Why record low PI claim numbers don’t reflect the reality for seriously injured clients

Recent headlines suggest that personal injury claims are at their lowest levels in years. At face value, that might seem reassuring — a sign of safer roads and fewer accidents. But when we look more closely at the data, the picture is far more complex, and for those who suffer serious or life‑changing injuries, it is important to understand what these figures really mean.

Government statistics show a 24% year‑on‑year fall in motor injury claims in the final quarter of 2025, the lowest quarterly figure ever recorded. Annual motor claims also dropped 14%, contributing to an overall 12% fall in personal injury claims across all categories.

These reductions have not come about because major injuries are disappearing — far from it. Instead, they reflect a growing disengagement from the system by individuals with more modest injuries who feel unable to navigate the Official Injury Claim portal or who perceive that tariff‑based damages no longer justify bringing a claim at all.

The outcome is a market that looks very different today from the one we saw even two or three years ago.

A Market Moving Toward Complexity

As low‑value claims have fallen away, many firms have chosen to withdraw from that area of work altogether. Recent industry analysis shows a clear trend: smaller practices leaving the low‑value RTA space, and the remaining firms focusing increasingly on complex, high‑value personal injury and clinical negligence litigation.

This is not necessarily a negative development. For clients with serious injuries — those needing long‑term rehabilitation, multi‑disciplinary medical evidence, and careful financial planning — the consolidation of the market means that expertise is becoming more concentrated in firms with the right resources, experience, and specialist understanding.

At Anthony Gold, this has long been our focus. The shift within the wider market simply brings the importance of specialist representation further into the foreground.

Serious Injury Claims Remain Outside the Whiplash Reforms

Much of the national discussion about falling claim numbers centres on the whiplash reforms and the ongoing Ministry of Justice review. While these issues are relevant in understanding the decline of low‑value claims — and have rightly attracted criticism from organisations such as the Law Society for limiting access to justice in that space — they do not have a bearing on serious injury litigation.

Those living with the consequences of:

• catastrophic orthopaedic injuries
• traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries
• long‑term chronic pain
• psychiatric trauma
• complex workplace or public liability accidents

are not subject to the small‑claims regime, nor the constraints of the Official Injury Claim portal. Their cases require in‑depth investigation, robust medico‑legal evidence, and early, proactive rehabilitation support — elements that demand specialist expertise.

Why Specialist Representation Matters More Than Ever

As insurers adjust to falling exposure in the low‑value space, they are increasingly focusing their efforts on defending higher‑value, complex claims. This shift can mean more robust challenges to liability, and longer and more adversarial claim processes

For seriously injured clients, this can amplify both delay and complexity. Having the right team in place from the outset is not just helpful — it is essential.  At Anthony Gold, our role is to ensure that clients access early rehabilitation, and achieve a settlement that reflects their long‑term needs.

Conclusion

Record‑low personal injury claim numbers may signal a shift in how lower value, more modest injuries are handled, but they do not indicate that serious injuries are less common. The reality is that those with life‑changing injuries continue to need skilled and specialist support — and the market’s consolidation only reinforces that need.

Our commitment at Anthony Gold remains unchanged: to stand alongside seriously injured clients, ensuring they receive the expert guidance, robust representation, and compassionate support required to rebuild their lives.

If you have any questions, contact our expert team on 020 7940 4060 or send us an email at mail@anthonygold.co.uk.