Passenger accident claims · England & Wales

Passenger Accident Claims Solicitors — No Win No Fee

Hurt as a passenger in a car, taxi, bus or lorry? You were almost certainly not to blame — and you can usually claim, even if the driver was a friend or family member.

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No Win No Fee: The law limits our success fee to 25% of the compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity and for past financial losses, after any state benefits are repaid. Compensation for future losses is not counted. If you win, our success fee is deducted from your compensation. It is a percentage of our basic charges, and the law limits it as set out above. Any After the Event insurance premium is payable only if you win, and is never charged upfront. Your letter of engagement sets out exactly what you will pay for your type of claim, and we explain it before you sign. If you lose, you pay us nothing. This applies as long as you keep to your responsibilities under the agreement. You may have to pay costs if you end your claim early, fail to beat an offer the other side made, or a court finds your claim dishonest or exaggerated; where we have arranged After the Event insurance, it covers some of these costs if you keep to the policy's terms. See exactly what you pay.

Written by Leanne Henton, Head of Personal Injury and Medical Negligence.
Reviewed by Leanne Henton on 2026-11-10.

Part of our personal injury claims service.

In short

Passengers can usually claim against the insurer of the driver who caused the accident — the driver they were with, another driver, or both. Uninsured or hit-and-run drivers are covered through the Motor Insurers' Bureau. You usually have three years to claim, and children have until 21.

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Figures verified with NJS Law on 9 November 2026.

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Passenger accident claims at a glance

Time limit to claim	Usually 3 years from the accident; children until 21
Cost to you	No Win No Fee — nothing upfront and nothing if your claim is unsuccessful
Who you claim against	The insurer of the driver at fault — yours, the other driver, or both
Driver was a friend or relative?	You can still claim — their insurer pays, not them
Uninsured or hit-and-run driver?	Claim through the Motor Insurers' Bureau^[3]
Whiplash (adult passengers)	Fixed tariff — £275 to £4,830^[6]
Not wearing a seatbelt?	You can still claim; compensation may be reduced

Could you be entitled to passenger accident compensation?

You may be eligible to claim if all three of the following apply:

You were injured as a passenger in a car, taxi, bus, coach, lorry or on a motorbike

It happened within the last three years (or until 21 for children)

A driver — yours or another — was fully or partly at fault

Passengers are almost never to blame for a road accident. Check your time limit.Find out if I can claim — free

What is a passenger accident claim?

A passenger claim seeks compensation when you're injured while travelling in a vehicle someone else was driving. Car occupants — drivers and passengers — accounted for 70,089 casualties on Great Britain's roads in 2024, 55% of all reported casualties.^[1]

Your claim rests on three points:

Every driver must be insured

So your claim is paid by an insurer, not by the driver personally.

Road Traffic Act 1988

A driver was negligent

The driver you were with, another driver, or both.

The Highway Code

Their negligence caused your injury

Physical or psychological, including whiplash.

Causation — the "but for" test

Who can make a passenger claim?

Situation	Eligible?	Notes
Car passenger (front or back)	Yes	Against the at-fault driver's insurer
Driver was a friend or family member	Yes	Their insurer pays, not them
Taxi or minicab passenger	Yes	The operator's insurer deals with the claim
Bus or coach passenger	Yes	Including injuries from sudden braking
Pillion passenger on a motorbike	Yes	Outside the whiplash tariff and portal
Child passenger	Yes	A parent claims as litigation friend
Driver uninsured or drove off	Yes	Through the Motor Insurers' Bureau
Not wearing a seatbelt	Possibly	Compensation may be reduced^[4]

How long do I have to make a passenger claim?

You usually have three years from the accident.^[5] A child passenger has until their 21st birthday, and a parent can claim for them sooner.

Type of claim	Limitation period	Notes
Adult driver or passenger	3 years	From the accident or your date of knowledge
Child injury claim	Until age 21	3-year clock begins on 18th birthday
Mental incapacity	Does not start	While the person lacks capacity from the date of injury. If capacity is lost later, the time limit keeps running
Fatal accident claims	3 years	From date of death or date of knowledge
Untraced (hit-and-run) driver	Different rules	MIB Untraced Drivers Agreement — act quickly

How much compensation can a passenger get?

