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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...

Hello, I had a work accident 4 months ago, I work in a busy aluminium foundry and got burned at the back of my neck. I was filling up a metal pot with scrap metal and then suddenly it spitted all over me. I was wearing my ppe, but that didn’t covered my neck. I didn’t go to my gp. But I took pictures of the wound. The accident was treated by a first aider and is written in the accident book. Do I have a chance to claim for this accident?

Given your description of the incident, you may well have a valid claim for personal injury compensation. Although you were wearing the required PPE, it is possible that the PPE provided was not sufficient and this could be seen as employer negligence.

Hi I had an accident yesterday on the DLR railway the train jolted the floor was wet and I slipped over and wacked my head on the train door. The DLR guy took all the details and paramedics came but they said if I went to the hospital they wouldnt do anything. Today though I feel dizzy and really in pain with my ribs leg etc i spoke to my gp who said i have concussion whiplash etc. Do I still need to go to hospital or can I claim without a hospital report?

If you have been to the GP, you do not need to also then attend a Hospital as the required medical evidence needed to support any claim for compensation will already be in place – supported by an Ambulance service report that would confirm attendance with you at the scene. It is good that the details of your accident were recorded by a DLR representative as this strengthens the evidence that would be needed to give you any chance of success with a claim.

As the floor was wet and the wet caused you to slip, you may have a valid claim for compensation. We would like to investigate this further for you and invite you to use the ‘start a claim’ page on our website or call us on 01225430285.

It is interesting to see how things work in other legal jurisdictions. In the UK, which is where Direct2Compensation operates, any successful claim for personal injury compensation will enable the claimant to also recover their lost income and incurred costs caused by the accident on top of any settlement awarded for personal injury.

I was in a car crash last week where a man crashed into the side of my car where my airbags came out. I was so shuck over it and stressed of ringing insurance companies and I thought my constant headache and shoulder pain was from the stress and shock of losing my car, is it too late to seek medical attention and do I have a claim?

It is definitely not too late to seek medical attention for the injuries cause to you and you can certainly still make a claim. We would be very happy to help you pursue your claim even before you seek medical attention. It is not uncommon for people to self-medicate in the first week or two after an accident in the hope that symptoms will ease.

We work with expert specialist Road Traffic Accident compensation Solicitors and can ensure that you get the very best chance of succeeding with your claim.

My son was In a minor traffic accident with his dad, the solicitor is insisting on having his medical records but he didn’t attend the gp, why are they so adamant they need his medical history?
Thank you

They may require the medical records in order to prove that your Son was not already receiving medical treatment for any injury or damage that may be relevant to his claim.

I tripped on a pothole pavement and cut my knees and hands. I did not go to the doctors as they healed within a week and I self medicated. I have photos of the injury, pot hole and witnesses. I’ve contacted the council who deny liability. Can I lodge a claim form without medical evidence?

You can make a claim for pothole and pavement trips without having had any medical treatment. However, in your case if the injuries have healed within a week, you may not have sufficient damages to enable a claim.

Me and my two children were passengers in a car accident on 28/02/18. I had my children checked by a doctor at our local walk-in centre. We suffered days later with bad backs, necks and headaches for a while. I am still having problems with back pain. We used pain relief from the pharmacy and rest to recover. I haven’t been complaining to gp about my back and choose to get on with it. I did put a claim in with a solicitors on the day but i’m having a few issues with them. What can I do about my claim?

If you are unhappy with your current Solicitors, you do have the right to switch your claim to a new specialist Solicitor with the expertise you need. However, before you do so, you should exhaust all other avenues with your existing Solicitor. To this end, you should make a formal complaint to them if you are not happy with them and allow them an opportunity to resolve your concerns. If they fail to do so, you should then contact us to so that we can look further in to this for you.

