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Claiming Injury Compensation if You Haven’t Seen a Doctor or Been to Hospital

By Ian Morris | Updated July 31st, 2024

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To give you the best possible chance of succeeding, your claim needs to be supported by the right kind of evidence that will enable you and your solicitor to prove liability and therefore obtain compensation. Usually the injured person will go to hospital or a GP so that medical evidence is available, but what if you haven’t yet reported your injury and got treatment? Can you still claim without seeing a doctor?

First, could you still go to your GP?

If your injury symptoms are ongoing, it is not too late to attend your GP to discuss your injuries and get things recorded on your medical records. It is important that you advise your GP about the cause of the injuries so that this is also recorded.

If you have recovered from your injuries, there may be little point in attending your GP surgery as there will be nothing for your GP to see or examine that will enable them to confirm your injury. However, you never know – underlying signs may still be present to the trained eye so it’s always best to get a professional opinion and pay a visit to the doctor.

If you don’t seek medical attention, the likelihood of success will depend on the circumstances of your case and other evidence.

Claiming if you haven’t had any medical treatment

If you have not had any medical treatment for your injuries, you can still make a claim for injury compensation. For obvious reasons, not having medical evidence to support your claim will make the prospect of succeeding a little harder, but not having had medical treatment doesn’t in itself stop you from claiming. There may well be other ways of proving that you were in the accident, and that the injuries you claim to have suffered from could reasonably be linked to it.

If the details of your accident have been reported to the right people, entered in to an accident book or – in the case of a road traffic accident compensation claim – to a car insurance provider, there will at least be some evidence for your solicitor to work with. If you haven’t done this already, don’t worry, we can help you claim even if there is no existing record.

In addition, you may have had to take time off work as a result of the injury, in which case your employer may be able to provide some kind of evidence in support of this. You could also collect witness testimonies from people present at the time of your accident. Remember, you have rights if you’re claiming for an injury at work and your employer should follow its responsibilities to facilitate your claim.

What if you’ve been self-medicating your injuries?

Rightly or wrongly, many people who have suffered an injury that could form a claim for personal injury compensation choose to self-medicate. This is where people opt to use pain relief purchased from a pharmacy, or get a partner or friend to apply ointments or massage, for example. In the case of injuries such as whiplash, most people realise that the best medicine is time and rest and often don’t go to their GP as they think that there isn’t much that their doctor can do. Whilst this isn’t completely true, as doctors can refer people to physiotherapy or other treatment providers, there is little a GP or doctor can do to alleviate many soft tissue injuries.

One of the real benefits of claiming injury compensation is that it can help you get access to the right kind of rehabilitation treatments and therefore may help you to recover more quickly. Even if you have not seen your GP or been to a hospital to get treatment for an injury, but have been self-medicating, we would advise that you still pursue your claim for injury compensation.

The role of medical records in personal injury claims

Medical records are used to support a claim as they prove the extent of an injury. They will describe the injuries that a person has presented to their GP or hospital after an accident. They will also confirm what medical treatment the injured party has required, whether they have recovered or if treatment is ongoing.

The contents of medical records enable a solicitor to form an evaluation of how much a claimant’s settlement for their injuries ought to be. They will also be used during the claims process for an assessment of the claimant’s injuries. To enable this, someone making a claim for personal injury compensation will provide their solicitor legal authority to access their medical records and provide the same to a specialist medical expert to use during any medical assessments made in the process of pursuing their claim.

Seek professional advice to see if you can claim successfully

Seeing a doctor or visiting a hospital at the earliest opportunity is always the best bet, regardless of making a claim for injury compensation. However, don’t let the fact that you haven’t had any medical treatment stop you from finding out if you can claim, call us on 01225 430285 or if you prefer, .

At Direct2Compensation, your enquiry will be met with a sympathetic ear and we can advise you how best to proceed. We are experts in handling claims and may well be able to get compensation for you, even if you have self-medicated or not seen a medical professional.

129 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming...

I have been burnt on my foot from a man hole at work I walked over and smoke from the underneath scolded my foot. I now have a burn mark. I reported this as an incident at work but didn’t seek medical advice. I have taken the necessary pictures . Would I be able to claim compensation as these manholes shouldn’t have big holes at the side with steam coming out of them! I didn’t need time off work but my leg is currently burnt.

There should not be the risk of burn injuries from steam coming through the floor in any workplace – certainly not without the employer providing specific personal protective equipment.

