I have had an accident – can I claim compensation?

The answer is – maybe, if you can show on the balance of probabilities (that there is at least a 51% chance) that another party is at fault. If another car collides with your stationary vehicle and you are injured, then it would be expected that the other vehicle’s insurers would admit liability very quickly unless there were some unusual circumstances. Workplace accidents (called employers’ liability claims) can be more problematic but injuries caused by, for example, unguarded machinery will usually succeed.

Tripping or slipping in a public place caused by a hazard (e.g. unlit roadworks) can give rise to a public liability claim. More complex are potential claims for clinical negligence where someone has suffered as a result of substandard medical treatment.