By Legal Futures Associate National Claims
The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) in law is often framed around speed, automation and cost-efficiency. In fact, according to a recent survey, 61% of UK lawyers now use generative AI in their everyday work. But in personal injury work, the most valuable qualities are still human ones: empathy, insight and the ability to understand how an injury has affected someone’s life. As more firms introduce AI into case handling, the question has shifted. It is no longer simply about how to use AI in legal practice. The deeper issue is whether technology can support solicitors in understanding suffering rather than distancing them from it.
For professionals handling personal injury claims, this is becoming a central consideration. These cases rely on more than medical documents and legal arguments. They depend on capturing the human impact of harm. Clients come with pain, trauma, uncertainty and questions about the future. Understanding that experience shapes the strength of a claim, the accuracy of compensation and the quality of representation.
This is where AI in law is entering a new phase. Instead of being used only to accelerate processes, AI tools are increasingly helping solicitors build a clearer and more complete picture of the lived experience behind a personal injury claim. When used well, AI does not remove empathy from the process – it helps strengthen it.
AI’s role in understanding the real impact of injury
At first glance, technology and empathy appear to sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. Yet many of the AI tools now used in legal practice are designed to highlight patterns of harm and identify long-term impacts that may be overlooked during fast-paced case reviews. At National Claims, we see this firsthand when assessing the full picture of a client’s injury, especially in cases where the long-term effects are not immediately visible.
AI can then analyse complex medical histories, identify the evolution of symptoms and flag inconsistencies that matter when claiming personal injury compensation. For example, it can detect when a client’s pain levels worsen even though clinical notes appear unchanged, or when mental health symptoms begin appearing in records long after the initial injury. These details often shape case value, but they can be missed without technology.
In practical terms, AI now supports solicitors by:
- Tracking the progression of symptoms through repeated GP or consultant notes
- Identifying gaps in care that may show delayed diagnosis or inadequate treatment
- Analysing how mobility, sleep, medication use or daily functioning has changed
- Highlighting psychological impacts that are not always obvious
- Comparing injuries against similar past cases to identify typical long-term consequences
- Showing how injuries affect work capacity, social engagement or independence
For many people claiming personal injury, articulating the full extent of their suffering is difficult. They may downplay symptoms, forget key details or assume certain limitations are normal after an accident. AI helps surface the parts of their story they did not realise mattered.
Instead of reducing empathy, AI provides solicitors with a deeper, evidence-based understanding of it.
Why empathy still matters in an AI-driven personal injury sector
Even in an AI-enabled legal sector, empathy is still fundamental. It is a professional requirement. It shapes how a claim is built, how clients are supported and how solicitors negotiate or present a case.
Technology can’t replace the relationship between a solicitor and client, but it can strengthen it in several ways:
- Clarity about what the client is experiencing
AI can analyse patterns that point to emotional strain, reduced quality of life or increased vulnerability. This gives solicitors a more grounded understanding of how the injury affects their client day to day.
- More time for meaningful interaction
When routine administrative work is automated, solicitors can focus on conversations that matter. Clients get the space to explain their fears, difficulties and expectations without feeling rushed.
- More accurate representation of suffering
Empathy is not only emotional. It is evidential. When a solicitor understands the full impact of an injury, they are better equipped to argue for fair and accurate compensation.
This is the real value of AI for solicitors. It doesn’t decide the case; it supports the solicitor in truly understanding it.
Where AI falls short and why human judgement remains essential
Although the use of AI in legal practice is growing, it’s important to acknowledge its limitations. AI can interpret data, but it cannot understand social, personal or emotional meaning. It’s unable to recognise when a client is downplaying their suffering and it can’t interpret tone, anxiety, pride or hesitation.
Solicitors remain responsible for interpreting both the data and the person behind it. This is especially important in personal injury claims, where situations are rarely straightforward. Pain may fluctuate. Mental health may deteriorate long after the accident. Clients may feel embarrassed or overwhelmed. AI can highlight indicators, but only human professionals can understand them fully.
Empathy therefore remains a legal skill that can’t be automated. AI’s role is to inform empathy, not replace it.
How AI is already enhancing empathy across personal injury work
Several practical examples are emerging in everyday case handling. At National Claims, we are increasingly seeing how these tools help reveal the day-to-day realities clients face and strengthen the way legal teams understand their experiences. One of the most valuable developments is the use of medical chronology tools. AI can summarise extensive medical records in minutes, which allows solicitors to focus on interpreting the information rather than spending hours on administrative review.
AI is also proving effective in detecting long-term patterns. It can identify slow-developing or previously overlooked signs of psychological distress or chronic pain, helping legal teams understand how an injury evolves over time. This often reveals impacts clients may not immediately recognise.
Communication is another area where AI is supporting empathy. AI-driven language tools help firms maintain clarity, warmth and consistency in written updates. This is particularly valuable for clients who are anxious or overwhelmed by the claims process, and it makes communication feel more supportive.
AI can also assist by highlighting when a client may be struggling. Early identification of vulnerabilities allows legal teams to provide guidance sooner, ensuring clients receive the right support at the right moment. For many people navigating a personal injury claim, this timely attention can make a significant difference.
These functions do not replace empathy. They simply make it easier to deliver, ensuring solicitors can engage more thoughtfully and effectively with every client.
The role of AI in supporting compassion, accuracy, and fair outcomes in injury cases is explored in the guide on AI and empathy in compensation claims.
What this means for National Claims and our legal partners
At National Claims, empathy and evidence go hand in hand. Every personal injury case we prepare involves a person whose life has been disrupted. AI helps us understand that reality clearly, but human skill is what turns insight into an effective legal strategy.
Our work combines:
- AI-driven analysis of injury impact
- Detailed case preparation
- Collaboration with solicitors and medical professionals
- A commitment to supportive, compassionate communication
This approach ensures that suffering is accurately understood and properly represented.
Bringing human insight and AI together in legal practice
We collaborate with solicitors and legal teams who want to combine modern tools with human insight. If your firm is exploring artificial intelligence in law or looking for ways to enhance empathy within your personal injury work, we can support you with AI-enhanced case preparation, detailed injury analysis and clear client insight.
To learn more about how technology can support empathetic and effective legal practice, visit National Claims
