can support you with cases involving personal injury, abuse, medical negligence and more.
‘No win no fee’: We can take on your case under a Conditional Fee Agreement, where you only need to pay if your claim is successful. Alternatively, we offer other funding types.
Empathetic: Our compassionate solicitors want you and your loved ones to feel completely comfortable as your case progresses.
Partners: We partner with organisations like Headway and Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) so we can offer an appropriate level of support throughout.
Awards and accreditations: We’ve been recognised by Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, plus we’re ranked as one of The Times’ Best Law Firms 2025 for personal and clinical negligence law in England and Wales.
Trusted: Our wide range of client testimonials demonstrates the standard you can expect when working with our car accident solicitors.

Contact our car accident claim solicitors today

Have you, or someone you know, been in a car accident? Reach out to us online to discuss whether you have a valid car accident injury claim. Our highly trained team will guide you through the potential next steps and support you every step of the way, should you decide to go ahead.

Many cases are taken on as ‘no win no fee’ agreements, which means you won’t pay a penny unless your claim is successful. Take a look at our claims criteria and find out more about our claims process to get a clearer idea of what to expect.

Find out more about our wider personal injury work

Client Journeys

Multi million pound award for head injured client

Our client ‘Clive’, a market stall trader, sustained a serious brain injury when the van he was in collided with a bus. This resulted in requiring 24-hour care for life and the inability to being able to work again.

After proving negligence, we secured a £3.75 million settlement, plus the ability to retain Local Authority direct payments worth up to £1.6 million, ensuring lifelong care and financial security.

Meet your Personal Injury Claims Solicitors

Clients select the firm they feel is right for them, but they stay because of the solicitor. Our people pride themselves on being approachable, empathetic and realistic.

We go beyond legal advice. Whether it’s visiting clients at home to ease the burden or being available at any hour for reassurance and support, we’re here when it matters most.

Why Bolt Burdon Kemp?

Josh Hughes

Head of Complex Injury

Taylor Walding

Solicitor – Part of the Personal Injury Claims Team

Charlotte Dowson

Associate – Part of the Personal Injury Claims Team

Ellen McGreevy

Senior Solicitor – Part of the Medical Negligence Team

Car accident claim FAQs

Are there any time limits around raising a car accident claim?

If you’re raising a personal injury claim after a car accident, you should contact a lawyer as soon as you feel ready. This is because certain time limits will apply.

You’ll need to settle or start court proceedings within three years of the accident. However, this won’t apply if the claimant lacks mental capacity, meaning they aren’t able to raise a claim themselves. This is in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

If you are claiming on behalf of a child, you have until their 18th birthday. If a claim isn’t made in this period, the three-year time limit will apply from this point until they turn 21.

Regardless of the situation, it’s best to speak to a solicitor for legal guidance as soon as you feel ready to do so.
How much compensation will I receive?

If your car accident claim is successful, you’ll be entitled to compensation. This is determined by two main factors:

Pain, suffering and loss of amenity

You’ll receive compensation for the injury itself, your pain and suffering and for the things that you cannot do as a result of your injury (known as loss of amenity). This can include things like hobbies.

The amount of compensation you’re entitled to will depend on the nature and extent of the injuries suffered. This part of the claim is assessed with the assistance of an expert medical report(s). We’ll arrange your medical examination with the best medico-legal experts in the field.

When assessing this part of your claim, our specialist personal injury solicitors will follow guidelines called the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines.

Financial losses

You can also claim compensation for financial losses, including past and future loss of earnings, medical expenses, travel costs and any care or assistance required.

To prove loss of earnings, we may need to get support from a financial expert, such as an accountant.
Can I make a claim on behalf of someone who has been involved in a fatal accident?
Our experienced team handles extremely sensitive cases, including those involving fatal accident claims.

While compensation can’t undo the death of someone you love, it can help you access rightful financial support to help you move forward with your life, while also covering funeral fees and other expenses. Raising a claim also helps to ensure that changes are implemented to improve road safety, while also holding those responsible to account.

A fatal road accident claim can be raised under the following circumstances:
- On behalf of the person who has died, also known as the ‘deceased’s estate’
- By family and dependents left behind who relied on the deceased person financially
Read more details about raising a fatal accident claim, and the conditions that need to be met.

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Charlotte Dowson writes for Farmers Guardian, 2 May 2026

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