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    Personal Injury Compensation in Poland — Cross-Border Claims

    Injured in Poland in a road, work or medical accident? English-speaking PEOPIL injury lawyers pursue your claim against the Polish insurer — handled remotely.

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    Personal injury compensation in Poland covers two distinct claims: odszkodowanie for measurable financial loss (medical costs, lost income, damaged property) and zadośćuczynienie for the pain and suffering of the injury itself, with a renta (annuity) available where the injury reduces your earning capacity or increases your needs. If you were hurt in a road accident, at work or through medical error, you can claim directly against the liable party's insurer (actio directa), and as a foreign victim you can pursue a Polish insurer through its claims representative in your own country — we run the entire process for you, in English.

    Key facts

    Claim types
    Odszkodowanie (financial loss), zadośćuczynienie (pain and suffering), renta (annuity)
    Limitation period
    3 years from when you learned of the harm and the liable party (art. 442¹ KC)
    If injury caused by a crime
    20 years from the offence — regardless of when you found out
    Personal-injury rule
    The 10-year long-stop does not apply to bodily-injury claims (art. 442¹ §3 KC)
    Direct claim against insurer
    Yes — actio directa against the liable party's motor/liability insurer (art. 822 §4 KC)
    Insurer's decision deadline
    30 days from notification; up to 90 days in complex cases (art. 14 Compulsory Insurance Act)
    Uninsured or untraced driver
    Compensation paid by the Insurance Guarantee Fund (UFG)
    Cross-border (EU)
    Claim a foreign insurer via its claims representative in your home country
    We represent injured people and bereaved families in compensation and personal-injury cases — road traffic accidents, medical malpractice (surgical errors, misdiagnosis, hospital-acquired infections), accidents at work and occupational diseases, and claims following the death of a close relative. Polish law distinguishes three claims that often run together: odszkodowanie (compensation for pecuniary loss, such as treatment costs, rehabilitation, care and lost earnings), zadośćuczynienie (a sum for non-pecuniary harm — pain, suffering and loss of quality of life) and, where the injury is lasting, a renta (a recurring annuity for increased needs or reduced earning capacity). We assess which claims apply, value them on the evidence, and pursue them in full. Most claims begin against an insurer rather than the responsible person directly: under art. 822 §4 of the Civil Code the victim can claim straight from the liable party's liability insurer (actio directa), and a motor insurer must take a decision within 30 days of being notified (up to 90 days where the facts genuinely require it, under art. 14 of the Compulsory Insurance Act). We conduct the pre-litigation stage with the insurer, negotiate settlements and, where the offer is inadequate, take the matter to court. Where the driver was uninsured or fled the scene, the claim is met by the Insurance Guarantee Fund (UFG). Our fees are quoted individually for each case.

    When do you need this service?

    • You were injured in a road accident, at work or through medical error in Poland
    • You are a foreigner hurt in Poland and need to claim against a Polish insurer
    • You are a Polish resident injured abroad and the case has a cross-border element
    • The insurer has rejected your claim, delayed it, or offered far too little
    • The driver who hit you was uninsured, or fled the scene and cannot be traced
    • A close relative died in an accident and you want to claim on the family's behalf

    How the process works

    1. 1
      Case evaluationWe review what happened and the documents you already have, identify the liable party and their insurer, and explain which claims (odszkodowanie, zadośćuczynienie, renta) realistically apply.
    2. 2
      Gathering the evidenceWe collect the police or accident report, medical records, proof of costs and lost income, and witness details, and where needed we instruct independent medical or technical experts.
    3. 3
      Filing the claim with the insurerWe notify the liable party's insurer and submit the documented claim, triggering the statutory 30-day decision deadline; for foreign clients we use the insurer's claims representative where one applies.
    4. 4
      NegotiationWe respond to the insurer's position, challenge low or partial offers and negotiate a settlement that reflects the full loss, keeping you advised at each step.
    5. 5
      Court proceedings if neededIf no fair settlement is reached, we prepare and file the lawsuit and represent you before the Polish civil courts, including on liability and on the amount.
    6. 6
      Payment and enforcementOnce compensation is awarded or agreed, we make sure it is paid, and pursue enforcement if the insurer or liable party does not pay voluntarily.

