An accident can suddenly turn your life upside down. In addition to pain and recovery, you face costs, lost income, and bureaucratic pressure. In this guide, we explain which accidents often lead to personal injury claims, which damage categories you can claim, and which steps you should take immediately to protect your rights.
What is personal injury?
Personal injury encompasses all material and immaterial damage resulting from physical or psychological injury caused by the actions or negligence of another party. This includes medical costs, loss of income, household help, travel expenses, and pain and suffering compensation (compensation for pain and grief).
Want to know more about the claims process? Read: How does the personal injury process work? and our Step-by-step plan: claiming personal injury after an accident.
What costs fall under personal injury?
When you sustain personal injury after an accident, you may face various cost categories, such as:
- Medical costs (such as hospital admissions, physiotherapy, medication)
- Damage to your personal belongings (such as your bicycle, car, or phone)
- Costs for household help or personal care
- Lost income due to incapacity for work or work absence
- Home modifications, such as a stairlift or adapted bathroom
- Costs for adapted transport or travel expenses to the hospital
These are just a few examples. Depending on your situation, there may be additional damage categories for which you can claim compensation. Therefore, always create an overview of all costs you incur as a result of the accident. This way, you can be sure you don't overlook anything when filing your claim.
How much will I receive for personal injury?
A frequently asked question is: how much compensation can you expect for personal injury? Unfortunately, the answer cannot be captured in a single amount, as the compensation depends on your personal situation and the impact of the accident.
The compensation consists of various components, such as:
- Medical costs (such as hospital treatments, physiotherapy, and medication)
- Loss of income if you can temporarily or permanently work less
- Costs for home modifications or household help
- Travel expenses for treatments
- Pain and suffering compensation: compensation for pain, grief, and loss of quality of life
How is personal injury calculated exactly? A specialist examines your current expenses, expected recovery, and the consequences for your private life and work. This means that every case is tailored: what applies to one person does not necessarily apply to another.
Important to know: always engage a personal injury expert or lawyer, such as one registered with NIVRE, as they know exactly which costs you can claim and what you are entitled to. Their assistance is almost always free of charge, because the liable party must compensate these legal costs in nearly all cases. This way, you stand stronger and you can be sure you don't miss any damage categories.
The burden of proof: how does it work with personal injury claims?
When claiming compensation, the general rule applies: "he who claims, must prove." This means that if you have suffered personal injury and want to receive compensation, you must demonstrate:
- That an accident actually took place,
- That you sustained injury and damage as a result,
- And that this injury and damage are the consequence of the actions or negligence of another party.
It is therefore your task as a victim to gather sufficient evidence. Think of medical reports, witness statements, police reports, and other relevant documents. With these, you make it as clear as possible what happened and how the damage occurred. Only when your burden of proof is in order can the perpetrator or their insurer be held responsible for your personal injury.
Common types of accidents involving personal injury
1) Traffic accidents
Collisions involving cars, motorcycles, scooters, or as a cyclist/pedestrian are the most common. Sometimes liability is immediately clear (running a red light, not yielding), but often there is dispute (multiple vehicles, own fault, no seatbelt).
See also: Personal injury after a traffic accident and Liability in personal injury: what you need to know.
What to do when liability is unclear?
Collect evidence (photos, dashcam, witness information, police/ambulance report).
Fill in the European accident statement form together (clearly, completely, both signatures).
Report the accident to your insurer.
Engage legal assistance — in personal injury cases, this is free of charge for victims (costs are recovered from the liable insurer).
Whiplash
Complaints after a rear-end collision can persist for a long time. Document medical complaints promptly. Also read: How can you calculate pain and suffering compensation?.
2) Workplace accidents (industrial accidents)
Falls from height, machine accidents, slipping, unsafe workplaces — employer liability can also apply to temporary workers and self-employed professionals.
Read more: Reporting a workplace accident: what are the rules? and
Workplace accidents and temporary workers: risks, rights, and what you can do.
3) Sports accidents
Not every sports injury is recoverable (inherent risk of the sport). However, damage may be recoverable in cases of unsafe equipment, poor organization, or violation of game rules that led to danger.
