General damages
The award for the injury itself and the effect on your life, known as pain, suffering and loss of amenity. It is measured against the ranges used for injuries of comparable severity and adjusted for your circumstances.
Dorset
Personal Injury Solicitors Bournemouth
Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Bournemouth and the surrounding part of Dorset. If you have been injured in an accident that may have been caused by someone else's negligence, we can review what happened and explain whether you may have grounds to pursue compensation.
Bournemouth is the largest town in Dorset, with a substantial financial and business services sector, two universities, a large hospital, a very heavy visitor economy and the A338 and A35 serving it. That produces a distinctive mix of claims, which we set out below.
- Free initial claim assessment
- No Win, No Fee may be available
- Clients throughout Bournemouth and Greater London
- 30+ years' collective legal experience
Can I make a personal injury claim in Bournemouth?
Yes, if you were injured in an accident caused by someone else's negligence in Bournemouth or the surrounding area. Personal injury solicitors acting for Bournemouth clients assess whether there are grounds to claim, investigate the evidence, instruct medical experts and negotiate with the insurer on your behalf. Whether a claim can be taken on depends on the circumstances, the evidence and when the accident happened, not on where you live.
Bournemouth is served by the A338 running north to the A31 and the M27, the A35 linking it east toward Christchurch and west along the coast, and the A347 and A3049 serving the town, with the A31 providing the main connection toward Southampton and the M3. The town sits within the South East Dorset conurbation, the largest urban area on the south coast between Southampton and Plymouth, and the Wessex Way, the town centre and the coastal routes carry a very heavy volume of traffic.
Bournemouth's economy is built on financial and business services, higher education through two universities, healthcare, tourism and hospitality, retail and a substantial digital and creative sector. Accidents at work reflect that mix, with manual handling and slips in healthcare and care settings, injuries in hospitality, hotels and retail, and the office and professional services injuries you would expect from a large administrative employment base.
The town centre, the seafront and the chines produce the usual public place claims, and Bournemouth has an unusual combination of very heavy footfall and steep coastal geography. The seafront sits in a bowl below the town, so the paths and roads down to the beach and the chines involve genuine gradients and steps, and the clifftop paths and zig-zags are in constant use. Falls on those routes and on the promenade are common, and the exposed coastal surfaces deteriorate faster than inland paving.
Key takeaways
- Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Bournemouth and Dorset.
- We help clients in Bournemouth. We do not have an office in Bournemouth and we do not claim to. Our registered address is in Luton, and cases are handled by telephone, video call, email and WhatsApp.
- Whether a claim can be taken on depends on its merits and evidence, not on where you live.
- Compensation has two parts: general damages for the injury itself, and special damages for the financial losses it caused.
- Most personal injury claims in England and Wales are subject to a three year limitation period.
- Legal services are provided by MB Solicitors, trading name of MB Legal Solicitors Ltd, regulated by the SRA under SRA ID 8000764.
Where we help clients in Bournemouth
We provide access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Bournemouth and the surrounding part of Dorset. The map shows the area we cover, which takes in the main roads, stations and neighbourhoods where accidents most often happen.
Being clear about this matters. We help clients in Bournemouth. We do not have an office in Bournemouth and we do not claim to. Our registered address is in Luton, and cases are handled by telephone, email, WhatsApp and video call, so there is no need to travel to us and no part of the area we cannot reach.
Roads, stations and landmarks nearby
- A338 Wessex Way
- A31
- A35
- M27
- A347
- Bournemouth station
- The seafront and chines
- The two universities
What types of accident are most common in Bournemouth?
What stands out in Bournemouth claims is the combination of a large administrative and service economy with genuinely steep coastal access. Bournemouth has a bigger financial, business services and higher education base than any other town in the county, so workplace claims here include the office, professional and institutional injuries that dominate in a service economy, alongside the healthcare manual handling that comes with a large hospital. On land, the town is built on the clifftop with the seafront below it, so getting to and from the beach involves real gradients, steps and zig-zag paths in daily use, and falls on those routes are a larger share of local claims than the flat geography of some coastal towns would suggest.
Slips, trips and falls
The seafront sits in a bowl below the town, so paths and roads down to the beach and the chines involve genuine gradients, steps and zig-zag routes in constant use.