We would like to further investigate this incident for you with a view to helping you make a burn injury at work claim.

I sliced the tips of my fingers on the door handle of a taxi when I was closing it after I got out. Although the cuts to my finger tips aren’t seriously deep to have stitches and I haven’t seen medical attention as yet, could I put a claim against the taxi company for my injury?

It would appear that whilst sore, your injuries are unlikely to be sufficiently serious to make a claim against the taxi company.

The injuries to your fingers would need to have been reported and recorded by the taxi company at the time of the incident should any claim be considered further.

I was in a car crash where a van went into the back of me and forced me into the back of another van. Initially I said I felt fine and the police didn’t come out because no one was injured but once the adrenaline had worn off I realised I’ve badly hurt my neck, shoulder, knee and foot. I went to hospital and they said I had a badly sprained neck and didn’t do any further tests despite me being in pain. I’m now anxious about driving and the doctor has upped my antidepressant dosage up because of the stress the accident has caused me. How much evidence is needed for a claim and realistically how much compensation would I likely receive taking into consideration the driver of the van that went into the back of me admitted liability?

The medical evidence needed to pursue a claim is already in place in your claim. You have attended Hospital so a record of injury is made. During the claims process, a specialist Solicitor would ensure that a medical expert is instructed to assess you and write a detailed report regarding the injuries you sustained – both physical and also the anxiety and trauma side of things too. With regards to your anxiety when driving, you should ensure that you discuss this with your GP and have that noted on your medical records.

It is not possible to give you a value of your claim and we would be lying if we were to quote a figure at this stage. The reason for that is that we do not know the severity of your injury, what long term implications it may have or how long it will take you to recover. These are the kind of things that an expert medical report will confirm and it is at that stage that an appropriate value range can be applied to your case.

You certainly appear to have a strong claim and we would like to help you in your pursuit of the compensation that you are entitled to. Our specialist Solicitors would ensure that all of your injuries were appropriately considered and that any loss of income or incurred costs caused by the accident were also recovered.

Hi, I work in a warehouse and a few weeks ago a box came flying down the belt at speed and i didn’t notice till the last second, so to block it I moved my hand and it bent my little finger right back. I didn’t seek immediate attention but few weeks later it seems to be hurting and twitching randomly. At the time it was just badly bruised and swollen. The box that hit my hand was overweight and not the correct shape to be where it was when it came down.

If the incident at work was reported at the time and the weight of the box being too heavy was also noted, it may be possible to pursue a claim for compensation.

If the incident was not reported at the time and there is no evidence to confirm that the box in question was overweight, it is unlikely to be possible to succeed with a claim.

I was injured at work in my right shoulder. A heavy pan fell on top of me. An accident report was made right away after injury, except I never sought medical attention due to my pregnancy during time of injury. I couldn’t get an x-ray or medication because of the pregnancy which is why I decided not to go to the Doctors. After 3 months post giving birth, I got treatment for the injured shoulder. It is about to be two years since the injury was sustained and I still feel pain where I got injured. I no longer work for the company that I was at at the time of injury.

The scenario you describe indicates that you have a valid claim for compensation against your former employer for the injury you sustained. The fact that you didn’t seek immediate medical attention can be explained by your pregnancy and as such, that would not be an issue in you making a claim.

I was in a car crash when In work as I’m a car sales executive, the guy who hit us was a hit and run. I had a painful shoulder but never went to the doctors. Can I still claim?

As long as the accident was reported to the police and noted with your employer, you would still be able to make a claim via the Motor Insurers Bureau ‘untraced driver’ scheme. This scheme is set up to compensate the victims of uninsured or ‘hit and run’ drivers.

You can make such a claim with our specialist Solicitors or directly to the MIB via their website.

Today whilst at work I ran into a council house garden (which I visit every week) a customer. It was raining really heavy hence why I was running. I knew there was scaffolding up at the side of the house as it had been there for 2 weeks but today as I ran in towards the side door I hit a metal bar that was not there before. It nearly knocked me out, my nose was pouring blood and is very bruised. My employer sent me home but i’ve not been to seek any medical advice. Is it worth trying to claim?

To make a claim in this situation, you would need some evidence of the bar – a photograph would be ideal. A bar at head height or in a location that could be a hazard should be clearly marked with high viz markers or protective padding.

