RTA Personal Injury Forms UK: Claims Portal Guide

What this document is

The Road Traffic Act 1988, together with the Civil Procedure Rules and the relevant Pre-Action Protocols, shapes how personal injury claims arising from road accidents are handled in the UK. Most low value claims, typically those valued between a lower threshold and £25,000, are dealt with through an online system known as the Claims Portal.

The forms used in this process are standardised so that insurers, claimants, and defendants all work from the same information. The principal form for road traffic cases is the Claim Notification Form (often called the CNF or RTA1), which starts the process.

There is also a Response form used by the defendant insurer, and related forms for employers' liability (EL1, EL2) and public liability (PL1, PL2) where the accident arose in those contexts rather than on the road. Each form captures details of the accident, the injuries claimed, and the basis for liability.

Getting the right form and completing it accurately matters because errors can delay settlement or push a claim out of the streamlined portal process entirely.

How to use this document

1. Identify the correct form for your accident type. Road traffic accidents use the RTA Claim Notification Form. If the injury happened at work or on someone's premises, the EL or PL forms apply instead. Picking the wrong route can cost time, so be sure the circumstances match the protocol before you start filling anything in. 2. Gather the facts and evidence before you submit. You will need the date, time, and location of the accident, details of the other parties and their insurers, a description of how the incident happened, and information about any injuries and medical treatment received. Photographs, witness details, and any police reference number all help to support the notification. 3. Submit the Claim Notification Form through the Claims Portal. In most cases the CNF is filed electronically via the official Claims Portal rather than on paper. The defendant's insurer then has a set period to acknowledge the claim and decide whether liability is admitted, which determines how the case progresses from there. 4. Respond promptly if a claim has been made against you. If you are the defendant or you receive notification from an insurer, read the form carefully and take note of the deadlines. The response form requires you to state whether liability is accepted, partially accepted, or denied, and to give reasons. Missing the window can lead to the claim leaving the portal and becoming more expensive. 5. Follow the protocol timetable through to settlement or exit. Once liability is dealt with, the process moves to medical evidence, valuation, and negotiation. If the claim cannot be resolved within the portal, or if complications arise such as contributory negligence or disputed injuries, the matter may exit the portal and proceed under different rules. Keep records of every communication throughout.