Accidents at work
Financial and business services, two universities and a large hospital produce office, institutional and healthcare manual handling claims.
Road traffic accidents
The town sits within the South East Dorset conurbation between Southampton and Plymouth, and the Wessex Way and coastal routes carry very heavy traffic.
Responsibility is not always obvious. What matters legally is whether someone owed you a duty of care, whether they breached it, and whether that breach caused your injury. Our pages on road traffic accident claims, accidents at work claims and public place accident claims explain how that is established.
How do I make a personal injury claim in Bournemouth?
The process is the same whether you are in Bournemouth or anywhere else in England and Wales. Individual claims vary, and not every case goes through every step, but this is how a personal injury claim usually progresses.
- 1Tell us what happenedComplete the free assessment form, telephone the team, or message on WhatsApp. A short description is enough to begin.
- 2Free initial assessmentA solicitor considers the circumstances, the injuries and who may have been responsible, and explains whether there may be grounds to claim.
- 3Investigation and evidenceWhere a case is accepted, the available evidence is gathered, including accident reports, photographs, witness details and CCTV where it exists.
- 4Medical evidenceAn independent medical expert assesses the injuries and gives an opinion on severity and prognosis.
- 5Assessing financial lossPast and future losses are calculated, including lost earnings, treatment, care, travel and equipment where relevant.
- 6NegotiationThe claim is presented to the defendant or their insurer and negotiated on your behalf.
- 7Settlement or court proceedingsMany cases settle through negotiation. Where agreement is not possible, court proceedings may be issued and the case decided by the court.
For a stage by stage account of what the solicitor does at each point, see our page on how our personal injury solicitors help.
How much compensation could I receive?
There is no figure that can be applied to an injury by name. Compensation is assessed on the medical evidence, the effect the injury has on your life, your age and circumstances, and the financial losses it has caused. Two people with the same diagnosis can receive very different awards.
Special damages
The award for the money the injury has cost you, proved with documents. It can include lost earnings, treatment and rehabilitation, care and assistance, travel, equipment and future losses where the injury has lasting effects.
Our page on personal injury compensation explains both parts in detail, including the losses that can be recovered and how claims are valued.
Other areas of Dorset we help clients from
We act for clients across the whole of Dorset. These are the other areas close to Bournemouth, and you can see every part of the county on the Dorset page.
Personal Injury Solicitors DorsetPersonal Injury Solicitors PoolePersonal Injury Solicitors WeymouthPersonal Injury Solicitors DorchesterPersonal Injury Solicitors ChristchurchPersonal Injury Solicitors FerndownPersonal Injury Solicitors BridportPersonal Injury Solicitors SherbornePersonal Injury Solicitors Shaftesbury
Personal injury claims in Bournemouth: frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Bournemouth?
No. We do not have a physical office in Bournemouth, and we do not claim to. Our registered address is in Luton, and we provide access to personal injury solicitors who act for clients across Bournemouth and the whole of Dorset. Cases are handled by telephone, email, WhatsApp and video call, and a client can be seen at a convenient location where a meeting is genuinely needed.
How long do I have to make a personal injury claim in Bournemouth?
For many claims the general limitation period is three years from the date of the accident, or from your later date of knowledge where that applies. Different rules can apply to children, to people who lack mental capacity, and to fatal accident and criminal injury claims. Because evidence is easier to gather early and CCTV in particular can be overwritten quickly, it is worth taking advice well before any deadline feels close.
Can I claim for a fall on the paths down to Bournemouth beach or the chines?
Yes, where the council or the occupier failed to maintain the path or the steps to a reasonable standard, or failed to provide a handrail where one was reasonably required, and that caused your fall. Bournemouth's seafront sits in a bowl below the town, so the roads, paths and zig-zags down to the beach and the chines involve genuine gradients and steps, and they are in constant use through the year. Photographs that show the gradient, the step and the surface condition, with something for scale, are the most valuable evidence, along with a precise note of the location and date.
Can I claim if I was injured working in an office or professional services firm in Bournemouth?