On July 31 2018 i slipped and fell on some ice cream at Smiths grocery store. The floor is cement so it was a hard fall. Im 64 yrs old, my knee hurts a lot and also continue having headaches. I haven’t been to a Doctor. The manager saw what happened and ran to help me up. Took me back to his office to fill out paper work, very concerned about my well being. I was very emotional. The insurance investigator kept telling me that she couldn’t get hold of the store video. So I contacted the store manager. All of a sudden she contacted me that she had the video. Its Oct 1 2018. Should I pursue the claim. Thank you. Maggie

Given the nature of your fall and the cause of your slipping accident, we would recommend that you do pursue a claim for compensation in this matter. We would also strongly advise you to instruct a specialist personal injury compensation Solicitor – such as Direct2Compensation as you need to have quality representation and good advice to ensure that your claim has the best prospect of succeeding in this matter.

If you haven’t already instructed a specialist Solicitor to act for you, why not use our ‘start a claim’ page to allow us to help you pursue this claim?

I was injured on an aircraft when someone pulled a bag out of the overhead lockers which fell onto my head. My head was knocked forward and for a few minutes I was unable to hear. I was concussed and had a stiff neck for the next 3 days but didn’t see a doctor. Do I have a claim? Angela

Sadly, I do not think you would succeed with a claim for compensation against the airline in this matter. Your injury was not caused by the actions of the airline, but by a careless passenger not taking appropriate care when removing their bag. As such, I can’t see how liability would attach to the airline.

Hi, I was involved in a car crash 3 days ago which wasn’t my fault and sustained bruising to my sternum and many other bruises to my body as a direct result of the crash (bruises where the seatbelt was etc)- as I didn’t think the doctors could do anything, I haven’t gone but do I need to go to the doctors in order for my visit to go on my records to provide evidence of the injuries sustained by the crash?

You do not ‘have’ to attend a GP or Hospital in order to pursue a claim for compensation after a car accident (or any other kind of accident) but as you may imagine, having your injuries professionally noted by a qualified medical practitioner will provide excellent evidence when it comes to settling a claim.

In order to form a fair and appropriate value range for a compensation settlement, the full extent of any injuries must be demonstrable. Therefore, if you have medical records evidence to support your claim, it will help your Solicitor ensure that your claim value is appropriately taken in to account.

It is not too late to attend the GP even though a few days may have passed since your accident and we would recommend that you make an appointment at the earliest opportunity.

We would be very keen to speak with you to assist you with the pursuit of a claim for compensation in this matter. Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can answer any questions you may have and help you get your No Win No Fee claim started today.

My partner had an accident at work around 2 months back. She was pulling a cage of milk when one of the wheels got caught and the cage fell on her and crushed her leg which left her with bad bruising up her shin and thigh and a sore knee. The problem is, although she took a couple of days off afterwards to heal, she never actually visited a doctor for her injuries and went back to work as she couldn’t afford to rest any longer than that. She has since been getting sporadic pain behind her knee and is beginning to think it may be from the accident at work. There was an accident report filled out at the time and several witnesses who even helped lift the cage from on top of her. Is she eligible for compensation and would it affect her employment with this company?

Your partner should make a Doctors appointment at the earliest opportunity. When seeing the GP it is important that she reports the cause of the injury and ongoing symptoms being the cage falling on her. It is good that an accident report book was completed and having witnesses will give her a good prospect of succeeding should she choose to make a claim for compensation.

In this matter, a claim for compensation could succeed if it can be shown that there is an issue with the floor surface that is likely to cause cage wheels to be ‘jammed’ or caught up. With that in mind, we would like to know more about what happened and further advise about any possible claim for compensation.

Many people have concerns about claiming against their employer and worry that by making a claim for compensation, they will lose their job. This is a myth as it is a legal right for any person injured in an accident that was not their fault to make a claim for compensation. In cases of accident at work compensation claims, any claim is made against the employers employer liability insurance and does not directly impact on the workplace.

Hi I bent my fingers back at work picking up a gas cylinder. It was in July I didn’t go to doctors as I thought It would get better, it has not but no obvious signs of injury . I put it in the accident book but have since left the company .

