Personal injury covers a wide range of situations where a person has suffered an injury. Although typically mild some people suffer substantial life changing injuries. A tariff system has been brought in to reduce the value of whiplash claims. There are also substantial restrictions put upon other types of claim for instance CICA will not pay out to a person with a criminal record. 

There are hundreds of experts who accept direct referrals, thousands available through agencies and many solicitors who are happy to take this type of work. If you have a RTA you must go through the OIC portal and select either an expert or an agency.  The compensator will pay for the expert report and will make you an offer. 

• RTA (Road Traffic Accident) 

• Slip and trip (Public Liability)

• Occupational injuries

• CICA Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

• Food Poisoning

• Mould 

There are suggestions that other types of claim will be brought under the portal however the portal is a little difficult to use. The portal helpline is available and if you are persistent you will be able to get it to work. Although you can get a solicitor in any PI case, they are only essential if the other party denies liability. 

You do however need an expert report and this will cost £180 plus VAT (2024). If you need a home visit then you will be charged about £300. Once you have a report you can make your claim online as a money claim. It is worth remembering that any PI claim is a money claim and that is all the court can order. The court cannot make the person learn their lesson, or apologise, or stop it happening again. 

You should avoid experts who are in a hurry, get their assistants to take your history, write superficial reports without detail and are too nice! Having an independent expert who writes a robust, detailed and balanced report that you do not fully agree with is better than having one who says everything you want them to. This is because the robust report will not collapse when the other side challenge it.