4) Household and everyday accidents
Slipping in the supermarket, loose tiles, falling objects: liability depends on defectiveness and duty of care of the responsible party.
5) Medical errors
In cases of medical mistakes (diagnostic/treatment errors), substantiation with medical records and expert reports is crucial. These are complex cases — specialized assistance is recommended.
What costs fall under personal injury?
Common damage categories (depending on your situation):
Medical costs (deductible, medication, physiotherapy, aids)
Rehabilitation and aftercare (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological help)
Loss of income and missed pension accrual
Household help and informal care/substitute childcare
Travel expenses and other costs
Modifications to home or transport
Property damage (bicycle, clothing, phone)
Pain and suffering compensation (immaterial damage) — see our guide:
How can you calculate pain and suffering compensation?
Tip: keep track of all costs and receipts and note limitations in a recovery/pain diary.
How much will I receive for personal injury?
There is no standard amount: the compensation depends on the severity and duration of the injury, recovery, (permanent) limitations, income effects, and impact on your daily life.
A specialist prevents you from forgetting damage categories and substantiates your claim with medical and financial data.
Also read: The benefits of legal assistance in personal injury cases.
"He who claims, must prove": how to substantiate your claim
You (and your representative) must prove:
that an accident has occurred,
that you have injury and damage, and
that there is a causal connection with the actions/negligence of another party.
Important evidence:
Medical records (general practitioner/specialist, treatment reports)
Photos, video, dashcam, damage overview
Witness statements and (if available) police report
Work and income data (pay slips, hours, business figures)
The European accident statement form for traffic accidents
Practical tips: correctly filling in the accident statement form
Fill it in on the spot; take your time and check everything.
Take photos of vehicles, traces, and surroundings.
Note down witnesses with contact details.
Make a clear sketch of the circumstances.
Both signatures required; keep a copy.
What to do in case of personal injury? (step-by-step plan)
Seek medical help and have your injuries documented.
Document the accident (photos, witnesses, accident statement form).
Report the incident to your insurer (and — in case of work — your employer).
Engage a personal injury lawyer: case building, liability claim, advance payment, maximum compensation.
Useful: our complete Step-by-step plan.
Extra tips for evidence collection:
In addition to the accident statement form, you can collect additional evidence such as dashcam footage, mobile recordings, photos of the damage, the police report, statements from independent witnesses, and their contact details. The more complete your file, the stronger your position when recovering your damages.
By immediately documenting everything properly and reporting the accident, you increase the chance of a quick and smooth settlement of your personal injury case.
Children and traffic accidents: extra protection
For children under 14 years, damage from a collision with a motor vehicle is almost always fully compensated.
For 14-15 year olds, the 50% rule generally applies (at least half compensated), with possible increase depending on circumstances.
How long does a personal injury case take?
From a few months (minor injury) to longer with serious/permanent injury. For complex cases, we work with advance payments, so you don't get into financial difficulty.
Is legal assistance free of charge?
Many people wonder whether they have to pay for legal assistance with personal injury themselves. Fortunately, the answer is usually reassuring: the law stipulates that the reasonable costs of legal aid after, for example, a traffic accident can be recovered from the insurer of the liable party. This concretely means that when you engage a personal injury lawyer, these costs are usually fully compensated by the opposing party or their insurer.
Engaging a specialized personal injury lawyer is therefore free of charge for victims in most cases. Nothing is deducted from the compensation you are entitled to — the full amount is yours. This way, you can engage professional help without worry, so you receive what you are entitled to and are not faced with unexpected costs.
Why choose Arslan Advocaten?
Specialized personal injury lawyers (years of experience)
NIVRE-registered experts and medical advisors
Free legal assistance for victims
Advance payments and fast, clear communication
Nationwide coverage and personal approach
Further reading:
Conclusion
Personal injury requires swift action and solid substantiation. With Arslan Advocaten at your side, you avoid mistakes, receive timely advance payments, and pursue the maximum compensation you are entitled to.