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Car Accident Injury FAQs

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Even relatively minor car accident injuries, such as whiplash can prove traumatic. Aside from the shock and injury of an accident itself, you may suffer days or weeks of symptoms and might also experience disruption to your social, family and working life. Additionally, you may be left out of pocket because of lost earnings and medical expenses.

Fortunately, a car accident claim, including whiplash compensation, can at least provide financial compensation for these facts. Unless you have already experienced the process before, it is likely that you will have lots of questions. We answer many of these below. If your questions relate to a more general road accident claim involving a bus, bicycle, lorry or other vehicle, you may be able to find the answer here.

You can make a car accident compensation claim however you are provided you meet the following criteria:

  • You have received an accident injury diagnosis and it details in some way the suffering you have experienced
  •  Some other party was at least partially responsible for the incident in which you sustained the injury i.e the driver of another vehicle or the driver of a vehicle you were the passenger in.
  • The accident occurred less than three years ago – if you were under 16 at the time of the incident you can make a claim for the injury at any time within three years of the date on which you turned 16

Making a claim for car accident compensation is relatively straightforward. All you need do is contact a personal injury lawyer with details and evidence of the accident and details of your injury diagnosis.

In the vast majority of cases it will be the insurance company of the responsible party who will shoulder the financial burden of paying compensation. The exception is in the case of uninsured or untraced drivers – in these cases it is the Motor Insurers’ Bureau that pays the cost of compensation. However, in some cases the responsible party may be someone you know – for example, you were passenger in the vehicle of a friend or family member at the time of an accident for which they were at fault, but, if they were fully insured it will be the insurer who defends the claim.

Yes, if you are looking to claim on behalf of someone who is below the age of 16 or who lacks mental capacity in some way, you can act as their legal guardian. You cannot, however, act as their legal guardian if you are the party responsible for causing the accident; in this case you must find another person who is able to act on the injured family member’s behalf.

You can make a car accident claim even if the driver is uninsured or is untraceable after fleeing the scene of the accident. The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) is an organisation that exists to ensure recourse to compensation for people who suffer injuries in these circumstances. At Thompsons we can help you lodge a claim with the MIB.

“If the driver is uninsured, there is a non-governmental body called the Motor Insurers Bureau that basically is the port of last resort.” – David Adams

You do, albeit indirectly through your insurer. The Motor Insurers Bureau is funded by an estimated £30 a year from every insured driver’s premiums. According to the MIB’s website, the MIB is paid for “by law-abiding motorists who pay their insurance premiums”. It has been fulfilling this role since 1946.

In Scotland, there is a limit of three years in which a personal injury claim for compensation must be made. If legal proceedings are not started in court within three years, the case is then time-barred. However, if you suffered your injury when you were under 16 and a claim has not been made on your behalf, you have three years to claim from the date on which you turn 16. Talk to a car accident solicitor today if you are unsure about making a claim.

  • Your solicitor will need the details of any relevant police report, medical diagnoses and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the accident.
  • More evidence is always better: so if you have witness statements and/or photographs taken around the time of the accident, you should provide these.
  • Furthermore, provide your solicitor with any relevant costs caused by your accident. For example, receipts for prescriptions, medical equipment and traveling expenses.

Car accident injury settlements vary from less than £3,000 for milder soft tissue injuries to upwards of £200,000 for the most serious head or spinal injuries. Your settlement will depend on your injuries, your recovery time and the circumstances of your accident.

Whiplash is the most common of all car accident injuries. According to the Judicial Board Guidelines the amount of whiplash compensation received will depend on the severity of the injury – however, it is worth remembering that these figures are only guidelines:

  • Minor whiplash injuries – up to £2,750
  • Whiplash injury with soft tissue injury – between £2,750 and £5,000
  • Persistent whiplash injury with possible complications – between £5,000 and £8,750
  • Whiplash injury with chronic pain and additional complications – between £8,750 and £16,000

For more severe car accident injuries – for example brain or spinal cord injuries – the amount of compensation awarded will be much higher, ranging from five to six or even seven-figure sums.

