New research has highlighted perceived barriers which are almost certainly preventing personal injury victims making claims for compensation.

Law firm Russell Jones and Walker which looked into the UK's attitudes to personal injury compensation claims, found that a significant majority of the population (63 per cent) believe pursuing a claim is too time consuming and expensive.

Difficulty in finding good legal advice (56 per cent) and the emotional cost of pursuing a case (35 per cent) are cited as further reasons not to proceed. With claimants often viewed as 'money-grabbers' ,this further deters people from taking a stand for fear of being labelled or ridiculed, legal experts believe.

Russell Jones and Walker is now calling for law firms and claims management companies to communicate the procedures involved more clearly, as part of a wider campaign to educate the public on the wider benefits of taking legal action.

The research, conducted by the Leadership Factor, reveals a staggering 81 per cent of those surveyed believe the UK is heading into the grip of a US-style claim culture, yet the majority agreed that they would consider taking legal action if their health was seriously damaged or affected long term.

In such circumstances 86 per cent would sue their employer, 90 per cent would sue a doctor, hospital or local council and 86 per cent would sue a school, college or university if their child's health was seriously affected.

Despite these figures, attitudes towards claimants remain unsympathetic, with 53 per cent of respondents believe claimants are financially motivated rather than unfortunate victims - a figure that rises to 57 per cent in the Midlands.

And nationally 63 per cent feel that time and expense are a significant barrier to bringing a case which, according to Richard Langton, partner and head of personal injury at Russell Jones and Walker in Birmingham, is where the problem lies.

"Access to justice is a basic human right, but unfortunately in recent years compensation claims for personal injury have come to be regarded as something of a cash cow. This negativity towards claimants has created a significant barrier to justice and is no doubt resulting in many people not seeking recompense when it is fully deserved," said Mr Langton.

"A huge amount of money has been spent over the last decade on trying to communicate the process of making a claim when you have been involved in an incident. There is clearly some way to go, not only in educating the public on the process - which shouldn't be time consuming or expensive - but also in changing third party opinion of those who claim.

"What many people fail to understand is exactly why these cases are so important to the individuals involved. The compensation awarded is rarely just a financial bonus - it has to take into account the associated costs of rehabilitation, of physical changes to property for instance, the loss of future earnings and sometimes psychological trauma that can blight victims' lives for many years, if not permanently.

"These elements of personal injury law are often only highlighted in the most prominent cases - such as the recent Lesley Ash case which took into account her potentially permanent and life changing injuries, as well as significant loss of earnings."

Mr Langton continued: "As a profession it is up to us to enable victims to have access to responsible representation in order that their rights and way of life are suitably protected.

"These cases can take time, but by taking advice from a reputable law firm - and establishing the strengths of the case - the impact can be minimised."