Crossing at a zebra
A driver fails to stop at a marked crossing. Under the Highway Code, drivers must give way to pedestrians on a zebra.
A pedestrian injury claim is a legal claim for compensation if you were struck by a vehicle due to a driver's negligence.
If you have been hit by a car, van, or other vehicle, you may be entitled to claim for your injuries, financial losses, and future needs. At Hannah Gold Solicitors, your pedestrian injury claim is handled by a senior solicitor from the outset. We charge a 20% success fee, not the 25% many firms deduct. We have recovered over £21 million for injured clients, and we act nationwide across England and Wales.
£21 million recovered · 15 years specialist practice
£21M+
Recovered for clients
15 yrs
RTA experience
20%
Success fee, not 25%
100%
No Win No Fee
You may be entitled to compensation if:
Even if the driver argues you were partly at fault, for example crossing outside a designated crossing, you may still be entitled to compensation through the contributory negligence principle.
Pedestrians are classified as Vulnerable Road Users, which means drivers owe a higher legal duty of care due to the potential for serious harm. Liability is established when the driver breached this duty, such as through speeding, distracted driving, or failing to look properly. Contributory negligence may reduce your compensation if you are partly to blame, such as crossing without looking. Most claims settle without a trial once evidence and valuation are agreed.
“Courts weigh the driver's speed, visibility and reaction time carefully where a pedestrian is struck. The Highway Code hierarchy places greater responsibility on drivers.
Pedestrians frequently suffer serious injuries in road traffic collisions because they have no physical protection. Drivers often argue the pedestrian stepped into the road, crossed outside a crossing, or was distracted. Even if liability is split, for example 75/25, you may still recover 75% of your compensation. We regularly challenge unfair fault allegations and instruct accident reconstruction experts where liability is disputed.
The table below shows the Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition) general-damages brackets for injuries commonly suffered by pedestrians struck by a vehicle. These cover the injury itself (pain, suffering and loss of amenity) only. Your financial losses (special damages) are calculated separately and added on top, and in serious cases often exceed the injury award.
| Injury (general damages only) | JCG 18th-edition bracket |
|---|---|
| Minor neck injury (soft tissue, recovery up to ~2 years) | Up to £10,420 |
| Moderate neck injury (disc/wrenching, lasting symptoms) | £18,150 – £50,850 |
| Severe neck injury | £60,080 – £195,970 |
| Minor back injury (recovery without surgery) | Up to £16,520 |
| Moderate back injury | £16,520 – £51,230 |
| Severe back injury (cord/nerve root damage) | £51,230 – £212,670 |
| Less serious leg injury (simple fracture, soft tissue) | Up to £18,600 |
| Moderate leg injury (complicated/multiple fractures, single limb) | £36,680 – £51,790 |
| Serious leg injury | £51,790 – £127,160 |
| Severe leg injury (most serious short of amputation) | £127,160 – £179,560 |
| Moderate knee injury (dislocation, torn meniscus/cartilage) | £19,610 – £34,600 |
| Severe knee injury | £34,600 – £127,110 |
| Moderate ankle injury | £18,150 – £35,130 |
| Severe to very severe ankle injury | £41,370 – £92,090 |
| Moderate pelvis/hip injury (may involve hip replacement) | £16,640 – £35,130 |
| Significant pelvis/hip injury (disability not major) | £35,130 – £51,750 |
| Severe pelvis/hip injury | £51,750 – £172,970 |
| Minor head injury (minimal or no brain damage) | £2,920 – £16,870 |
| Moderate brain injury | £56,890 – £289,420 |
| Moderately severe brain injury | £289,420 – £372,570 |
| Very severe brain injury | £372,570 – £533,720 |
| Moderate PTSD | £10,810 – £30,580 |
| Moderately severe PTSD | £30,580 – £79,080 |
| Severe PTSD | £79,080 – £133,000 |
Figures are general damages (the injury only), valued under the Judicial College Guidelines. The whiplash tariff does not apply to pedestrians. For the full breakdown across all injury types, see our UK compensation payouts guide. For high-value serious injury cases, see serious injury claims.