Adult passengers in cars, taxis and buses are covered by the whiplash tariff for whiplash lasting up to two years. Other injuries are valued using the Judicial College Guidelines, 18th edition (2026), with financial losses added on top.

Whiplash tariff — accidents on or after 31 May 2025

Whiplash tariff: accidents on or after 31 May 2025
How long your symptoms last	Whiplash only	With minor psychological injury
Up to 3 months	£275	£300
3 to 6 months	£565	£595
6 to 9 months	£965	£1,025
9 to 12 months	£1,510	£1,595
12 to 15 months	£2,335	£2,435
15 to 18 months	£3,445	£3,550
18 to 24 months	£4,830	£4,975

Whiplash tariff: accidents on or after 31 May 2025. Source: The Whiplash Injury (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/615), Table 2 on legislation.gov.uk.

For accidents between 31 May 2021 and 30 May 2025 the lower 2021 amounts apply: see The Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021.

Other injuries

Type of injury	Key factors	Indicative range
Neck injury — moderate	Recovery period, ongoing symptoms	£10,420 to £50,850
Back injury — moderate	Duration and impact on daily life	£16,520 to £51,230
Head and brain injury	Cognitive impact and long-term care	£2,920 to £533,720
Psychological injury (incl. PTSD)	Severity and prognosis	£2,040 to £152,900

Judicial College Guidelines, 18th edition (2026)^[7]. Indicative ranges only.

What have we won for people in your position?

Road traffic accident£50,000 for physical and psychological injuries after a head-on crashA driver crossed the centre line and hit our client head-on. We gathered medical evidence for physical and…Read the case Road traffic accident£28,000 for nerve damage after a rear-end crash at a red lightOur client was hit from behind while stopped at a red light. Injuries that began as whiplash developed into chronic…Read the case Road traffic accident£20,000 for a pedestrian hit at a crossingOur client was struck by a vehicle while crossing the road at a…Read the case

See our case studies

Figures are compensation before any deductions.

What types of passenger accident claims do we handle?

Car passenger claimsFront or back seat.Taxi and minicab claimsIncluding private hire vehicles.Bus and coach claimsCollisions and sudden braking.Lorry and van passenger claimsIncluding work vehicles.Pillion passenger claimsPassengers on motorbikes.Child passenger claimsA parent claims on their behalf.

How do we support your passenger claim?

We decide the right route. Official Injury Claim portal or the standard Pre-Action Protocol — and we tell you why.

We build your evidence. Police reports, dashcam, CCTV, witnesses and medical records — you don't need to gather it.

We instruct independent medical experts whose report forms the basis of your valuation.

We claim every financial loss — earnings, travel, physiotherapy, vehicle costs and care.

We seek interim payments for treatment and lost income where liability is admitted.

We negotiate firmly — and go to court if a fair settlement isn't offered.

How do I make a passenger claim? A step-by-step guide

Making a passenger claim with NJS Law follows clear stages.

Free consultation

We check your claim and explain how No Win No Fee works for you.

Funding agreement

Your No Win No Fee agreement, explained before you sign.

Evidence · 4–12 weeks

Medical reports, accident records and witness statements.

Claim and negotiation

We notify the insurer and negotiate your compensation.

Compensation paid

Usually within a few weeks of settlement.

How long does a passenger claim take?

Portal whiplash claims

3–6 months

Adult passengers, up to £5,000

Admitted liability

9–18 months

Standard claims

Serious or child claims

18 months+

Court approval for children

What does No Win No Fee mean?

If your claim is unsuccessful, you pay us nothing in most cases. The arrangement is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA):

Nothing upfront and nothing during the case, however long it takes.

If you win, our fee is taken from your compensation — we explain exactly how it works before anything is signed.

If you lose, you pay us nothing. This applies as long as you keep to your responsibilities under the agreement. You may have to pay costs if you end your claim early, fail to beat an offer the other side made, or a court finds your claim dishonest or exaggerated; where we have arranged After the Event insurance, it covers some of these costs if you keep to the policy's terms.

Read our full No Win No Fee guide