Can I make a claim without a solicitor?
Yes. There is no legal requirement to instruct anyone. For lower value claims there is a dedicated route designed to be used without a solicitor, and for very modest claims the small claims track exists precisely so that non-qualified people can use it.
That route has a name: simple road traffic accident claims below a certain value can be submitted through the government's Official Injury Claim portal without legal representation. It is designed to be usable without specialist knowledge, though it still requires you to gather the evidence and negotiate directly with the other side's insurer.
The practical question is not whether you are allowed to, but whether doing it yourself leaves you worse off. Insurers deal with these claims every day. You probably don't.
When going it alone tends to work
- Liability is clearly admitted and not in dispute
- Your injury was minor and you've fully recovered
- There are no ongoing losses, care needs or future treatment
- The sums involved are modest and the paperwork is limited
In those circumstances the process is largely administrative, and the cost of professional help may not be justified by what it adds.
When a solicitor is usually worth it
- Liability is denied, or the other side blames you
- Your injury is serious, or the prognosis is uncertain
- You have lost earnings, or expect to lose more
- Medical evidence is needed from more than one specialist
- More than one party may be responsible
- You are claiming on behalf of a child, or after a death
An insurer's first offer is an opening position, not a valuation.
What a solicitor actually does
The work is less dramatic than people expect, and more procedural. Most of it happens in writing, and most of it happens before any question of court arises.
Establishes liability
Gathers the incident reports, training records, witness accounts and photographs that show what went wrong and who is responsible.
Arranges medical evidence
Instructs the right specialists so your injury and prognosis are properly documented, not summarised by the other side.
Values the claim properly
Applies published guidelines and comparable awards to both the injury itself and your financial losses.
Negotiates
Deals directly with the insurer, and knows when an offer is worth taking and when it is not.
Handles the process
Runs the deadlines, the pre-action protocol and, if necessary, the court steps.
What it costs you
Most personal injury claims are funded by a conditional fee arrangement, better known as no win, no fee. You pay nothing upfront, and nothing at all if the claim does not succeed. If it does, a success fee is deducted from your compensation. The law limits that fee in personal injury claims, and it is never taken from damages awarded for future care or future loss of earnings. How the fee is worked out is agreed in writing before anything starts, and you have 14 days from signing to cancel without charge.
The comparison that matters is not "free versus paid". It is what you are likely to recover with help, less the fee, against what you are likely to recover alone.
Can I switch to a solicitor partway through a claim I started myself?
Yes, this is possible. It is generally easier and less disruptive to get advice early, before positions have been taken with the other side, but starting alone does not lock you out of getting help later.
How to decide
Ask for an assessment before you commit to either route. A reputable firm will tell you if your claim is simple enough to handle yourself, and will say so plainly rather than sign you up regardless.