The fact that you have since left the employer is irrelevant and would have no bearing on any future claim you were to make. It is good that the injuries you sustained at work were recorded in an accident book as that provides some evidence as to what happened. Clearly, it would be wise to go to the GP and have the ongoing symptoms reviewed and noted.

If you think that the injury could have been avoided if the employer had taken some additional action – such as training, provision of gloves or other tools, then there is a possibility of making a claim for the injuries to your fingers.

Hello, I was in a car crash three weeks ago which wasn’t the drivers fault. I was in the passenger, I didn’t go to the doctors as I was too scared of what they would say and if they could do much but I’m still suffering back pains now. Is there still chance of going to the doctors and explaining I suffer anxiety and I was taking paracetamol but the pain still isn’t going?

Self-medicating is acceptable in the first period post accident such as the initial 3-4 weeks as it is reasonable to hope the symptoms will ease and the use of over the counter medication such as ibuprofen to ease the pain is an acceptable way to reduce pain and discomfort. However, in the interests of any claim you should make a Doctors appointment to ensure that the details of your injuries are properly recorded and you could also discuss any anxiety or psychological injuries affected by the accident.

Hi, I’m seeking advice on making a claim. I was in an accident in school last year in my engineering classroom which the teacher was not present. I had injured my hand quite seriously with a pillar drill.
Whilst changing the drill bit a colleague of mine had turned it on leading to my accident. I was treated by the school and didn’t go to visit my doctor. I would like to know if I am still eligible to make a claim?

Was your accident recorded within an accident book or incident reporting system at the school? If so, you could still look to pursue a claim. You can call us on 01225430285 to discuss this further.

Hi. I was a passenger in an accident on the 25th June. Somebody in a company car pulled out on us and we went into the back of them. They admitted fault at the scene but are now denying it over insurance. It wasn’t a major crash but it did cause me some back pain, which I am still suffering now. I haven’t seen my doctor yet but will be going within this week or next. I didn’t originally go because I am in the early stages of pregnancy and didn’t want to cause any hassle for anybody if the back pain was due to pregnancy. The pain is still ongoing and quite severe now and I’m certain it’s not due to my pregnancy. Can I still make a claim from this accident or is it too late because I haven’t yet seen my doctor?

Thanks

Yes, you can still make a claim for compensation. It would be wise to now go to the Doctors and advise them of the accident and what symptoms you’ve had since the incident.

To pursue a claim in this case, we would need the vehicle registration details for both parties. If you would like our help with a No Win No Fee claim for compensation, please use our ‘start a claim’ page or call us on 01225430285.

I was in a car accident this morning and suffered with back pain straight away, however I haven’t been to the drs. If I go tomorrow or later on in the week will I still be able to make a claim? The pain has got worse as the day has gone on.

You can certainly make a claim for car accident compensation with us, even if you do not go to the Doctors immediately or within the first few days. It is common for people who have been in a car accident to not immediately go to the Doctors or a Hospital for a variety of reasons including shock or the loss of use of their vehicle due to the damage caused in the accident. Many people who are injured in a car accident notice immediate discomfort but want to give themselves a little time to see whether their pains increase or begin to subside. Of course, if serious injuries are obviously present, medical treatment will be sought urgently, but with soft tissue injuries such as whiplash and those commonly sustained in a road traffic accident, the symptoms and discomfort often begin to show a few hours after the incident. Sadly there is no magic pill or cream that will remove the symptoms of back pain or whiplash caused in a car accident but it is important to make sure that you do see your GP and get your injuries recorded and assessed by a medical professional.

The most important thing to do is to make sure that you have a full record of the details of any vehicles involved – particularly the registration numbers of the cars, the location of the accident and date and time of the collision.

Unfortunately, the strict law of limitation only allows a maximum period of 3 years from the date of an accident or 3 years from the date of diagnosis of a work related health condition in which you can make a claim for compensation.

With this in mind, we believe you are statute barred and therefore unable to take any action against your former employer.

