How Long After A Personal Injury Can I Claim Compensation?
Here in the UK, if you’ve suffered any kind of personal injury, you typically have up to three years to begin your claim for compensation. This three-year period is usually enough time for people to understand how their injuries or illnesses have affected them, but short enough to prevent scurrilous claims, long after the injury or accident has ceased to be relevant. This three-year period if the same for all kinds of accidents, from workplace accidents to assault, road traffic accidents, industrial diseases and food poisoning. If you’re looking for an experienced personal injury solicitor to help you get the compensation you’re entitled to, call Tylers Solicitors today!
However, there are instances where you will be able to claim compensation after this initial three-year period has expired. If you suffered an injury more than three years ago but, due to extenuating circumstances, you weren’t able to make a claim at the time, you may be entitled to claim today. If you’ve suffered any kind of physical injury or illness that wasn’t your fault, call Tylers Solicitors’ experienced team today!
The “Date of Knowledge” is the date that you are informed by a medical professional that you have an injury or illness, and it is connected either to long-term working conditions or a specific incident. The Date of Knowledge is typically most relevant to issues like industrial diseases, or failures in medical treatment where the condition may not be immediately obvious.
If you’ve had an illness which has developed over a number of years, for example, like most industrial diseases tend to, your three-year period begins from the date of knowledge. This is normally the day your condition was diagnosed. A common example is an asbestosis diagnosis, wherein the symptoms of the condition may not be obvious for many years.
If you’ve suffered an injury which has continued to get worse, or the symptoms have developed since the accident, your date of knowledge will remain the same. If you’re left with any progressive condition, or an injury which has a long-term impact on your life, you will still need to claim within the three-year period following the initial diagnosis.
If you fail to begin your legal claim within the three-year period following the date of knowledge, your claim will automatically become “statute-barred”. In order to claim after this three-year period, you will normally need to obtain permission from the Court. However, receiving this court permission is subjected to extremely strict criteria, and is more often than not rejected.
To be safe, you are always better off beginning this claim for compensation within the three-year period. Failing to do so will, more often than not, result in the claim being rejected immediately.
There are some types of injury which actually have a shorter limitation period than the three years. Most criminal injuries, for example, often have limitation periods of only a few months to a year. Any kind of accident or injury you’ve suffered outside of the UK, or while travelling on an airplane or boat, may also have a shorter period in which you can claim.
To avoid disappointment, it is always better to start your no-win, no-fee compensation claim as early as possible. If you’re concerned whether you’re still eligible to make a claim for compensation in the UK, get in touch with Tylers Solicitors today.
If you’ve suffered any kind of injury as a child, and your parents or guardians didn’t claim on your behalf, you will be able to claim from the age of 18. This time period will begin as soon as you turn 18, meaning you usually have up to the age of 21 to begin your claim for compensation.
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If you aren’t sure whether you’re eligible to claim for injuries, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Tylers Solicitors’ experienced team today. We can provide a complete range of no-win, no-fee legal services to help you get the compensation you need to move on with your life. If you’re looking to start your claim for compensation, but you’re not sure whether you’re entitled, call Tylers Solicitors today. You can reach our local team directly by calling us on 0800 699 0079. If you prefer, you can also use our simple online contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
