Any person who has suffered harm due to someone else’s negligence can make a personal injury claim for compensation. Such claims can be related to…
Can I claim for travel expenses?
Find out when travel expenses can be included in a personal injury claim, including taxis, mileage, public transport and parking costs.
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Can I claim for travel expenses related to my injury?
If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. Your claim can include any travel expenses you incurred as a result of the injury.
Travel costs are typically claimed as part of your special damages and are intended to reimburse you for reasonable expenses incurred due to someone else’s negligence.
These are often related to hospital appointments, GP visits and physiotherapy sessions. In some cases where ongoing treatment is required, you may also be able to claim future travel expenses.
This guide will explain what travel expenses are, which costs you can include in your claim, and what evidence you need to support your case. For free legal advice on your compensation prospects, call 0800 470 0474 to speak to a specialist solicitor or request a call back.
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Table of Contents
What are travel expenses in personal injury claims?
Travel expenses in personal injury claims are out-of-pocket costs incurred while travelling due to an accident or injury and its treatment.
They are usually claimed as special damages, which cover financial losses directly caused by your injuries. These are recoverable because the law aims to restore injured people to the financial position they would have been in had the accident not occurred.
Unlike general damages, which compensate for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, travel expenses cover essential journeys linked to your medical care and recovery.
Travel expenses can arise after many different types of accidents, including road traffic accidents, workplace accidents, public liability accidents and medical negligence cases.
Can I claim travel expenses after an accident?
Yes. You may be able to claim travel expenses if you have incurred reasonable travel costs as a result of your injuries, and the following can be proven:
- Another party owed you a legal duty of care
- Your injury was directly caused by their negligence
- The travel was necessary following your injury
- You can provide evidence that the costs were reasonable
Travel expenses are sometimes overlooked, but they can be a substantial part of a compensation claim, especially when medical treatment is long-term.
What travel costs can be included in a claim?
You can include various travel expenses in a personal injury claim, as long as they are reasonable and directly related to your accident and recovery. Common examples include vehicle mileage, public transport costs, taxi and private hire fares, parking and tolls.
For example, you may be able to recover the cost of:
- Travelling to the hospital after the accident
- Making trips to the pharmacy
- Attending follow-up appointments
- Visiting specialists for assessments
- Attending counselling or physiotherapy treatment
Yes, you can usually claim mileage expenses if you use your own vehicle to attend medical appointments or treatment sessions. Mileage is usually calculated using a per-mile rate that reflects fuel costs and general vehicle running expenses, such as tax, wear and tear and insurance.
You can claim mileage even if a loved one drove you in their vehicle. However, you cannot claim mileage you would have incurred anyway, such as commuting to work or grocery shopping.
You do not need fuel receipts to claim mileage. However, you should keep a detailed travel log for each appointment, including:
- Appointment dates and locations
- The total round-trip mileage
- The purpose of each journey
Yes. Using public transport to get to your appointments is generally considered a reasonable and cost-effective option if you are unable to drive. You can generally recover fares for buses, trains, trams, the Tube and ferries to visit GPs, hospitals, physiotherapists or rehabilitation centres.
Don’t forget to keep tickets, receipts, or booking confirmations as evidence. To support your claim in the best way possible, you should also note the date, the destination, the mode of transport used, and exactly which appointment or injury-related errand you were travelling for.
Yes. Taxi fares and private vehicle hire costs may be recoverable if they are reasonably necessary because of your injury. For example, you may need to use them if:
- You are unable to drive due to your injuries
- You cannot rely on public transport because of mobility issues or other limitations
- The journey was urgent or medically necessary
- There are no public transport options for your route
- You require specialist transport following surgery
- You will be sedated during your appointment
A medical note detailing why you are unfit to drive or use public transport is strong evidence to justify a taxi or Uber. If taking a bus or train is a viable option, you might not be reimbursed for your taxi fare.
Yes, you can claim parking fees in places such as hospitals, GP surgeries, physiotherapy clinics and pharmacies. If your route to treatment involves tolls, you can also claim these costs. Make sure the toll dates correspond to your scheduled GP, hospital, or physiotherapy visits.
When possible, keep all physical receipts and tickets or take photos of them. Keep detailed records of the date and purpose of each trip, and don’t forget to mitigate your losses and keep costs reasonable.
Yes, in some cases you can claim expenses for a friend, family member or professional carer if they had to accompany you because of your injuries or:
- They drove you to your medical appointments
- They visited you during an extended hospital stay, and this had therapeutic value
- The doctor emphasises the importance of family support for recovery
- The injured person is a child
- A spouse or partner visits a seriously injured claimant
The travel must be reasonably necessary and related to your injuries. If a loved one accompanies you without a therapeutic justification or makes excessive visits, the costs are likely not recoverable.
Yes. You can include future travel costs in your claim if ongoing treatment is likely to be required, such as:
- Physiotherapy sessions
- Specialist consultations
- Long-term rehabilitation
- Ongoing counselling appointments
- Future hospital visits
- Follow-up surgery
Future losses are typically supported by medical evidence and expert evidence that confirm your future treatment needs.
What travel expenses can’t be included in my claim?
Not all travel expenses incurred after an accident can be included in a compensation claim. Generally, you cannot claim for:
- Daily travel between your home and your workplace
- Holiday or leisure travel
- Some travel expenses of family members
- Parking tickets or speeding fines
- Visits to your solicitor’s office
- Unnecessary detours from medical appointments
- Unrelated personal journeys
- Excessive transport costs, such as hiring a private chauffeur
You can only claim for travel costs directly linked to the accident and reasonably incurred as a result of your injury.
What evidence do I need to prove travel expenses?
Evidence is essential when making a claim for compensation. This must be able to prove the defendant’s negligence, how the injury happened, and the losses and expenses sustained as a result.
For travel expenses and costs resulting from your injury, useful evidence includes:
- Receipts for fuel and parking
- Train and bus tickets
- Taxi receipts
- Toll payment records
- Bank statements
- Mileage logs and travel diaries
- Medical records and appointment letters
The more evidence you can provide, the easier it will be to prove the expenses related to your injury, so you should keep records of all costs from the outset.
What other expenses can I include in my claim?
In addition to travel expenses, you may be able to recover various other costs linked to your injury, such as:
- Loss of earnings, if you were unable to work during recovery
- Future loss of income, if your ability to work has been reduced
- Medical expenses, such as prescriptions and private treatments
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation costs
- Medical aids and equipment, such as mobility aids
- Damage to personal property, such as your clothing or vehicle
- Costs of care and assistance with daily living
In addition, your claim will also include compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, loss of amenity and other subjective losses caused by the injury.
To find out if you can claim for travel expenses related to your injury, call 0800 470 0474 today for a free case assessment or use our online contact form to request a call back.
