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.
Devon
Personal Injury Solicitors Exeter
Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Exeter and the surrounding part of Devon. 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.
Exeter is the county town of Devon, a historic cathedral city with a university, two large hospitals, a substantial public sector and the M5 terminating just outside it. That produces one of the widest ranges of accident claims in the South West, which we set out below.
- Free initial claim assessment
- No Win, No Fee may be available
- Clients throughout Exeter and Greater London
- 30+ years' collective legal experience
Can I make a personal injury claim in Exeter?
Yes, if you were injured in an accident caused by someone else's negligence in Exeter or the surrounding area. Personal injury solicitors acting for Exeter 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.
The M5 ends just outside Exeter and the A30, A38 and A377 serve the city, with the A379 and A376 running toward the coast and the A3015 and the ring road carrying traffic around the outskirts. Exeter sits at the point where the peninsula's main routes converge, so a great deal of traffic travelling further west passes through or close to the city, and the M5 junctions, the Exe bridges and the city centre one-way system are regularly congested.
Exeter's economy is built on public administration, healthcare, higher education, professional services, retail and a growing technology and digital sector, with the university, the hospitals and the county council among the largest employers. Accidents at work reflect that mix, with slips and trips in offices, hospitals and university buildings, manual handling in healthcare and care settings, and injuries in retail and hospitality.
The city centre and the riverside produce the usual public place claims, and Exeter has a genuinely historic core. The cathedral close, the older streets and the medieval passages have cobbles, setts, uneven paving and steps throughout, and the city centre is heavily pedestrianised and busy. Falls on those historic surfaces are common, and the riverside paths and the quayside area add their own set of claims.
Key takeaways
- Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Exeter and Devon.
- We help clients in Exeter. We do not have an office in Exeter 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 Exeter
We provide access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Exeter and the surrounding part of Devon. 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 Exeter. We do not have an office in Exeter 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
- M5
- A30
- A38
- A377
- Exeter St Davids station
- The Exe bridges
- The cathedral close and city centre
- The quayside and riverside
What types of accident are most common in Exeter?
What stands out in Exeter claims is the combination of a historic city centre and a major healthcare and education base. The centre has genuine medieval fabric with cobbles, setts and steps that produce the familiar falls on ageing surfaces, while the hospitals and the university are very large employers whose claims tend to involve manual handling, slips in institutional buildings and injuries in older adapted premises. Exeter is also the transport hub for the whole peninsula, so a significant share of road claims here involve people who were passing through rather than local residents.
Slips, trips and falls
Exeter's cathedral close and medieval streets have cobbles, setts, uneven paving and steps, and the heavily pedestrianised centre produces falls on those historic surfaces.
Accidents at work
The hospitals, university and county council are very large employers, producing manual handling injuries in healthcare and slips in institutional and older adapted buildings.
Road traffic accidents
The M5 terminates at Exeter and the peninsula's main routes converge here, so the junctions, Exe bridges and city centre are regularly congested and carry through 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 Exeter?
The process is the same whether you are in Exeter 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 Devon we help clients from
We act for clients across the whole of Devon. These are the other areas close to Exeter, and you can see every part of the county on the Devon page.
Personal Injury Solicitors DevonPersonal Injury Solicitors PlymouthPersonal Injury Solicitors TorquayPersonal Injury Solicitors PaigntonPersonal Injury Solicitors BarnstaplePersonal Injury Solicitors Newton AbbotPersonal Injury Solicitors TivertonPersonal Injury Solicitors ExmouthPersonal Injury Solicitors Bideford
Personal injury claims in Exeter: frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Exeter?
No. We do not have a physical office in Exeter, 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 Exeter and the whole of Devon. 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 Exeter?
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, it is worth taking advice well before any deadline feels close.
Can I claim for a fall on the cobbles in Exeter city centre?
Yes, where the highway authority or the occupier failed to maintain the surface to a reasonable standard and that caused your fall. The cathedral close and the older streets have cobbles, setts, uneven paving and steps throughout, and the centre is heavily pedestrianised and busy. Photographs that show the specific defect 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 at one of the hospitals in Exeter?
Yes, where the injury was caused by unsafe working conditions, inadequate training, insufficient equipment or a failure to provide a safe system of work. Manual handling is the most common source of injury in healthcare, and back, shoulder and knee injuries from moving and supporting patients fall into this category. NHS trusts are held to the same standards as any other employer, and employers' liability insurers usually meet these claims.
How much compensation could I receive for an injury in Exeter?
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. Our page on personal injury compensation explains how both the general damages and the financial losses are worked out, and why a reliable figure has to come from the evidence in your own case.
Will I have to attend court in Exeter?
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 Exeter 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 Exeter?
Keep anything that records what happened and what it cost you. Photographs of the scene, the defect or the vehicles, details of witnesses, the police reference if one was given, dash camera footage where you have it, 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 Exeter?
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 legal cap is 25% of the relevant categories of damages including VAT.
Do you help clients elsewhere in Devon?
Yes. We act for clients across the whole of Devon, including Exmouth, Newton Abbot, Tiverton, Plymouth 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 Devon.
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 Exeter?
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.