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Last Updated On 21st April 2026. You should claim after a minor car accident if you have sustained physical or psychological injuries due to a negligent third-party motorist. You may be able to claim if you suffer soft tissue damage or another injury due to a third party’s negligent acts or inactions, and they were responsible for the collision. Examples of minor car accidents include low-speed rear-end shunts, minor side-swipes, and low-impact incidents involving cyclists. Many minor car accident claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning that you won’t be required to pay upfront service fees.
At Advice, we understand that no car accident is too minor to start a compensation claim. Even at low speeds, impacts can cause bruises, cuts and concussions. Beyond physical symptoms, minor car accidents can also give rise to psychological effects, including travel phobias, flashbacks and PTSD. If you’re connected with our expert solicitors, we could guide you through the car accident claims process from start to finish. As such, our No Win No Fee solicitors could correspond with insurers on your behalf, meaning that you can focus on your recovery.
To start the minor car accident claims process today, please get in touch with our friendly team:
- Call us on 0161 509 2856
- Contact us online by completing our form
- Use our free live chat feature
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Select A Section
- What Is A Minor Car Accident?
- What Injuries Can You Claim For After A Car Accident?
- Should I Collect Evidence When I Claim For A Minor Car Accident?
- Should I Claim After A Minor Car Accident?
- Payouts For Injuries Caused By A Minor Car Accident
- How Can Advice Help Me After A Minor Car Accident?
- Can A Minor Car Accident Still Be Claimed For On A No Win No Fee Basis?
What Is A Minor Car Accident?
A car accident can involve a car hitting another vehicle, person or object. Some accidents involving a car can be minor, and some can be more severe. Examples of car accidents might include:
- Rear-end collision: Another driver is using their phone and crashes into you at a low speed when stopping at a traffic light. As a result, you experience minor soft tissue injuries to your neck and shoulder.
- Head-on collision: Another driver is speeding down a narrow road and crashes into another driver head-on. The other driver sustains a severe brain injury and damage to their spinal cord.
- Side crash: A lorry driver fails to check their mirrors when overtaking. As a result, they crash into a car, causing the driver to experience whiplash injuries.
As mentioned, if the car accident is minor, it doesn’t necessarily mean the injuries will be minor. However, in order to claim compensation, you must be able to prove that another road user:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Breached the duty of care
- Caused you to suffer physical or psychological harm as a consequence.
Road users owe a duty of care under the Road Traffic Act 1988. As part of their duty of care, they are responsible for navigating the roads in a way that reduces the risk of other road users sustaining harm. Additionally, there are rules and guidance for different road users in the Highway Code. Some of the rules in the Highway Code are backed elsewhere in law.
If a road user breaches the duty of care, causing you harm, you may be able to seek compensation for the way in which your injuries have impacted you.
What Injuries Can You Claim For After A Car Accident?
There are various types of injuries that could be sustained in a car accident. Examples include:
- Breaks and fractures: This can include a broken arm, broken elbow, broken leg or fractured foot.
- Sprains and strains: For example, a sprained ankle or wrist.
- Brain and head injuries: This can include a concussion.
- Soft tissue injuries: For example, a damaged nerve or damage to ligaments, muscles and tendons. This could include whiplash injuries to the neck and shoulder.
- Lacerations: For example, scrapes, cuts and similar open wounds.
You could also experience psychological harm, such as travel anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, in more severe cases.
To find out whether you could claim for a minor car accident to receive compensation for the ways in which your injuries have impacted you, get in touch with the number above.
Should I Collect Evidence When I Claim For A Minor Car Accident?
There are several steps you could take before you claim for a minor car accident. For example:
- Report the accident: In cases where an accident has caused damage or injury and you have not exchanged your details at the time, you must report the accident to the police within 24 hours. You must also inform your insurance company, regardless of whether you’re planning to make a claim.
- Seek medical attention: In doing so, you can ensure you receive a diagnosis and treatment for your injuries. This can also produce medical records that can be used to support your claim.
- Collect evidence: This can include police reports, medical records, witness contact details, dashcam footage and pictures of your injuries and the scene of the accident.
- Seek legal advice: You may benefit from seeking free legal advice from one of our advisors. They can assess whether your claim is valid. If it is, they could connect you with one of our solicitors who may be able to represent your claim on a No Win No Fee basis.
For more information on the steps you could take following a minor car accident, get in touch with our team at the number above.
Should I Claim After A Minor Car Accident?
You may be wondering, ‘Should I claim after a minor car accident?’. You do not need to have suffered severe injuries in order to start a compensation claim. Minor car accidents can still have an impact on your life, for which you can seek compensation.
In the next section, we provide further details about what your compensation may cover. However, it is worth noting here that if you suffered pain due to your injury, paired with financial impact, you may be awarded compensation to cover these factors.
Additionally, our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. Therefore, you would not typically need to pay any upfront or ongoing fees for their services.
It is worthwhile to check whether your road traffic accident claim is valid with an advisor from our team, as you will not have to pay exorbitant legal fees in order to proceed. We also offer experienced advice throughout the process, so you can have access to great legal support.
Payouts For Injuries Caused By A Minor Accident
There are 2 different ways in which you might claim for injuries suffered in a minor car accident.
