05. How do I take legal action?

If you want to take legal action to get compensation, you should get advice from a solicitor who specialises in personal injury cases. You can find specialist solicitors through:

• the Community Legal Service;  
• the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL);  
• the Law Society's Accident Line, which has a personal injury panel of specialist solicitors;  
• the Motor Accident Solicitors Society, which deals with cases involving road accidents;  
• a motoring organisation, such as the AA and RAC, if you were injured in a road accident; or  
• your trade union, if you have one.

See 'Further Help' for how to contact these organisations.

If you are thinking about taking legal action, it's important to contact a solicitor as soon as you can. This is because there are time limits for starting a personal injury claim. There are different time limits for different types of claim. These are as follows:

• If your injury was caused by someone's negligence, you must start legal action within three years of when you were injured, or of when you first knew that you were injured (for example, if you are suffering from a disease caused by exposure to asbestos many years ago).  
• If you were assaulted (attacked), you must start legal action within six years.  
• If you are claiming against an airline or if you were injured during a collision at sea, you must start legal action within two years.

If you are thinking about taking legal action, you should get advice before:

• contacting the person or organisation you think caused the injury (except for telling your employer if you were injured at work); or  
• replying to any letters or offers to settle your claim.

If you are not sure about whether you want to take legal action, you could go to a law centre or Citizens Advice Bureau to get more advice about your options. They will also be able to tell you what information to take when you first go to see a solicitor.