I was going with a family member/ friend and my son to the grocery store on 10/29/2017 in the process of going we get into an accident, she was in the right & the person was in the wrong. Not thinking at the time in a panic son suffered a wound across his forehead & I’ve been having migraines but haven’t been to Dr. There’s a police report stating my son injuries plus they were under the same insurance company how can I go by filing a claim? Or can I file a claim?

It is often the case that someone will self-medicate for a while after an accident, especially a car accident where there is no obvious immediate trauma. In your case, it would be wise to now seek the attention of your Doctor and discuss your headaches and the recent road traffic collision with them.
You can certainly file a claim for car accident compensation and should seek the services of a specialist Solicitor like Direct2Compensation to act for you.

I had an accident in February but because of commitments I had I couldn’t actually go to the doctor’s til a week later. I sustained neck and shoulder injury and also my thumb on my left-hand was jarred in the steering wheel. I consulted my niece who is a nurse and she told me to put ice in a towel and put it on my hand and also take ibuprofen and buy a support which I did. When I went to the doctor’s my hand wasn’t hurting as much as in the beginning but I still had the hand support on it. I told him I had been self medicating and he told me to continue with this however he only recorded the injury to my neck and shoulder. Again I went away on holiday and this was ruined as I couldn’t use my left hand and do the things we had planned on return I went to see a physiotherapist who thought they may have been a hairline fracture to my hand sent me back to my doctor’s and asked for an x-ray I have since had acupuncture and injections to my hand I have consulted a solicitor and he told me as there is a break in between going to the doctor initially and then seeing the physiotherapist and the lack of mention by my doctor initially he tells me I will not be able to claim for the hand injury can you please advise? thank you.

Medical evidence is vital in a claim for personal injury compensation in terms of being able to ensure that a full and fair settlement valuation is reached when the claim is finally settled. Medical evidence in the form of Doctors records and details of any treatments will be used in conjunction with a medical experts report and it is from this that the extent of the injury element of the settlement value will be reached.

The lack of any record on your medical notes relating to the thumb/hand injury could well cause you difficulty in demonstrating that any injury you had with regards to that part of your body is linked to the accident in February. As you can probably imagine, a defendant insurer will immediately pick up on the fact that you didn’t present with any hand injury problems (in terms of medical notes) at the time of your first Doctors appointment and that it was only a while later and after a Holiday. Rightly or wrongly, the defendant insurer will likely allege that the thumb/hand injury was caused at a different time.

With this in mind, it maybe worth returning to see your Doctor to explain the situation and see if they can remember offering you the verbal advice to continue with your self-medication of the injury. If they do and are willing to state the same, then that could open up your access to claiming damages for the thumb injury as well as the neck and shoulder damage.

Your Solicitor can also seek to put forward an offer to settle the thumb/wrist injury without any medical evidence alongside settling your claim for the shoulder and neck injuries on the basis of a medical report.

Last year I was on a bus on my way to work I was sat at front of the bus where the single seat is with the glass, it had been raining most of that morning and previous night so roads were a little slippy, the driver had drove towards some traffic lights and car in front didn’t put it’s hazard/break lights on in enough time for the driver to see that she was stopping. Anyways he ended up trying to break as quickly as possible and we crashed into the back of her and as that happened my face smacked of the glass in front of the seat and really hurt my cheek bone and mouth to the point of having headaches. I had a little whiplash but did not seek medical help as I know whiplash isn’t really treated and couldn’t afford the time off work to go could I still claim for being injured without seeking medical help?

A claimant does not have to have sought medical treatment for their injuries in order to succeed with a claim for personal injury compensation, but as you will appreciate, having medical evidence such as Doctors records in place does help a Solicitor when it comes to demonstrating the severity of an injury.

In your case, you can still look to pursue a claim for compensation for the injuries you sustained and this is something we would be happy to assist you with.

The strength of your case will rest on a few different factors, but one of them will be proving that you were on the bus at the time of the collision. Hopefully the bus driver took your details at the time or you subsequently contacted the bus company to report the details of the accident and any physical injuries you were suffering from? Our article on bus accident claims goes into more detail.

We look forward to assisting you.