You can usually make a personal injury claim yourself, but you will need to gather evidence, establish who was responsible, calculate your losses and meet the relevant time limit. The process may involve medical records, witness statements, insurance correspondence and negotiating an appropriate settlement, and mistakes can affect the outcome. Straightforward, lower-value claims may be manageable without legal representation, while serious injuries, disputed responsibility or complex losses are often better handled with advice from a solicitor regulated by the SRA. Check the current rules and time limits for your circumstances before starting.