    What you'll need

    • The police report, accident report or any record of how the incident happened
    • Full medical documentation — diagnoses, treatment, discharge notes, prescriptions
    • Proof of costs incurred (medical, rehabilitation, care, travel, repairs)
    • Evidence of lost income or reduced earning capacity
    • The liable party's insurance details, or the policy/registration of the vehicle
    • Contact details of any witnesses, and your identity document

    What we cover

    • Road traffic accidents and personal injury claims
    • Medical negligence and hospital-acquired infections
    • Workplace accidents and occupational diseases
    • Pre-litigation proceedings with insurance companies
    • Representation before Polish civil courts

    For foreign clients and cross-border claims

    Cross-border personal injury is at the centre of this practice. We act for foreigners injured in Poland — in traffic accidents, at work or through medical treatment — and for Polish residents injured abroad. Under the EU motor-insurance framework, a victim injured by a vehicle insured in another EU/EEA state can pursue the claim through the foreign insurer's claims representative appointed in the victim's own country of residence, in their own language; and if no representative is appointed or no reasoned offer is made in time, the national Compensation Body steps in. We coordinate these routes so that a claim can be brought without travelling to the country of the accident.

    We handle claims remotely, end to end. For a foreigner injured in Poland we deal with the Polish insurer, gather Polish medical and police records, instruct local experts and, where the driver was uninsured or untraced, bring the claim before the Insurance Guarantee Fund (UFG) — all while you remain at home. We advise in English, German, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian and coordinate sworn translators, so language is never a barrier to your claim.

    Our membership of PEOPIL — the Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers — connects us to specialist injury lawyers across more than thirty jurisdictions, which is decisive when a case touches more than one country. Our managing partner is also admitted to the New York State Bar, and the firm has twenty years' experience acting for international clients. We do not promise outcomes or amounts; what we offer is an experienced cross-border team, a clear plan for your claim, and fees quoted individually for your case.

    Who advises you

    The lawyers at the firm who advise on this area. Each links to a full profile.

    Sylwia Myśliwska
    Sylwia Myśliwska

    Partner / Attorney

    Attorney and partner at the firm. Heads the compensation, public procurement, and reprivatisation departments. Extensive experience in commercial and business matters, as well as representing clients in court and administrative proceedings. Actively involved in international organisations and charitable work.

    • Speaks: Polish, English
    • Public Procurement Law
    • Compensation Claims
    • Labour Law
    Enquiry for Sylwia

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    What compensation can I claim after a road traffic accident?
    You may be entitled to: compensation for vehicle and property damage, reimbursement of medical and rehabilitation costs, an annuity (if the accident affected your earning capacity), damages for pain and suffering (non-material harm), and compensation for lost income. The amounts depend on the severity of your injuries, the degree of permanent impairment, and the fault of the other party.
    Can I claim compensation for medical malpractice?
    Yes — if a doctor or medical institution made an error in diagnosis or treatment that caused you harm, you are entitled to claim compensation and damages for pain and suffering. You must establish the error, the harm, and the causal link between them. We work with medical experts to review documentation and assess the merits of your claim.
    How long do I have to bring a personal injury claim?
    The general limitation period is 3 years from the date on which the claimant became aware of the harm and of the person liable. Where the harm resulted from a criminal offence, the period is 20 years. Do not delay — evidence degrades over time and delay can complicate your case.
    Do I have to pay legal fees upfront for a personal injury claim?
    Fee arrangements are agreed individually at the first consultation, and you know the terms upfront, before deciding to instruct us.
    Can I claim compensation for an accident that occurred abroad?
    Yes. If the accident occurred abroad or the liable party is based in another country, the cross-border element adds complexity. Through our membership of PEOPIL and our links with the American Association for Justice, we collaborate with lawyers in other countries and handle cases with an international dimension effectively.
    I am a foreigner who was injured in Poland — how do I claim compensation?
    You claim against the insurer of the party responsible — for a road accident, the driver's liability (OC) insurer — and Polish law lets you claim from that insurer directly (actio directa). You do not need to be in Poland: we notify the insurer, assemble the Polish medical and accident records and pursue the claim on your behalf. If the responsible vehicle was insured in another EU/EEA country, the claim can often be pursued through that insurer's claims representative in your own country and language.
    What if the driver who injured me was uninsured or fled the scene?
    You are not left without recourse. In Poland the Insurance Guarantee Fund (UFG) pays compensation for personal injury caused by an uninsured driver or by a driver who cannot be identified. The claim is filed through any insurer, which forwards it to the UFG. We prepare and document the claim so that the injury, the circumstances and the loss are clearly established.
    Can you handle my compensation claim while I live abroad?
    Yes. Personal-injury claims can be run almost entirely by correspondence and online: we communicate by email and video call, gather records on your behalf and act under a power of attorney before insurers, the UFG and the courts. You generally do not need to travel to Poland, and where a court hearing requires your participation we arrange it in advance.
    A close relative died in an accident — what can the family claim?
    Polish law gives close relatives their own claims: zadośćuczynienie for the grief and suffering caused by the death, compensation where the family's standard of living has significantly worsened, reimbursement of funeral costs, and in some cases a renta for those the deceased was obliged to support. We act for the family as a whole and pursue each available claim against the liable party's insurer.

    Ready to discuss your case?

    Our lawyers are available to advise you in Polish, English, German, Ukrainian and Russian.

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