• Legal experts specialising in personal injury claims
• Affordable, 100% independent legal advice
• Successfully pursuing personal injury in Northern Ireland claims since 1993
• Hassle-free claims process
• Free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your claim

If you’ve suffered an injury — physical or mental — because of someone else’s negligence, you have sustained a personal injury. And if you’ve sustained a personal injury, you’re entitled to make a personal injury claim. This is financial compensation in recognition of the pain and hardship you’ve endured.

Personal injuries happen on our roads, in our workplaces and even when we’re out in public. Slips, trips, falls, collisions, violence, defective products, workplace conditions and medical malpractice are all common causes of personal injuries.

There are more than 7,000 personal injuries sustained on Northern Ireland’s roads each year and 1,797 injuries sustained at workplaces were reported to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland in the year up to March 2022. Many other personal injuries in Northern Ireland go unreported.

Some of the different types of accidents that result in personal injuries include:

Road Traffic Accidents
Injuries sustained as a driver, passenger, motorcyclist, cyclist or pedestrian through no fault of your own.

Accidents at Work
Injuries suffered while doing your job because somebody didn’t do theirs properly or your employer didn’t protect you properly.

Accidents in Public Places
Injuries caused while out in public because somebody’s actions — or inaction — made an unsafe environment.

There is a wide range of personal injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to serious injuries and even fatalities. Despite the variety of ways in which someone else’s negligence can inflict injuries, there are common types of personal injuries.

Perhaps you’ve suffered some of the personal injuries for which we frequently help people to claim compensation.

• Head/Brain Injuries – Head or brain injuries can be sustained in road traffic accidents, accidents at work, sports accidents, criminal assault, slips, trips or falls, or through medical negligence.
• Hearing Loss – Without suitable ear protection, extremely loud noises can cause hearing damage while working in industrial settings or serving in the armed forces.
• Whiplash Injuries – You could have sustained painful soft tissue damage to your neck and back in a road traffic accident, or due to a trip, fall or blow to the head.
• Asbestos Illnesses – If you were exposed to asbestos dust, you may now be suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma or other asbestos illnesses.
• Spine Injuries & Paralysis – If you were exposed to asbestos dust, you may now be suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma or other asbestos illnesses.
• Amputation & Limb Damage – You may have severely damaged or lost a limb due to a road traffic accident, workplace accident, or because of medical negligence.
• Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) – If your job required you to repeat the same action many times, you might be experiencing pain, stiffness or weakness as a result.
• Burns, Scars & Lacerations – Your skin may be burned, cut or scarred due to workplace accidents involving corrosive chemicals, hot materials or exposed electrical wires, or because of a fall or road traffic accident.
• Slips, Trips & Falls – If you took a tumble at work or in a public place due to an unsafe environment you may have suffered one or more of the injuries we’ve mentioned above.
• Occupational Dermatitis – If you were forced to have regular contact with cleaning products, food and water, you may have suffered itching, swelling and blistering on your skin.
• Vibration White Finger – Regular use of vibrating hand-held machinery might have caused numbness, loss of movement and grip, and throbbing pain in your fingers.
• Electrical Injuries – You might have suffered burns, been unable to breathe or your heart might have stopped beating due to an electric shock, typically in a workplace accident.
• Broken Bones & Fractures – You may have broken or fractured bones in a road traffic accident, fall or sports accident.
• Soft Tissue Injuries – Your ligaments, muscles and tendons might have been injured due to a fall, a workplace accident, a road accident or any other incident that resulted in a strain, sprain or overload.

You’ve already suffered the enormous disruption of a personal injury through no fault of your own, so we understand you don’t need any more inconvenience. That’s why our claims process is simple and straightforward, with expert advice and support every step of the way.

Step 1: Contact Reid Black
Get in touch to discuss your personal injury claim in a free, no-obligation initial consultation.

Step 2: Gathering Information
We’ll gather as much evidence as possible to support your claim so that we can show your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence.

Step 3: Medical Assessment
Next, we’ll arrange for you to be assessed by an independent medical professional so that we build a full picture of your injuries and any long-term or future complications.

Step 4: Compensation Negotiations
With all that evidence to support your claim, we will negotiate with the negligent party or their insurer to secure the maximum compensation payout to which you’re entitled.

Step 5: Compensation Payout
We will continue to support you and oversee your claim to ensure the payout reaches you promptly.

The time limit for personal injury claims in Northern Ireland is usually three years from the time the injury was sustained. In cases when either the injury or the negligence isn’t known until later, you must claim within three years of receiving this information.

There are some exceptions to the time limit, including:

Child Personal Injuries – If you were aged under 18 at the time of the injury you must claim before your 21st birthday.

Mental Capacity – There are no time limits on making a claim when you don’t have the mental capacity to do so.

Travel Personal Injuries – For accidents on board passenger ships, you must claim within two years of disembarking the ship; for domestic flights, you must claim within two years of landing; and for international flights, you must claim within two years of arriving at your final destination.

Personal Injuries Abroad – The time limits for personal injuries abroad vary between countries, so check the limits for the country in which you sustained your injury as soon as possible.

The amount of personal injury compensation you receive will depend on the type of injury you sustained, how serious it was and how long-lasting its effect on your life has been. This will include the amount of pain you’ve suffered — and for how long — as well as the psychological, financial and practical impact.

The payout you receive will be split into:

General Damages – Compensation for the injury itself, set at a level that matches the seriousness of your injury, the amount of pain you’ve endured and the longevity of the injury.

Special Damages – Compensation for financial losses you’re suffered because of your personal injury. This includes things like loss of earnings, medical fees, and travel expenses.

We’ve been guiding people in exactly the same position as you to make personal injury claims in Northern Ireland since 1993. Our experienced personal injury solicitors will use all of that know-how to secure the payout you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like to discuss the specifics of your personal injury claim in more detail, just get in touch for some free initial legal advice.