Around 1,600 people are killed on British roads every year and more than 130,000 are seriously or slightly injured - the latest figures from the Department for Transport. If you've been hurt in a car accident that wasn't your fault, you're entitled to claim compensation for the injury, your financial losses, and anything else the accident has cost you.
Around 1,600 people are killed on British roads every year and more than 130,000 are seriously or slightly injured - the latest figures from the Department for Transport. If you've been hurt in a car accident that wasn't your fault, you're entitled to claim compensation for the injury, your financial losses, and anything else the accident has cost you.
This page takes you through exactly how car accident claims work in the UK in 2025 - what to do in the first 24 hours, who can claim, which portal or protocol your case belongs in, what you're likely to receive, and how no win, no fee actually pays out. Most claims settle inside 12 months. You pay nothing unless you win.
What to do straight after a car accident - the first 24 hours
- Stop and check for injuries. If anyone is hurt, or the road is blocked, call 999. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 you must stop, exchange details, and give your name and address to anyone with reasonable grounds for asking.
Who can make a car accident claim?
Anyone injured as a direct result of someone else's negligent driving. That includes:
- Drivers of other vehicles involved in the collision.
You can also claim where the accident was partly your fault. This is called 'contributory negligence': the compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of the blame. A 25% finding reduces a £20,000 award to £15,000, not to zero. See our guide on split liability.
If the other driver was uninsured or untraced (hit-and-run), your claim can still go through the Motor Insurers' Bureau - see uninsured driver claims.
Where does your claim go? OIC portal, protocol, or MIB
UK car accident claims split into three tracks depending on the value and the type of claimant:
1. The Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal - tariff-based
For adult drivers and passengers of motor vehicles whose primary injury is whiplash lasting up to 24 months, where the total injury claim is under £5,000 and the total claim (injury + vehicle damage etc.) is under £10,000. Compensation is set by a fixed statutory tariff (updated for accidents on or after 31 May 2025 with a ~15% uplift). See our whiplash claims guide for the current tariff table.
2. The Pre-Action Protocol - conventional PI claim
For claims above those thresholds - more serious injuries, longer recoveries, or claimants outside the adult-driver/passenger category (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, children). Compensation is valued under the Judicial College Guidelines 17th edition (April 2024).
3. The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB)
For accidents involving uninsured or untraced drivers. Claims are made against the MIB under the Uninsured Drivers' Agreement or Untraced Drivers' Agreement.
How much compensation could you receive?
Every claim is valued on two heads: general damages (for the injury itself) and special damages (for your financial losses). General damages for car accident injuries fall within these typical 17th-edition JCG ranges:
- Minor whiplash (OIC tariff, up to 3 months): £275 (£300 with minor psychological injury)
Special damages - lost earnings, medical costs, travel, vehicle excess, care at home, future losses - sit on top. In serious injury cases, they routinely exceed general damages by a factor of five or more. See how much compensation for the full picture.
What special damages can I claim?
- Loss of earnings - time off work, reduced hours, missed bonuses, pension contributions.
The car accident claim process, step by step
- Free eligibility check.
The full process is set out in our personal injury claims process guide.
How long does a car accident claim take?
- OIC portal claims (tariff whiplash): typically 4-8 months from medical report to settlement.
How long do I have to claim?
Three years from the date of the accident - or from the 'date of knowledge' - under section 11 of the Limitation Act 1980. See our time limits guide.
How is it funded? No win, no fee
Every Casibus-referred car accident claim is run on a Conditional Fee Agreement. No upfront fees, no hourly bills, no personal exposure to the other side's costs. If the claim wins, a success fee is deducted from your settlement - capped at 25% of your general damages and past losses. Full mechanics in no win no fee explained.
