While you can’t make a personal injury claim for the same thing twice (doing so would be fraudulent), you can make a claim for another injury, if you have been unfortunate enough to be involved in another accident. You might also be able to make a claim for injuries sustained in an accident that you have previously claimed for, if your new injuries are entirely separate to the first injuries you claimed for.
For instance, if your new injuries only became clear months after you made a successful claim for compensation, then it may still be possible to make a claim, however whether not you can depends on your individual circumstances. For some injuries, symptoms take a long time to develop, so compensation is therefore legitimate cases fitting this description.
So, if you made a personal injury claim in 2012 for whiplash and you have recently had an accident in 2016, you can 100% make a claim for injuries sustained in your new accident, with your previous claim having no impact on your ability to make a claim. And, you might also be able to make a second claim for single accident, however this is a grey area and for a solicitor to take it on, your second claim must be completely legitimate and provable.
Whatever the case, processing a personal injury claim is a complex process, so it’s advisable that you seek expert advice surrounding your case before making a decision. The best place to go for such advice is a law firm, who will be happy to answer all your claims-related questions with no obligation to make a claim. You could find out how much you are entitled to, how long your claim will take to process and more about how settlements are agreed. If you want to benefit from impartial advice, then the best place to go is Citizens Advice, who provide a very good and completely free claims advice service.
It’s also important to remember that all claims are backed by evidence. The biggest factor in terms of claim success is medical evidence. Medical evidence must exist to support your claim for personal injury compensation. That’s why your solicitor will request access to your medical records and that’s why you will have to attend a medical examination within a couple of weeks of making a claim, if you are able to of course. If you are not, such as if you are incapable because of your injuries, then you may be able to have a home visit. All of this will be set up by your solicitor, so you can focus on making a full recovery.