I fell on some carrots on the floor in Asda yesterday and have some discomfort around my hip. I only had a hip replacement in January 2019, I have not seen a doctor but been taking pain killers that I had from my hip replacement. I made sure that I entered the fall in Asda’s accident book.

If the injury is anything more than a short-term bruise (something you’ll know within 10 days to 2 weeks post accident), you could look in to claiming compensation. For some more info you could check out our article on supermarket accident claims.

I suffered a scald/burn to my hand at work 2 weeks ago and it still hasn’t gone in the accident book.It happened at 11am and was still expected to work until the end of my shift at 4pm,they did however let me leave at 3pm. I didn’t go to the doctors because I thought it was too late and nothing could be done. I did seek advice from the pharmacist and I am treating myself at home. I have photos of my injury from the day it happened and as it’s progressed but because it’s wasn’t recorded in the accident book or I didn’t visit my GP can I still claim?

The lack of GP attendance is not too much of an issue, but it would be sensible to make an appointment – even at this stage – in order to have the injury properly checked and noted on your medical records. The lack of an accident report by your employer is poor by them. You should make your own written report and send it to the employer by email and advise that you have previously attempted to record the matter in their accident book without success.

You can still pursue a workplace burn injury claim, but before we can advise as to whether or not the claim is likely to succeed, we would need to know more about the accident that lead to the injury, how the burn was caused and what work you do.

I was rear ended at a red light on June 1st I didn’t go to the doctor but I told the insurance company I was sore and achy today is the 21st of June my shoulder and lower back have a catching pain and my neck is drawing tension to the point of headaches. What can I do?

You should make a GP appointment at the earliest opportunity in order to have your injury symptoms noted and treated. Regardless of whether or not you have yet seen a GP, you can start a claim for personal injury compensation and given your description of the incident, you have a valid claim and are likely to succeed.

Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can help you start a No Win No Fee claim for compensation. We are used to speaking with people in your situation who have been self-medicating for a period of a few weeks after an accident and it is not uncommon for people to not initially appreciate the severity or longevity of an injury sustained. Our Solicitors will have no problem with the fact that you have not yet seen a GP.

I hurt my back over 2 years ago at work, it was recorded in the accident book, I never went to the doctors, over the last couple of years the back pain has got worse resulting in emergency spinal surgery 3 weeks ago leaving me with potentially life changing side effects. Can I still make a claim?

Yes, you can still make a claim and the accident book entry made at the time of your initial injury will help to prove that you were injured at work. Whilst you legally can still pursue a claim for the injuries suffered, you do need to be aware that the lack of medical treatment at the time will be something that a defendant insurers will use against you in terms of establishing the appropriate value of the claim. The likely issue you’ll face is that the defendant will argue that there is no supporting evidence to prove that the injury you suffered at work over 2 years ago was fully responsible for your need of emergency spinal surgery. That said, you should not let that issue stop you from instructing our specialist Solicitors to investigate this claim for you.

Hi I had a fall a week today outside my apartment block and it was captured on camera to which I had the management to burn to a usb. I’ve really hurt my knee. I didn’t go to the doctor or hospital I applied ice and took paracetamol every day. I thought resting it would help it heal but it’s still painful so I’m asking is it worth claiming?

The lack of Hospital/Doctor attendance at this stage is not a problem as many people would opt to self medicate in the first few days/week or so after an accident whilst evaluating the severity of the injuries sustained.

You ask whether or not it is worth making a claim. In terms of injuries, yes, it would appear that your injury is ‘bad’ enough to warrant that. However, before we can advise as to whether or not you can hold someone liable, we need to see know what caused you to fall? If you slipped on a substance and there were no warning signs, you can claim. If you tripped due to a disrepaired pavement or other tripping hazard, you can claim – but before we could advise on the claim, we would need to see photographs of whatever caused you to trip.

Please send your CCTV footage and supporting photographs to us at: justice@direct2compensation.co.uk

Today at work a customer reversed his van into me . It’s a 1 way system so he was totally at fault. It’s all on camera. I was only saved because I got my hand up just in time . I was hit that hard his back doors was dented. Causing bruised knuckle and a swollen hand. It’s all documented by security. I don’t want to go doctors for a bruised and swollen hand. They have all his details. What should I do now?

As long as you have the drivers details (vehicle registration), you can pursue a claim for compensation with us and we can help you with this on a No Win No Fee basis.

