Personal injury lawyers covering South Shields
Whether you’ve been injured in an accident on Sandhaven beach, a car accident on a South Shields road or accidents in public places in South Shields such as Temple Memorial Park, or one of the public car parks, you may be able to make a claim for compensation. This guide covers the kinds of cases a personal injury lawyer covering South Shields could help you with, and provides guidance and support to those looking to make a range of personal injury claims for accidents that weren’t their fault.
In the sections below, you’ll find guidance on compensation payouts and how they’re calculated, details of the types of incidents in South Shields that could lead to a personal injury claim, and important information about how to work out whether a personal injury solicitor could be right for your case.
You can call our free advice line at any time on 0800 408 7825 for free legal advice of no obligation and a free consultation to see if you are eligible for compensation.
Choose A Section
- A Guide To Using Personal Injury Lawyers Who Cover South Shields
- Workplace Accidents In South Shields
- Traffic And Car Accidents In South Shields
- Cycling And Bike Accidents In South Shields
- Public Space Accidents And Injuries
- Falling And Tripping Accidents And Injuries
- Injury Or Illness Claims Against The Council
- Claims For Criminal Injuries
- How Do I Claim Compensation For An Accident Or Injury?
- How Finding A Lawyer Is Made Easier With Reviews
- Calculating Compensation For Injury Claims
- No Win No Fee Personal Injury Lawyers Who Cover South Shields
- How To Consult A Lawyer
- References
A Guide To Using Personal Injury Lawyers Who Cover South Shields
Making a claim for compensation for an accident that wasn’t your fault could be somewhat daunting. For a personal injury claim to be successful, it must be made within the correct time frame and you would also have to evidence that someone breached their duty of care towards you and that this caused you to suffer injury or illness. If you do not want to go it alone with your claim, like many other claimants, you could benefit from using a personal injury lawyer covering South Shields that could help take on the hard work. If your case has to go to court, you could also benefit from having legal support on hand as you go through the court to claim the compensation you deserve.
The types of claims a No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor covering South Shields could help you with include:
- A South Shields motorbike accident
- Accidents in a public place, such as an accident on South Shields beach, in a supermarket, or in a public building
- A road traffic accident in South Shields involving cars, pedestrians, and other road users
- An accident on South Shields metro
- A criminal injury
- An accident at work in South Shields
- A fall, trip or slip causing you to be injured in a public place
Below, we cover such claims in more detail, giving you examples of accidents that could lead to a claim and providing information on finding a lawyer to help you.
Workplace Accidents In South Shields
Whether you work for one of South Shields’ top employers or for a smaller business, if you are injured at work due to your employer’s negligence, you may be able to claim compensation.
A workplace accident in South Shields could happen in a number of different ways. According to the Health And Safety Executive, the most common causes of workplace accidents in 2018/19 included:
- Falls, slips and trips on the same level
- Carrying, handling or lifting
- Being struck by moving objects
- Violent acts
- Falls from height
It is an employer’s responsibility, according to the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974, to look after their employees’ health and safety while they’re at work. There are a number of ways they can do this, from providing PPE to ensuring employees are trained to work safely and hazards are removed as much as possible in the workplace.
Traffic And Car Accidents In South Shields
According to government figures, in 2018, there were 924 people killed or seriously injured on roads in the North East. Whether you’ve been injured in a South Shields road accident at a roundabout that was not your fault or been injured in an accident on Sunderland Road in South Shields when someone ran into the back of you at the lights, if an accident you were injured in was not your fault, you may be able to claim compensation.
What Happens If I Was Partially At Fault For A Road Accident?
A personal injury lawyer covering South Shields could also help you if you were partially at fault for a road traffic accident in South Shields. As long as someone else was also at fault, you may still be able to claim compensation for injuries you’ve sustained in a road accident. We should mention, however, that your compensation payout could be reduced in order to reflect your level of involvement.
What Happens If The Driver Can’t Be Found?
If you’re under the assumption that your injuries could not be compensated for if the driver of the vehicle that caused your accident couldn’t be traced or wasn’t insured, you may be surprised to know that there is still a way you could claim. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau could compensate you for injuries sustained in such an accident if other routes to compensation were not open to you.
Accidents On The Metro And Other Public Transport
According to the government, in 2019/20, there were 3.3 million miles travelled on Tyne and Wear Metro. If you’re injured in a Metro accident in South Shields that was someone else’s fault or you’ve been injured in a taxi, bus or on a train, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries. Liable parties include:
- Transport companies
- Other road users
- Local Authorities
Sometimes, working out who could be held liable for an accident on public transport could be difficult. A lawyer could help you work out who could be liable to pay you compensation.
