More than 40 per cent of people injured in a road traffic accident decide not to claim compensation - a “concerning statistic” according to a Shropshire-based legal expert.

Karen Clarke, a personal injury specialist and partner at Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, said a recent report published by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) highlighted a worrying trend of people potentially missing out on justice.

She said the association’s annual report included statistics which suggested that whilst more people were being injured, fewer were going on to make legal claims.

Karen said: “The report also shares that opinion polling in Opinium in August 2024 advised one in five adults said they had sustained an injury, and 41 per cent of those had not claimed compensation.

“I find these statistics concerning and would encourage anyone who has been injured through the negligence of another, to consider making a claim for compensation to access the justice they deserve.

“A lot of people worry that starting a legal claim will be complicated, time consuming and expensive, but that doesn’t need to be the case.

“We always offer a free interview at the outset, which is a friendly chat about how a claim works, what is involved in making a claim, what rehabilitation may be available to support them, and, importantly, gaining a clear understanding as to how legal costs work.”

The report published by APIL suggested there were around 4.3 million potential victims of negligence who did not pursue a legal claim over the past year, with many saying they could have been persuaded if they had more information about how the process worked and what it would cost.

“I have worked in personal injury law with Lanyon Bowdler for the last 29 years, and I know that not one personal injury claim is ever the same,” Karen said.

“For instance, if 53 people were injured in the same bus accident, each with the same injuries, all their claims would be quite different because every client is an individual, and their responses to the impact of a trauma is personal and unique to them.

“Any personal injury lawyer working with an injured person should ensure they respect and understand that, and they need to look after the individual as they follow the process of making a claim, whilst trying to juggle the trauma of recovering from an accident.

“I am disappointed to note that such a high number of people are not taking steps to access the justice they deserve and I would urge anyone who is thinking about making a claim to contact us here at Lanyon Bowdler to find out more.”