Yes, where the injury was caused by unsafe working conditions, inadequate training, defective equipment, poor maintenance or a failure to provide a safe system of work. Bournemouth has the largest financial, business services and professional employment base in Dorset, and claims from that sector commonly involve slips and trips, falls on stairs, manual handling, repetitive strain and the condition of the premises. An office employer's duty of care is exactly the same as a factory employer's, and the fact that the work is not obviously hazardous makes no difference.
How much compensation could I receive for an injury in Bournemouth?
There is no figure that can be applied to an injury by name. Compensation has two parts: general damages for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity the injury itself has caused, and special damages for the financial losses it has produced, such as lost earnings, treatment, rehabilitation, care and travel. The total depends on the medical evidence, the effect on your life, your age and circumstances and the losses you have suffered. Our page on personal injury compensation explains how both parts are assessed.
Will I have to attend court in Bournemouth?
Most personal injury claims settle through negotiation without a hearing, so attending court is uncommon. Where proceedings are issued, the case is usually dealt with at a court convenient for where you live, and Bournemouth has its own combined court centre. Where a hearing is needed, we explain what is involved in advance.
What evidence should I keep after an accident in Bournemouth?
Keep anything that records what happened and what it cost you, and gather it early. Photographs of the scene, the defect, the steps or the vehicles, details of any witnesses, the police reference if one was given, medical records, receipts for treatment and travel, and a note of the days you could not work are all useful. Report a workplace accident in the accident book immediately and ask for a copy of the entry.
Can I claim on a No Win No Fee basis in Bournemouth?
Suitable cases may be accepted under a Conditional Fee Agreement, commonly called No Win No Fee, subject to an assessment of liability, the evidence, the prospects of success and proportionality. If the claim does not succeed you generally do not pay our basic legal fees, and if it does a success fee may be payable. In many personal injury claims the applicable legal cap is 25% of the relevant categories of damages including VAT.
Do you help clients elsewhere in Dorset?
Yes. We act for clients across the whole of Dorset, including Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, Dorchester and the surrounding areas. You can see the full list on our areas we cover page, or read more about how personal injury claims work across Dorset.
Who provides the legal services?
Injury Law Specialists is a marketing and advertising platform and is not a law firm or a provider of regulated legal services. All personal injury legal advice, casework and representation arranged through Injury Law Specialists are provided by MB Solicitors, a trading name of MB Legal Solicitors Ltd, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA ID 8000764. Any solicitor-client relationship will be directly between the client and MB Legal Solicitors Ltd.
The answers above explain the position generally. Every claim turns on its own facts, and the applicable rules are those in force at the relevant time. For advice on deadlines, see our page on personal injury claim time limits.
Who provides the legal services
Injury Law Specialists is a marketing and advertising platform and is not a law firm or a provider of regulated legal services. All personal injury legal advice, legal services, casework, representation, legal support, and any free initial assessment or consultation promoted or arranged through Injury Law Specialists are provided by MB Solicitors, a trading name of MB Legal Solicitors Ltd.
MB Legal Solicitors Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales under Company Number 12281731. The firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) under SRA ID 8000764 and is a member of The Law Society. Injury Law Specialists does not itself provide legal advice or carry out reserved legal activities. Any solicitor-client relationship arising from an enquiry will be directly between the client and MB Legal Solicitors Ltd.
Read our Regulatory InformationRelated information
Personal Injury Solicitors LondonHow personal injury claims work across Greater London.Solicitors for Road Traffic Accident ClaimsClaims for drivers, passengers, riders, cyclists and pedestrians.Solicitors for Accidents at Work ClaimsWhere an employer failed to keep you safe at work.Solicitors for Public Place Accident ClaimsSlips, trips and falls in shops, stations and other public places.Personal Injury CompensationWhat compensation can cover and how claims are valued.No Win No Fee Personal Injury SolicitorsHow a Conditional Fee Agreement works and what the success fee means.Medical & Rehabilitation CostsRecovering the cost of treatment needed after an injury.Areas We CoverThe full list of areas we help clients from across England and Wales.Free Claim AssessmentTell us what happened and we will explain whether there may be grounds to claim.
Injured in an accident in Bournemouth?
Tell us what happened and a member of our team can explain whether you may have grounds to claim, what evidence would be needed and how the process would work in practice. The assessment is free, and there is no obligation to proceed.
Prefer to write it down? You can also tell us what happened and we will come back to you.