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 Plymouth
Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Plymouth 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.
Plymouth is the largest city in Devon and one of the largest on the south coast, built around a major naval base, a working port and an extensive marine and defence industrial base, with the A38 linking it to the rest of the country. 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 Plymouth and Greater London
- 30+ years' collective legal experience
Can I make a personal injury claim in Plymouth?
Yes, if you were injured in an accident caused by someone else's negligence in Plymouth or the surrounding area. Personal injury solicitors acting for Plymouth 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.
Plymouth is served by the A38 as the main trunk route to Exeter and the M5, and the A386 toward Tavistock and the A374 and A379 within the city, with the Tamar bridges connecting Plymouth to Cornwall. The A38 carries very heavy traffic including a great deal of freight and military related movement, and the city's road network, the Tamar crossings and the routes through the centre are regularly congested.
Plymouth's economy is built on the naval base and defence, marine engineering and shipbuilding, the port and ferry terminals, healthcare, education and a substantial retail and hospitality sector. Accidents at work reflect that unusually strongly: machinery and manual handling injuries in the dockyard and marine engineering, working at height and confined space work on vessels, and injuries in the port and around heavy lifting equipment.
The city centre, the Hoe and the waterfront produce the usual public place claims, and Plymouth has a great deal of waterfront and historic fabric alongside areas rebuilt after the war. The Hoe, the Barbican, the seafront and the waterfront walkways are heavily used, and falls on those surfaces and on the older paving of the Barbican are common, as are trips on the pavements across the newer parts of the city.
Key takeaways
- Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Plymouth and Devon.
- We help clients in Plymouth. We do not have an office in Plymouth 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 Plymouth
We provide access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Plymouth 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 Plymouth. We do not have an office in Plymouth 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
- A38
- A386
- A374
- A379
- The Tamar bridges
- Plymouth station
- The dockyard and naval base
- The Hoe and the Barbican
What types of accident are most common in Plymouth?
What stands out in Plymouth claims is the dockyard and marine engineering base. Plymouth has one of the largest concentrations of dockyard, shipbuilding and marine engineering work in the country, and that produces claims involving heavy machinery, working at height, confined spaces, lifting operations and vessels. These cases turn on the employer's risk assessments, safe systems of work and the condition of equipment, and where several contractors and agencies share a site, establishing who controlled the particular area or task is the first step.
Accidents at work
The dockyard, shipbuilding and marine engineering base produces machinery, lifting, working at height and confined space claims found in few other places.
Road traffic accidents
The A38 carries very heavy freight and military related traffic as the main route out of the peninsula, and the Tamar crossings and city centre are regularly congested.
Slips, trips and falls
The Hoe, the Barbican and the waterfront walkways are heavily used, and falls on those surfaces and on the older paving of the Barbican are common.
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 Plymouth?
The process is the same whether you are in Plymouth 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 Plymouth, and you can see every part of the county on the Devon page.
Personal Injury Solicitors DevonPersonal Injury Solicitors ExeterPersonal 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 Plymouth: frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Plymouth?
No. We do not have a physical office in Plymouth, 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 Plymouth 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 Plymouth?
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 if I was injured working in the dockyard or in marine engineering in Plymouth?
Yes, where the injury was caused by unsafe working conditions, inadequate training, defective equipment, a failure to control lifting or working at height, or a failure to provide a safe system of work. Plymouth has one of the largest concentrations of dockyard and marine engineering work in the country, and claims from that sector commonly involve heavy machinery, confined spaces, lifting operations and vessels. Where several contractors and agencies share a site, establishing who controlled the particular area or task is a necessary first step.
Can I claim if I was injured in a collision on the A38 near Plymouth?
Yes, if another road user's negligence caused your injuries. The A38 is the main trunk route between Plymouth and the M5 and carries very heavy freight and military related traffic, and the Tamar crossings are regularly congested. Evidence usually comes from the police report, the vehicle damage and your medical records, along with any dash camera footage. Where the other driver was uninsured or untraced, a claim through the Motor Insurers' Bureau may be possible.
How much compensation could I receive for an injury in Plymouth?
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 Plymouth?
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 Plymouth 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 Plymouth?
Keep anything that records what happened and what it cost you. Photographs of the scene, the machinery, the equipment 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 Plymouth?
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 Torquay, Newton Abbot, Exeter, Tavistock 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 Plymouth?
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.