If you’ve recently been involved in a car accident, it’s completely normal to feel unsure about your next steps. Many people worry about what they can claim compensation for after a car accident, whether their injuries “count,” or how they’ll cope with lost earnings, medical costs, and day-to-day disruption. This guide is here to reassure you.
At TBI Law, we help drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians understand their rights and recover the compensation they’re legally entitled to under UK personal injury law. Our role is to make the process clear, calm, and manageable - so you know exactly where you stand from the start.
This guide explains every type of injury, expense, and financial loss you can claim for, and how the claims process works, step by step.
By the end of this article, you’ll know:
Let’s start by breaking down exactly what you can claim for.
When asking "what can you claim compensation for after a car accident", it helps to understand that UK personal injury law separates compensation into two clear categories.
These cover both the injuries you’ve suffered and the financial impact the accident has had on your life.
General damages compensate you for the physical and psychological harm caused by the accident. This can include:
General damages focus on how the accident has affected you personally - not just medically, but emotionally and practically.
Special damages cover money you’ve lost or had to spend because of the accident. These can be claimed whether you're a driver, passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian.
You may be able to recover costs such as:
These financial losses often make up a significant part of a claim, especially if your recovery takes time.
Together, general damages and special damages form the full picture of what you can claim - helping to ensure you’re properly compensated for both the injury itself and the impact it has on your life.
If you’re wondering what injuries you can claim for after a car accident, the answer is simple: you can claim for any physical or psychological injury caused by someone else’s negligence, as long as it’s supported by medical evidence.
Below are the most common injuries people claim for, divided into physical and psychological categories to make things easy to follow.
These injuries range from mild to severe and can affect your ability to work, sleep, or carry out everyday activities:
Emotional and psychological harm is just as real as physical injury - and fully claimable when linked to a car accident.
Common examples include:
Psychological symptoms can sometimes appear days or weeks after the accident. Don’t ignore these signs - they are taken seriously in personal injury claims.
Whether your injuries are physical, psychological, or both, medical evidence will help support your claim and ensure you receive fair compensation. The key is to seek assessment early and keep track of how your symptoms develop over time.
If you're wondering what expenses you can claim after a car accident, the law allows you to recover any reasonable cost linked to your injuries or the impact of the collision. These expenses fall under “special damages” and can be claimed by drivers, passengers, cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists.
Here’s what you may be able to claim:
Tip: Keep all receipts, invoices, bank statements, and a simple diary of travel and care - this makes it much easier to recover your costs.
Yes, you can claim compensation for a car accident if someone else’s negligence caused your injuries. This applies whether you were a driver, passenger, cyclist, pedestrian, or motorcyclist.
Passengers can make a claim even if the driver of their own vehicle was responsible. The process is confidential, straightforward, and designed to support your recovery - not punish anyone involved.
Making a claim is simpler than most people expect. Here’s a clear step-by-step guide:
Seek medical attention and make sure your injuries are recorded.
Gather evidence, such as photos of the scene, witness details, and dashcam footage.
Report the accident to your insurer — and the police if required.
Contact a personal injury solicitor for specialist guidance.
Attend a medical assessment arranged by your solicitor.
Your solicitor builds your case using medical evidence and financial records.
Negotiations begin with the insurer on your behalf.
Compensation is awarded, or the claim progresses if liability is disputed.
At each stage, your solicitor handles the legal work so you can focus on recovering.
There’s no single answer, because compensation depends on your injuries and how the accident has affected your life.
Key factors include:
Together, these two categories ensure your claim reflects both the personal and financial effects of the accident.
When you work with TBI Law, we calculate your compensation carefully using medical evidence, expert reports, and your individual circumstances - ensuring nothing is missed.
Understanding what you can claim for in a car accident becomes much clearer when you see how it works in real-life situations. These examples show the types of compensation people successfully recover every day:
These examples show that claims aren’t limited to medical injuries - they include any financial impact linked to the accident.
Yes - you can still make a claim even if the other driver was uninsured or fled the scene. In the UK, these claims are handled by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), an organisation that compensates victims of uninsured or hit-and-run drivers.
