Can you claim for minor injuries?

Potential clients often enquire about whether they can make a claim for a minor injury. It is an important question, as medical negligence cases and personal injury cases can often vary in the amount of compensation that is granted depending on the specific details of the case. Injuries that initially seem minor can often still have a serious and long-lasting impact on your quality of life going forward.

For a solicitor to take on your case, the potential value of your claim must be above £1,000. As long as your minor injury would be worth that much in compensation, or above that amount in compensation, your claim is probably valid.

Call our specialists on 0333 358 3034 or fill out our online form to arrange a no-obligation confidential conversation about your accident.

What Is a Minor Injury?

Examples of minor injuries include:

• Soft tissue damage such as cuts and bruising
• Dog bites
• Minor scalds and burns
• Strains and sprains
• A minor head injury

Quick Recovery From Minor Injuries

As stated, as long as the overall value of your claim is above £1,000, your claim is likely to be valid. Compensation is calculated by assessing two distinct categories: general damages and special damages.

General damages

General damages refer to the compensation that is specifically awarded for your injuries. For example, if you suffer a wrist injury, you could be able to claim anywhere from £3,010 to £46,780 in general damages. The amount of general damages compensation you are awarded is determined by assessing the pain and suffering that your injuries have caused you.

Special damages

Special damages compensation covers any financial losses that you might have suffered as a result of your accident and injuries. For example, if you have had to take time off work to recover from your injuries, special damages compensation could help to cover this loss of income. This type of compensation covers any additional costs associated with your injuries, such as a loss of earnings or the need for equipment to help you cope with your injuries.

If the potential compensation amount for your injuries is above £1,000 and your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligent behaviour, your claim is likely to be valid. The important factor in being able to claim for minor injuries is having evidence to prove that the injuries existed and to prove that they were caused by someone else’s negligence.

Collecting Evidence For Minor Injuries

If you have been injured in an accident, whether at work or in a public place you should take the following steps:

• If you’ve had to take time off work to recover from your injury you should keep your recent payslips handy to highlight how much income you have lost. Payslips for three months prior to the accident should be sufficient enough to highlight the income you have lost.
• Collect photographic evidence of the scene to highlight the problem that caused your injury.
• You should have informed your employer if you were injured at work, or a staff member, if you were injured in a public place, about the incident and they should have prompted you to write about the incident in the accident log book. It is a legal requirement for all businesses to have an accident logbook.
• You should visit the hospital or a GP when you are first injured, no matter how minor your injuries are. This will help to keep a record of your injuries which can later be used to support your case. However, minor injuries can often be more serious than they first appear. By going to the doctors, you are not only strengthening your case but also protecting your health.

If you would like to find out whether you can make a claim for a minor injury, you should speak to us as soon as possible.

With the exception of children, there is a three-year time limit on making a personal injury claim. This time limit begins from the date that the accident initially occurred.

Before a child turns eighteen years old it is possible to make a claim on their behalf at any time. The law stipulates that after the age of eighteen they only have three years in which to make a claim. If your child sustained an injury as a minor (under the age of 18), the claim must be submitted within 3 years of their 18^th birthday.

Contact Jefferies Today

At first, we will need some initial details about the specifics of your injuries and how this has impacted your life. Please contact us today on 0333 358 3034 or through our online form to get started. A member of our team will quickly be in touch to discuss your case, confidentiality is ensured with all our clients.