Personal Injury · Greece
Find a personal injury lawyer in Greece for your accident claim
An accident in Greece leaves you dealing with medical treatment, insurers and a codified civil-law system conducted in Greek. This page explains how injury claims work there, and how our free matching service introduces you to a lawyer who handles them.
- Lawyers entered on the register of a Greek Bar Association
- Delictual claims under the Greek Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedure
- Free matching, with a first response usually within 24–48 hours
Free matching · No obligation · You decide whether to instruct
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Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
The starting point
Injury claims under the Greek Civil Code
If you have been injured in an accident in Greece — on the road, at work or in a public place — you may be entitled to compensation for the harm you have suffered. Greek civil law is codified: claims of this kind are brought as delictual (tort) claims under the Civil Code, which entered into force on 23 February 1946 and now applies throughout the country together with the Code of Civil Procedure. Because statutory law, not binding precedent, governs the outcome, the way your case is framed and evidenced matters a great deal. Finding a personal injury lawyer in Greece who works in this field is the first practical step. Our service is free: you describe what happened, and we match you with a lawyer whose practice covers accident and injury claims in Greece.
Greece in practice
How the Greek system shapes an injury claim
Greece follows the continental civil-law model, and the rules that decide your claim are found in codified statutes rather than in case law. The points below show what that means for procedure, representation and cost.
A codified civil-law system
Greece follows the continental civil-law model. The Greek Civil Code (Astikós Kódikas), in force since 23 February 1946 and codified by Presidential Decree 456/1984, together with the Code of Civil Procedure, sets out the rules a court will apply. Rulings of the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) guide uniform interpretation of the statutes but are not formally binding precedent, so each claim is argued on its own facts and on the codified text.
Where an injury claim is heard
Civil disputes begin before the Magistrates’ Courts (Eirinodikeía) or the Courts of First Instance (Protodikeía), depending on the value and nature of the matter. Appeals go to the Courts of Appeal (Efeteía). The Areios Pagos does not re-examine the facts: it reviews only the legal correctness of the lower courts’ decisions, which makes the factual record built at first instance decisive.
Who may act for you
In Greece, membership of a local Bar Association is compulsory in order to practise law. A dikigóros qualifies under Article 4 of Law 4194/2013, the Code of Lawyers, after passing the nationwide bar examinations, receiving the ministerial appointment published in the Government Gazette, taking the statutory oath and being entered on a Bar register. Legal representation is generally required for litigation before the Greek courts.
How court costs are calculated
A proportional judicial stamp duty (dikastikó énsimo) is payable on the value of civil claims — 4 per mille or 8 per mille depending on the type of claim — plus a 30% surcharge allocated to the TAXDIK fund. A lawyer’s fee is freely determined by written agreement with the client under Article 58 of the Code of Lawyers, and legal fees are subject to 24% VAT.
Legal aid and access to justice
Free legal aid in criminal, civil and commercial cases is provided by Law 3226/2004, as amended by Law 4274/2014. Low-income applicants whose annual family income does not exceed two thirds of the minimum annual personal income under the National General Collective Labour Agreement qualify, and persons with a disability of 67% or more qualify regardless of income. EU citizens and lawfully resident third-country nationals may also be eligible.
Language, ethics and professional secrecy
Proceedings in the Greek courts are conducted in Greek. Under Article 1 of the Code of Lawyers the lawyer is characterised as a public functionary whose office is a foundation of the rule of law, and the practice of law is expressly stated not to be a commercial activity. Lawyers are bound by legal professional secrecy and act as co-operators of the administration of justice, under disciplinary control by the Bar Associations.
All country data on this page comes from official sources — the Greek Ministry of Justice, the Athens Bar Association and the European e-Justice Portal — as published by those bodies and consulted in 2025.
Common difficulties
What makes an injury claim in Greece hard to handle alone
The obstacles are practical rather than dramatic: a codified system, a different language and deadlines that keep running while you recover.