Compensation for pedestrian injuries includes General Damages for physical pain, suffering, and loss of amenity, as well as Special Damages covering the financial losses caused by the injury, such as medical costs, travel expenses, lost earnings, and future income loss. You may also claim for care and rehabilitation, travel expenses, medical treatment, and ongoing support needs.
“Drivers must give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing. Failure to stop is strong evidence of fault, and dashcam or CCTV footage is priority evidence.
Pedestrian accidents caused by vehicles frequently result in traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, multiple fractures, internal injuries, and long-term mobility impairment. Serious cases may involve lifetime care costs, adapted accommodation, specialist rehabilitation, and future loss of earnings. These cases require detailed medical and financial assessment. For high-value serious injury cases, see serious injury claims.
In 2023, 405 pedestrians were killed on Britain's roads (Department for Transport), underlining how exposed pedestrians are when a collision occurs.
The fixed whiplash tariff introduced by the Civil Liability Act 2018 applies only to car drivers and passengers. It does not apply when a pedestrian is injured. If you were injured as a pedestrian, your soft tissue injuries are valued under the Judicial College Guidelines, not the reduced fixed tariff amounts that apply to car occupants.
“Where the accident happened at a junction or crossing point, the police report and CCTV window are the first evidence to secure.
Most pedestrian accident claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This means you can pursue a compensation claim without upfront legal costs, paying legal fees only if you win your case. If your claim is unsuccessful, you do not owe our legal fees, which reduces the financial risk of pursuing a claim.
There are strict time limits for bringing a claim. In England and Wales, you generally have three years from the date of the pedestrian accident to start a claim for compensation. If the injured pedestrian is a child, the three-year period runs from their 18th birthday, so a claim can be brought up to their 21st birthday. Where the injured person lacks mental capacity, the time limit may be extended.
You are not legally required to use a solicitor. However, insurers aim to minimise payouts and frequently dispute liability in pedestrian injury compensation claims. Specialist legal advice significantly increases the likelihood of proper medical evidence, correct valuation, and full recovery of your losses. Our success fee is 20%, not 25%. See what percentage do solicitors take for No Win No Fee.
You can still make a compensation claim through the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) if the driver was uninsured or failed to stop. The MIB handles claims involving hit and run accidents and uninsured drivers. See claiming against an uninsured driver.
Witness statements can be the most effective way to counter a driver's denial of fault. Insurance companies often argue that the pedestrian was partially or fully to blame in order to reduce the compensation amount.
Members of APIL (the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
“Pedestrian injuries frequently escalate, an early orthopaedic opinion protects the value of the claim.
Common pedestrian accident scenarios
A driver fails to stop at a marked crossing. Under the Highway Code, drivers must give way to pedestrians on a zebra.
A driver turns across your path at a side road or crossroads without checking for pedestrians.
A car reversing out of a driveway or parking bay hits you. Liability rests with the driver reversing.
A vehicle mounts the kerb or loses control onto the pavement.
Blind-spot collisions with large vehicles cause the most serious pedestrian injuries and warrant specialist handling.
The driver leaves the scene. The MIB untraced-driver scheme still compensates you.
The driver had no valid insurance. The MIB uninsured-driver scheme steps in.
The full RTA hub: liability, evidence, time limits.
Read Guide →MIB claims for hit-and-run and uninsured drivers.
Read Guide →Catastrophic pedestrian injuries, brain, spinal, multiple fractures.
Read Guide →Full JCG-based payout ranges across every injury type.
Read Guide →Senior solicitor handling. 20% success fee. No Win No Fee. Free case assessment.
£21 million recovered · Established 2011
No Win No Fee means you pay nothing upfront and nothing at all if your claim does not succeed. If you win, a success fee is deducted from your compensation. On most personal injury claims we charge 20%, lower than the 25% maximum many firms apply; some lower-value Official Injury Claim portal cases are charged at a different rate, which we always explain clearly before you sign.
Speak with a specialist
0300 373 5366