Decisions about personal injury

If you have suffered a personal injury then you have to make a decision about whether to pursue a claim for compensation or file a complaint.

Plus, a personal injury often results in psychological trauma as well as a physical injury so you may want to consider going for counselling. If so then find an organisation which offers counselling and support.

For more information about this visit our support and counselling for personal injury section.

Considering a claim for compensation?

If you decide to pursue a claim for compensation then it will help your case if you do the following:

• Make a note of your accident or injury
• Take photographs of the cause of your accident or injury
• Notify the police if your injury was caused by a road accident
• Notify your insurance company if your injury was sustained in a road accident.
• Report your injury to your GP
• Obtain names and addresses of any witnesses

If your accident happened at work then report it to a manager, supervisor or someone in a senior role. Make a note of it in an accident book.

It is important to notify your GP of your injury. Do this even if you think your injury is too trivial to mention to your GP.

If your case goes to court then your GP will be asked to provide a medical report which will be used as supporting evidence.

For more information about the personal injury claims process, visit our making a claim for compensation section.

Thinking about making a complaint?

If you decide to make a complaint then you will have to go through what is often a lengthy procedure in order to receive an apology.

This is useful in terms of finding out what caused your injury and an assurance that it will not be repeated. This should be followed by an apology and possibly a goodwill gesture on the part of the responsible party, e.g. voucher.

If you decide to go down this route then be aware that it is time consuming and that the outcome will be an apology and nothing else.

This is covered in greater detail in our complaint about personal injury section.

If you are looking for financial recompense then you will have to make a claim for personal injury compensation.