Is it right to make a compensation claim?

No matter what caused your accident, it's important to make the person responsible aware of the safety issues which led to your injury. Otherwise, there's a chance that nothing will be done to correct the problem and others could be injured in the same way.

Claiming compensation makes the responsible party take notice of your accident, and they're more likely to act positively on it. For example, if you were injured at work because your employer hasn't followed health and safety rules, it's important to bring attention to this so they can avoid the same accident happening again.

If you've been injured because of someone else's negligence, you might also think about making a complaint as well as a compensation claim. This can help you get a written apology, and might stop other people suffering a similar accident.

Suffering from an injury which was caused by someone else's negligence can be very frustrating, no matter what your injuries are. Not only does compensation help to cover the financial costs of your injury, it can also help you feel more emotionally comfortable with your situation.

Although no amount of money can take away what you've been through, your claim can help you get some closure and, at the very least, the other party will have acknowledged that your injury was unfair.

Unfortunately, some injuries can have long-lasting effects on your life. But receiving an apology from the person or organisation responsible can be the first step towards coming to terms with what has happened to you.

Quite simply, claiming compensation is one way to make sure that the responsible party says sorry, and means it.

We know that no amount of compensation can ever truly make up for an injury you've suffered, but the money you receive can help to make sure you're not left out of pocket because of your accident.

For example, you may have had to take time off work during your recovery with reduced pay, and this can put you and your family under financial pressure. Other costs can have an impact as well - for example, you may have had to pay for:

• Alterations to be made to your house - e.g. to make it wheelchair accessible
• Transport and accommodation for you and your loved ones, as you may have had to travel to and from hospital regularly
• Medical treatment, physiotherapy or prescriptions

These expenses can quickly use your regular pay or savings, leaving you under financial strain - we don't think this is fair.

Personal injury is a complex area of law and it's natural to feel overwhelmed by legal jargon, but it's there to keep you and others safe, and compensation claims are part of that.

For a claim to be successful, your solicitor will need to prove that the person or organisation responsible for your safety acted negligently and ignored regulations or laws put in place to keep you safe. This may be your employer, a doctor or nurse, your local council or any person responsible for maintaining public property.

Without evidence that you were unfairly injured, your solicitor can't pursue a compensation claim.

You may be thinking about making a compensation claim but still feel unsure whether to go ahead. We're here to help you by providing free advice, answering your questions and helping you understand whether you could claim.

We'll never push you to move forward, but if you do decide you'd like to go ahead, we can pass you on to one of our specialist solicitors for a free consultation.

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