If your child has sustained injury in a car accident that was caused by you, you will not be able to claim on his or her behalf – i.e. act as their legal guardian. However, in such a situation the child’s other parent, can claim on the child’s behalf, ensuring that there is no conflict of interest.

Yes, all road users – regardless of whether they were on the pavement, on a motorcycle or on public transport – have the same entitlement to claim compensation for injuries as those traveling in private vehicles at the time of an accident. Public transport and all passenger carriers have a duty of care to their users and it is your legal right to make a claim if the accident was not your fault. Our Car accident claims FAQs page has more information.

There are three different legal jurisdictions in the UK: Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. Regardless of where you live, if you suffered your whiplash injury in an accident in Scotland, you should use a Scottish personal injury lawyer to claim in Scottish law.

Claiming compensation following a car accident can seem daunting at first, especially if you do not understand the process or fear that it might leave you further out-of-pocket. However, the car accident claims team at Thompsons can guide you through the procedure, answering any questions you might have as they arise so that we can give you confidence as we advise you on the best way to move forward. We can provide car accident compensation examples to help you understand what you might expect to receive.

We offer a No Win, No Fee funding model to protect you from all possible costs and fees in the event your claim does not succeed. Furthermore, as car accident lawyers with a success rate of around 90%, you can rest assured that your claim is in safe and experienced hands.

Talk to Thompsons today.

Contact Thompsons for advice today

Claiming compensation following a car accident can seem daunting at first, especially if you do not understand the process or fear that it might leave you further out-of-pocket. However, the car accident claims team at Thompsons can guide you through the procedure, answering any questions you might have as they arise so that we can give you confidence as we advise you on the best way to move forward. We can provide car accident compensation examples to help you understand what you might expect to receive.

We offer a No Win, No Fee funding model to protect you from all possible costs and fees in the event your claim does not succeed. Furthermore, as car accident lawyers with a success rate of around 90%, you can rest assured that your claim is in safe and experienced hands.

Talk to Thompsons today.

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From start to finish the Team at Thompsons have been fantastic, very down to earth polite professional ladies, always made me feel at ease and very comfortable, Suzanne has been a great representative and won my case, for that i am truly grateful, anyone who gets the pleasure to work with her and her team will be in great hands, fantastic service and quick resolution, well done ladies,

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My Experience has been fantastic they went above and beyond nothing was a problem for them Suzanne Laing has been a wonderful person and made me feel very important I thank them very much she’s a wonderful girl and I thank her very much Roslyn thanks very much also for your kind wards I would never go any where they have been great would highly recommend them to everyone so thank you

Anonymous
5 August 2026
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Fantastic!

Unlike my car accident, the process Suzanne led me through was entirely painless and hassle free. Honestly, I can not thank her enough for her professionalism and her accurate advice through an extremely challenging time.

Anonymous
10 July 2026
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Car accidents dent due to tree falling

At all times Jennifer was extremely courteous and kept us informed at all stages

Anonymous
9 July 2026
5 / 5

Excellent service and proffeshional treatment

Lorraine made the whole case from start to finish easy to understand , always kept me up to date she took my health issues into consideration and made sure i was not overwhelmed with this experiance and reaching the outcome i was looking for i cannot thank her enough. This now allows me to close this stressfull chapter happy with the outcome thank you once again for making the whole claim easy and straightfoward to the correct outcome for me and my family.thompsons will be my first point of contact if i ever need help in the future

Michael mackir
12 June 2026
5 / 5

Car accident

Magdalena was always nice to talk with and so very understanding about my emotions. She always put me at ease although I was totally out of my comfort zone.

Doreen Malcolm
3 June 2026
5 / 5

Car accident claim

Jordan was absolutely top class and thanks to his efforts we managed to get satisfactory outcome to our claim.

C.macneill
29 May 2026
5 / 5

Motor car claim

Very good company to deal with very efficient

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25 May 2026
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