Accident Compensation

Accident Compensation is designed for people who, through no fault of their own, have received injury, either physically or psychologically. An accident can have a major impact on your health or your life, which is why the law allows you to sue someone else for their negligence.

There are a number of awards that can constitute compensation, for example: cost of treatment, both now and in the future; loss of earnings; disablement; and much more. The fact that every accident and set of circumstances is different makes each case unique. If it can be proved that your accident was due to someone else’s negligence, you may have a case for a claim.

Accident Compensation - The 3 year rule

It is imperative that that you register a claim or issue legal proceedings within three years of the accident or injury happening or it will become what is called “statute barred” meaning that you will have lost the right to claim compensation. However, this rule does have some exceptions as follows:

	the 3 year rule only commences after your 18th birthday, so accident claims for minors have a longer period of consideration;
	if the injury was not recognisable or apparent at the time of the accident, but appeared later, then the 3 year rule commences from the date that the injury was first noticed; and
	the Court, at its own discretion, may extend or overrule these time limits.

It is very important to instruct a specialist accident compensation solicitor to discuss this in the first instance.