Walker Jack Consultants

What Does ‘Personal Injury’ Mean?

Personal injury refers to any physical affliction (including broken bones, illnesses, viruses and diseases) and/or mental or psychological illness or distress, which may have been directly or indirectly caused by the negligence of another. The term ‘personal injury’ has now become associated with ‘compensation claim’ as it is so often used in cases against an accused ‘negligent party’. In some rare cases, personal injury can even lead to fatality. Examples of personal injury include whiplash (often as a result of a road traffic accident), sports injuries, assault claims (including criminal damage), burns, medical negligence and accidents at work. Those wishing to pursue a claim should seek out a solicitor who specialises in their specific kind of case. The Conditional Fee Arrangement (CFA) between a solicitor firm and client is more commonly referred to as a ‘no win no fee’ service. For personal injury claims, this means reassurance for the client that if they lose the case, they will not have to cover their solicitor’s costs.

Claims of this nature can be complicated and convoluted and so a victim of personal injury will certainly benefit from having legal expertise on their side to expedite the process. Generally, most personal injury cases are settled within a year, although the process can certainly take much longer if the injury is very severe or the liability is ambiguous. But if the injury means the victim loses out financially due to having time off work and all the other inconveniences associated with being incapacitated for any length of time, it is the job of the personal injury lawyer to ensure their client is suitably compensated.