Accidents In Car Parks
If you’ve been injured in a car park, whether at a private shopping centre or at one of the council-run car parks in South Shields, you may have been injured as a vehicle user or as a pedestrian. Depending on the reason for your accident and your injuries, your car park injury claim could be against any one of the following parties:
- A private business
- A car park owner/operator
- A local council
- Another driver
Whether you’ve been crashed into while turning into the car park, have been knocked over on a car park crossing, or have suffered injuries in a car park barrier accident, a personal injury solicitor covering South Shields could help you claim compensation, not only for your injuries but also for any expenses incurred due to your injuries.
Cycling And Bike Accidents In South Shields
Motorcyclists and cyclists are some of the most vulnerable users of UK roads according to Rospa. This is due to a number of factors, including:
- They could be difficult to see
- They could move off quicker than expected (motorcyclists)
- They could move off slower than expected (cyclists)
- They are affected more than other road users by side winds
- They are likely to suffer more injuries when struck
Whether you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident in South Shields because someone has dangerously overtaken you, or you’ve sustained injuries in a bike accident in South Shields when someone has run into the back of your pushbike, if the accident wasn’t your fault, you could claim compensation. No Win No Fee personal injury lawyers in South Shields or those based elsewhere that cover the area could help you.
Public Space Accidents And Injuries
An accident in a public place may on the face of it appear to be just that; an accident. However, if you look closely, you may find that such accidents occur because someone has not acted responsibly to keep people safe. If you’ve been injured in a public place, you could make an injury claim if the party responsible for the place you were injured in has not done enough to keep you safe as a member of the public. Such claims could be referred to as public injury claims and liable parties could range from the local council to owners/operators of shopping centres, restaurants, leisure centres and more.
Park Accidents And Injuries
Whether you’ve been injured in a park due to poorly maintained pathways or your child has sustained injuries on defective play equipment, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries. If it is your child who has been injured, you may be able to make a claim on their behalf by acting as their litigation friend. Depending on whether the accident occurred in a public park or private park, you may be taking action against the local council or a private company. Either way, a personal injury lawyer covering South Shields could help you through the process, taking on the leg work of proving your case.
Supermarket And Shop Accidents And Injuries
If you’ve been injured in a supermarket or shop, and you were injured due to the business’ failure to keep you safe while shopping, you may be able to make a claim against them. Shops and businesses that serve the public should take care to protect the people that are on their premises, including shoppers. Public accident claims against supermarkets and shops are usually made against the public liability insurance that the business has taken out.
Falling And Tripping Accidents And Injuries
Slipping, tripping and falling could happen for a number of different reasons and could cause a wealth of injuries, from lacerations to broken bones and in some cases, life-changing injuries. While you would not be able to claim if you have tripped on your own shoelaces, as that could be considered your own fault. If you have slipped, tripped or fallen because someone with a duty of care towards your safety had been negligent, you may be able to claim for your injuries if they have been caused by negligence by:
- Employers
- Supermarkets, shops hotels, bars or restaurants
- Other private businesses
- Local councils
Not sure whether anyone could be held liable for you slip, trip or fall? Why not call Public Interest Lawyers; we’ll be happy to assess your case to see if you have valid grounds to claim.
Injury Or Illness Claims Against The Council
If the local council is responsible for an area or building and you are injured in a place they are responsible for because of their negligence in making the area or building safe, you may be able to claim against them. Claims could be brought against the council for no-fault accidents in places such as:
- Libraries
- Council offices
- Local authority housing
- Public parks
- Public playgrounds
- Public car parks
- Jobcentres
You may also be able to claim for accidents on public roads caused by poor maintenance of the road, or for accidents on poorly maintained pavements.
Claims For Criminal Injuries
Crime in South Shields does occur, as you’ll be able to see from the table in the next section. If you’ve been injured as a victim of crime, while trying to stop a crime or from having witnessed a crime, you may be able to claim compensation through the CICA.
You may be able to claim compensation if you’ve suffered injuries due to crimes such as:
- Assault
- Sexual Abuse (including historical abuse)
- GBH
- ABH
- Rape
You could claim for both mental and physical injury, and your compensation could include expenses such as loss of earnings in some cases too.
South Tyneside Victim Based Crimes Rates
LG Inform provides reports for reported crimes in various areas. Here, we reproduce the statistics relating to crimes in South Tyneside for the year ending April 2020.