The process can be more detailed, but you are still protected - and TBI Law manages all technical steps, including evidence gathering, submissions, and communication with the MIB, so you don’t have to.
Yes - you can still claim compensation even if you were partly responsible for the accident. This is known as contributory negligence.
Your compensation may be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility. For example:
You are not barred from claiming. The law recognises that accidents often involve shared responsibility. Many successful claims involve some level of fault on both sides.
You can claim compensation for both your injuries and your financial losses after a car accident. This includes general damages (pain, suffering, psychological trauma, and the impact on daily life) and special damages (loss of earnings, medical costs, travel costs, car repairs, damaged personal items, and rehabilitation).
Passengers and drivers can make a claim if someone else was at fault. Keeping receipts, invoices, and medical evidence will strengthen your case and help your solicitor calculate the full value of your claim.
Most car accident claims do not go to court. The majority settle through negotiation between your solicitor and the insurer. Court involvement usually only occurs if liability is heavily disputed or if the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement. Even when cases reach court, you are likely to be supported throughout, and many hearings are handled on paper rather than in person.
Yes, you need medical evidence to support a car accident compensation claim. A doctor must confirm your injuries and provide a medical report that links them to the accident. This evidence could come from A&E notes, GP records, physiotherapy reports, or an independent medical assessment arranged by your solicitor.
Without medical documentation, insurers are unlikely to accept your injuries or offer compensation. Getting checked early also protects your health and ensures your symptoms are properly recorded.
You can claim back any reasonable expenses caused by the accident, including:
Keep receipts, invoices, and bank statements to support your claim.
Passengers can claim for almost any injury sustained in a car accident, as long as they were not responsible for causing the collision. Common passenger injuries include whiplash, soft tissue injuries, broken bones, bruising, back pain, head injuries, and psychological effects such as shock or anxiety. Passengers are often in a strong position because liability rarely applies to them. They can claim against the driver of their own vehicle or the other driver, depending on who was at fault.
Car accident claims typically take a few months for minor injuries but longer for more serious cases. Several factors affect the timeframe, including the severity of injuries, how quickly medical evidence is available, whether liability is disputed, and whether long-term symptoms need monitoring.
Most straightforward Road Traffic Accident (RTA) claims settle without going to court. Your solicitor will aim to resolve the case as quickly as possible while ensuring you receive fair compensation.
The amount you can receive after a car accident depends on your injuries and financial losses.
Compensation is split into:
Severe injuries or long recovery times usually result in higher compensation. A solicitor will calculate your claim using medical evidence and proof of costs.
Yes, you can still claim compensation even if you were partly responsible for the accident. This is known as contributory negligence. Your compensation may be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility - for example, not wearing a seatbelt, being distracted, or misjudging distance. Many successful claims involve some shared fault, so it is always worth seeking legal advice.
Yes, you can make a claim on behalf of someone who cannot do so themselves. This includes children, vulnerable adults, or loved ones who lack mental capacity. You may also be able to act as a “litigation friend” in these circumstances.
If someone has died as a result of a car accident, close family members may also bring a claim. A solicitor will explain the process and help you through each step.
If the other driver was uninsured or left the scene (a hit-and-run), you can still claim compensation through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The MIB handles claims where no insurance cover exists, and compensation can still be awarded for injuries and losses. The process is slightly different, but a solicitor will manage all communication and evidence gathering to make the claim as straightforward as possible. Learn more about how long after a car accident you can claim for.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, choosing the right legal support makes a real difference. At TBI Law, we focus on taking the pressure off you so you can concentrate on recovering. Our approach is straightforward, supportive, and built around your needs - not legal jargon or complexity.
You benefit from:
We work hard to remove stress from the process and stand in your corner throughout your recovery.
You should now have a clear understanding of:
If you believe you may be entitled to compensation (or if you’re simply unsure) speaking to a solicitor early gives you clarity and protects your rights.
At TBI Law, we offer:
We’re here to guide you with confidence, care, and expertise.
If you’re ready to understand your options, get answers, or start your claim, contact us today. We’re here to help you move forward.