You do not know which rules apply
Greek accident claims rest on a codified civil-law system, not on precedent you can read online. Without a lawyer who works in this field, it is difficult to know how your claim should be framed, what evidence is needed and which court has jurisdiction.
Language and procedure
Court proceedings in Greece are conducted in Greek, and filings follow national procedural rules. Handling the process from abroad, or without fluent Greek, adds a layer of difficulty at the very moment you are recovering from an injury.
Time limits pass quietly
Delict claims are subject to a limitation period, and opposing parties know it. Delay can narrow your options long before you feel ready to act, so it pays to have the situation reviewed early by someone familiar with Greek deadlines.
How we help
What you get when we match you
Our role is narrow and clear: we listen to your situation and introduce you to a lawyer whose practice fits it.
Specialists in injury and tort claims
We match you only with lawyers whose practice covers delictual claims and compensation for personal injury, so the person reviewing your file works with this area of the Greek Civil Code routinely rather than occasionally.
Bar-registered lawyers
Every lawyer we introduce is entered on the register of a Greek Bar Association, as Law 4194/2013 requires in order to practise. Compulsory membership means professional ethics and disciplinary oversight apply to the lawyer handling your case.
Clear talk about costs
A Greek lawyer’s fee is agreed in writing under the Code of Lawyers, and court fees follow statutory rates. Your lawyer explains the basis of the fee before work begins, including the 24% VAT that applies to legal fees in Greece.
Free matching, no obligation
Describing your case costs nothing. We listen, identify the type of claim involved and introduce you to a suitable lawyer; whether you then instruct that lawyer, and on what terms, remains entirely your decision.
Where we operate
Lawyers across Europe, including Greece
If your accident happened outside Greece, or you live abroad and need to claim in Greece, tell us where you are and where the events took place — we can look for a lawyer in the right jurisdiction.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about injury claims in Greece
How do I find a personal injury lawyer in Greece?
Describe the accident, the injuries and where it happened, and we will match you free of charge with a personal injury lawyer in Greece whose practice covers delictual claims. Lawyers in Greece must be entered on a Bar Association register, so the professional standing of anyone we introduce can be verified.
How long do I have to bring a claim in Greece?
Tort (delict) claims under the Greek Civil Code are subject to a five-year limitation period, with an absolute limit of twenty years. Because the clock runs from the events in question, it is worth having your file reviewed early rather than waiting until negotiations with the other side have stalled.
Which court will hear my case?
Civil claims begin before the Magistrates’ Courts (Eirinodikeía) or the Courts of First Instance (Protodikeía), depending on the matter, with appeals heard by the Courts of Appeal (Efeteía). The Areios Pagos reviews only the legal correctness of lower decisions and does not re-examine the facts, so the evidence gathered at first instance matters most.
Can a foreigner claim compensation in Greece?
The civil courts are open to claimants regardless of nationality, and proceedings are conducted in Greek. If you are an EU citizen, or a third-country national lawfully resident in the EU, you may also qualify for free legal aid under Law 3226/2004 where the statutory income conditions are met.
What will a lawyer cost?
Under Article 58 of the Code of Lawyers, a lawyer’s fee is freely determined by written agreement with the client, covering the whole proceedings or specific steps. Where there is no written agreement, the statutory scale based on the value of the matter applies. Legal fees are subject to 24% VAT, and court fees follow statutory rates.
Is legal aid available in Greece?
Free legal aid in criminal, civil and commercial cases is provided by Law 3226/2004, as amended by Law 4274/2014. Low-income citizens whose annual family income does not exceed two thirds of the minimum annual personal income under the National General Collective Labour Agreement qualify, and persons with a disability of 67% or more qualify regardless of income.
Next step
Tell us what happened
Share the basic facts of the accident and the injuries involved. We will match you with a lawyer in Greece whose practice covers personal injury claims — free of charge, without obligation, and with a first response usually within 24–48 hours.