Firstly, if your injuries do not exceed the value of £5,000, you’re 18 or older, and the accident occurred in England or Wales, you will claim through the Whiplash Reform Programme. As of the 31st of May 2021, the Whiplash Injury Regulations came into effect. These Regulations assign tariff values to whiplash injuries. However, even if you claim against the at-fault party, your whiplash will be valued based on this tariff. Additionally, you can still claim through the Whiplash Reform Programme even if you haven’t suffered whiplash but sustained some other minor injury, such as broken ribs. However, your injuries will be valued in accordance with the guidelines discussed below.
We have included a table using figures from the tariff of injuries. If you have any questions about seeking whiplash compensation, get in touch on the number above.
| Injury duration | Amount of damages for one or more whiplash injuries | Amount of damages for both one or more whiplash injuries and one or more minor psychological injuries |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | £275 | £300 |
| 3-6 months | £565 | £595 |
| 6-9 months | £965 | £1,025 |
| 9-12 months | £1,510 | £1,595 |
| 12-15 months | £2,335 | £2,435 |
| 15-18 months | £3,445 | £3,550 |
| 18-24 months | £4,830 | £4,975 |
If you have further injuries that are not listed above, they will be calculated traditionally.
Settlements following a successful road traffic accident claim could include general and special damages. General damages seek to compensate for the pain and suffering your injuries have caused you. When valuing your injuries, solicitors can use the Judicial College Guidelines to help them. This contains guideline compensation brackets that correspond to different types of injuries.
We have used figures from these guidelines in the table below. Please only use them as a guide. Also note that the figure in the top row is not from the JCG.
| Injury | Guideline Payout | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Injuries With Financial Losses | Up to £250,000 or more | Settlements could compensate for more than one minor injury and related expenses. |
| Pelvic Injuries | £81,790 to £103,580 | (b) Moderate (ii) Cases that involve a hip replacement or another type of surgery. |
| Back Injuries | £36,680 to £51,230 | (b) Moderate (i) Injuries could include crush or compression fractures and putting the person at risk of constant pain and discomfort. |
| Back Injuries | £16,520 to £36,680 | (b) Moderate (ii) Common injuries to the back affecting the ligaments and muscles. The injury could also have made existing conditions worse. |
| Neck Injuries | £33,020 to £50,850 | (b) Moderate (i) A fracture or a dislocation affecting the neck. The injury may result in severe and immediate symptoms and the person could need a spinal fusion. |
| Neck Injuries | £18,150 to £33,020 | (b) Moderate (ii) The injury could have caused a severe lesion of a disc leading to seriously limited movement, recurring or permanent stiffness and pain as well as other issues. |
| Neck Injuries | £10,420 to £18,150 | (b) Moderate (iii) Injuries that have accelerated or exacerbated a pre-existing condition. |
| Shoulder Injuries | £10,420 to £16,870 | (c) Moderate: Frozen shoulder which limits the person's movement and causes them discomfort for around two years. |
| Elbow Injuries | Up to £15,370 | (c) Moderate or Minor: Most injuries to the elbow such as lacerations or fractures fall into this category. There is no permanent damage or impact on function. |
Special damages may also be included in your settlement. This head of claim seeks to compensate for the financial losses incurred as a result of your injuries. Financial losses can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Medical expenses
- Care costs
- Travel costs
You will need evidence to support your claim for these losses, such as receipts and payslips.
For more information on whether you should claim after a minor car accident for compensation and how much you could receive, get in touch on the number above.
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How Can Advice Help Me After A Minor Car Accident?
Advice can help you after a minor car accident by providing dedicated client-focused legal support from start to finish. We focus on building strong evidence and fully assessing the long-term impacts of your injuries, ensuring that your welfare is always at the heart of the process.
If you pursue compensation with Advice, our team will:
- Assist with gathering the evidence needed to show the impact of a minor collision, including CCTV footage, dashcam footage, and witness statements.
- Correspond with all involved parties on your behalf so you don’t have to.
- Connect you with the help you need, regardless of the injury’s severity, including physiotherapy and counselling for travel anxiety.
- Thoroughly assess the extent of your losses, including lost earnings, medical expenses, and the cost of vehicle repairs and damage to personal belongings.
- Provide expert guidance on legal terms and the whiplash tariffs so you are fully informed during your minor car accident compensation claim.
To discover more about how Advice can help you seek a fair minor injury car accident settlement, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
Can A Minor Car Accident Still Be Claimed For On A No Win No Fee Basis?
Yes, a minor car accident can still be claimed for on a No Win No Fee basis if you pursue compensation with Advice’s expert solicitors. By working under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), they do not charge any service fees for their work throughout a road traffic accident claim, including:
- At the beginning of your claim.
- While the case moves forward.
- If compensation is not awarded.
If your minor car accident compensation claim is a success, you will pay a success fee to your solicitor. Please be aware that this limited fee is a percentage, capped by law, and deducted from your compensation.
To learn more, you can get in touch with our advisors by:
- Calling 0161 509 2856
- Filling in our online contact form
- Using the live chat feature below.
Learn More About Making Common Car Accident Claims
Below, we have provided further resources:
We hope this guide answered the question ‘should I claim after a minor car accident?’. If you require any other information, please get in touch on the number above.