Whilst you don’t have to attend your GP or go to Hospital to pursue a claim, without having medical evidence of your injuries, it can make it harder to prove the extent of pain and injury.

I was at work on Friday and had an accident when I slipped in the changing room on the floor. I banged my head against the wall and was injured. I was given first aid at work and wrote in an accident book with also a photograph. My work sent me to the Hospital, but I didn’t go and returned to work the next day.

I went to my GP on the Monday as I had started to feel pain my head. The GP saw me and noted my injuries, but today I have had to go to Hospital because I have been feeling bad. Can I claim or not?

Importantly, you have recorded your accident within the workplace accident book and you have also received medical treatment for your injuries. Whilst we are not Doctors, it would appear that you have symptoms of concussion, which would be expected after a heavy blow to the head as you have suffered. Therefore, the correct steps have been taken to allow you to further look in to making a claim for compensation.

Of course, we need to understand more about your accident and why you slipped in order to further assess your prospects of succeeding with a claim for compensation, but as you were injured in a slipping accident, if we can identify that the floor of the changing room was slippery due to it being wet or a substance was upon it with no hazard warning sign, you are likely to succeed with a claim.

Work as a flt driver in a busy warehouse, doing my job getting palates down a opu driver goes behind me hitting my left knee with his cages, very painful suffer from bad arthritis in my knees. Put in the accident book also took statement from me and other person, can not afford to take time off work do not get any sick pay. Am I entitled to any compensation, not been to hospital or doctors yet?

You may well have a valid claim for compensation after the injury you describe to your knee in this accident at work. It is good to see that the incident has been recorded within the accident book as this will help to provide evidence in the future should you opt to pursue a claim for compensation.

It would be sensible to seek medical attention from your GP or Hospital regarding the knee injury so that the details of the injury are known. To start your claim, use the online option on our website or call us on 01225430285.

I was working at Tesco around 14 months ago, someone went into the back of me on a fortlift truck (their fault) . I suffered with a minor back injury and was sent home from work. I did not receive medical attention but incident was wrote in the accident book. Could I still make a claim?

Yes, you could still seek to pursue a claim. The lack of medical evidence to support your claim could be a problem, so it would be wise to see your GP regarding any ongoing symptoms – if they are still present – and make sure that they are aware that the injury was caused in an accident at work 14 months ago.

Hi. I was leaving my sisters new home last Saturday evening, and when I stepped off the curb to get to my car I fell down a pothole/dip in the road and badly grazed my knee and it’s still hurting now 5 days later. I couldn’t see the dip as the shadow from the car was covering it. I have photos of it: Do you think I have a claim please? And should I go to seek medical advice to help with my claim? I have just been taking pain killers but it’s not improving.
Thank you

You should certainly seek medical attention regarding your injury as should a claim then follow, you’ll need medical evidence to support your claim for compensation.

Whether or not you have a valid claim for tripping accident compensation will depend on the nature of the pothole and cause of your fall. To this end, it would help if we could view your photographs and consider whether or not the pothole will lead to a valid claim for tripping accident compensation. Please forward your photographs to us at justice@direct2compensation.co.uk making mention of your comment on our website, in order that we can review the same and advise you in more detail.

if I not have a GP and I was only at the hospital doctor can I still claim injury compensation?

Yes, if you have attended a Hospital it would not matter whether or not you have a GP. If you have been injured and wish to make a claim, please contact us to take this further.

I was in a hit a run accident Monday, I haven’t seen a doctor yet because yesterday I received a call that my father had passed away. I had to drop everything and be with my family. I woke up today and it has been hard to move my neck and my lower back, and I’ve had a constant headache. Is it too late to file a claim?

No, it is not too late to pursue a claim for compensation. UK Law allows those injured by hit and run drivers the right to pursue a claim via the Motor Insurers Bureau ‘untraced driver’ scheme. Any claim must be made within 3 years, but it is always wise to make the claim at the earliest opportunity. You should make sure that the details of the hit and run accident are reported to the Police and your own vehicle insurers (if you were in a car at the time) and then contact us so that we can hand your claim to one of our specialist Solicitors to pursue for you on a No Win No Fee basis.

I was at a neighbour’s house and they was cutting a tree down that fell down and hit me on the top of my head knocking me to the ground… However I didn’t seek medical attention but I still wish to seek injury compensation… Is that possible?

Yes, it is possible but the lack of medical evidence to support your claim will make it less than straightforward.