Top Reported Crimes | Frequency |
---|---|
Violence against the person | 1,514 |
Other thefts | 1,330 |
Shoplifting | 992 |
Vehicle offences | 678 |
Sexual offences | 485 |
How Do I Claim Compensation For An Accident Or Injury?
Whether you are claiming through the civil courts, or via an organisation such as the Motor Insurers’ Bureau or CICA, having the assistance of a personal injury solicitor covering South Shields claims could make the whole process much easier and less stressful.
Places In South Shields Where Lawyers Could Be Found
There are lawyers based near to Ocean Beach Pleasure Park that may be able to help you, but there is an easier way to find a personal injury solicitor who could help you with your claim, as we explain below.
Do I Need A Local Injury Solicitor?
You do not have to opt for No Win No Fee personal injury lawyers in South Shields. Instead, you could call our team and we could find you an appropriate personal injury solicitor handling South Shields claims that is not based in the area but that could have the capability to fight for the maximum compensation achievable for your claim.
Many claims are, as we explained earlier, settled outside of the courtroom so could be handled via email, phone and letter. Even if your case went to court, no matter where the solicitor you chose was based, they would still be able to support you through the court process, so you need not choose a local lawyer for your claim.
What Are Medical Assessments And Examinations?
Medical assessment and examinations are a necessary part of personal injury claims. You need to have independent verification of your injuries and your prognosis. The report generated from such assessments could go a long way towards working out how much compensation you could be eligible for. Medical assessments are arranged as close to your area as possible.
How Finding A Lawyer Is Made Easier With Reviews
Choosing a personal injury solicitor for a South Shields claim could be made easier if you read the reviews left for them by their previous clients. Learning what other clients have liked and disliked about the services they’ve received from the solicitor you’re considering could give you an idea about whether they’d be right for your case. If you read that they’ve handled cases like yours successfully and have communicated well with clients too, you could have more confidence that you’re making a good choice.
Calculating Compensation For Injury Claims
Compensation payouts vary significantly between claims. They depend on the specific facts surrounding each individual case and take into account all the evidence of the claimant’s injuries, the effect those injuries have had on the claimant’s life, and the prognosis for the future. This is why it isn’t possible to get an accurate figure from a personal injury claims calculator. However, we have chosen to give you some insight into compensation figures using the Judicial College Guidelines, which is a publication that could be used by legal professionals to give value to your claim.
Where is the injury | Approx compensation level | Severity of injury |
---|---|---|
Shoulder | £11,980 to £18,020 | Serious |
Back | £11,730 to £36,390 | Moderate |
Neck | £12,900 to £36,120 | Moderate |
Arm | £18,020 to £36,770 | Less severe |
Brain | £14,380 to £40,410 | Less severe |
In addition to the figures provided before, which are for general damages, you could also claim special damages to cover expenses caused by your injuries. These could include care costs, wage losses, travel and medical costs, to name but a few examples.
No Win No Fee Personal Injury Lawyers Who Cover South Shields
Claiming in this manner means you wouldn’t be required to pay the solicitor upfront. You’d sign a Conditional Fee Agreement instead. This would promise your lawyer a small success fee that is legally capped, but only if they managed to get you some compensation. If they were unsuccessful in getting you a payout, you would not have to pay their fee. You would not have to pay them for the costs they’d incurred while they were pursuing your South Shields accident claim either.
How To Consult A Lawyer
One call to Public Interest Lawyers could not only allow you to get a free, no-obligation eligibility check on your claim, but we could also connect you to personal injury solicitors handling South Shields claims.
- Simply call us on 0800 408 7825
- Complete our online contact form.
- Or, use our live chat facility to get in touch.
We look forward to helping you.
References
Injured In An Accident On A Public Road – This claims guide offers insight into claiming for accidents on public roads.
Public Park Injuries – This guide offers information about claiming for injuries in public parks.
Accidents On Public Transport – Public transport accidents causing injury are covered in this guide.
Where A Doctor May Be Located
Doctor | Location |
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Marta Vinaras Molinero | Clasper Way Swalwell NE16 3BE |
Peter Goode | The North East Clinic 55 Heaton Road NE6 1SE |
South Tyneside County And Family Court
South Tyneside County Court and Family Court |
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Millbank Secretan Way Tyne & Wear South Shields NE33 1RG |
South Tyneside Council
South Shields Council |
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Town Hall And Civic Offices Westoe Road South Shields NE33 2RL |
https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/ |
Article by OE
Publisher EC.