Frequently Asked Questions
Before you decide to go ahead with your claim you probably have a couple of questions that need to be answered first, ‘How does no win, no fee work?’ ‘How much compensation can I get?’ ‘What kind of accidents can I claim for?’ Where can I get real, impartial legal advice?’ Then you’re in the right place, the answers to all of these questions and more can be found right here. As far as real, impartial legal advice goes, you’ve already found the answer, right here! If you can’t find the answer to your questions below, or even if you have and would like to go ahead with your claim, just fill in the simple online form on the left hand side of the page and we’ll get back in contact to answer your questions, our emails are monitored on a 24 hour basis. From your first contact our impartial legal advice is 100% cost and risk free.Just see the questions below to get the answers you need Just see the questions below to get the answers you need What accidents can I make a claim for? Here at Injuryclaimslawyers.com we can help you claim for a wide range of accidents such as: • Road accidents involving cars, motorcycles and taxis.
• Slips, trips and falls, whether they occur at work or in public places such as shops or at work.
• Other work related injuries such as forklift and scaffolding accidents
• Work related illnesses such as asbestos or food poisoning For more detailed information see our “What kinds of loss can you claim for?” section. Alternatively you can fill out the online claims form on the left hand side of this page to get your personal injury claim question answered free and with no obligation to you.
Do I have a valid compensation claim?
If you have been injured in the past 3 years in an accident that wasn’t your fault, by law you are entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation. From minor cuts and bruises and whiplash to more serious injuries that have a much more long term effect, at Injuryclaimslawyers.com we can help you make your claim. Just contact us via the online claims form on the left hand side of the page and we will do our utmost to get you the compensation you deserve. My accident happened over 3 years ago, can I still make a claim? UK law states that, after an accident, you have 3 years to issue a claim for personal injury compensation. After this the right to bring court proceedings against the other party for compensation may be lost. There are two main exceptions to this rule: • If a person is under 21 they are considered a child by UK personal injury law, and the 3 year rule does not apply to them. This also applies in the case of someone with a defined mental disability. I.e. Someone under the age of 21 would be legally allowed to make a claim for an accident which happened at birth.
• The other main exception is if symptoms or your condition does not develop until many years after the accident. In this case the court will allow you to make a claim and the 3 year period will be from the date you find out about your condition. If you have any more questions or are still unsure, fill out the online claims form on the left hand side of the page and we will be happy to answer them. What is involved with my personal injury claim? A personal injury claim is when a claim for compensation is made against a person or organisation that was at fault in an accident – the third or other party. In order for a compensation claim to be successful, a solicitor must show that a third party is liable for your accident and that you have suffered injuries and/or a personal loss as a direct result of this. If you had an accident at work this could be your employer. In a car accident this could be your employer. If liability is disputed by the other party or its insurer it is then the job of the solicitor to provide evidence to support your claim. This evidence usually takes the form of items such as witness reports, photographs and police reports. In most cases a claim is made against the third parties insurance company, but claims can still be pursued in instances where the other party has no insurance, such as a hit and run or being hit by an uninsured driver. Employers have compulsory insurance for accidents in the workplace but it is essential to your claim that, in the event of an accident, it is logged into the accident book. Claims can also be made against friends or family, such as a child slipping over something in a friend’s house. This sounds more terrible than it actually is as claims of this nature are often dealt with by insurance companies, i.e. the other person’s car insurance company if you were injured in a car being driven by someone else or household insurance in the case above. Once third party liability is established the solicitor has to prove the value of your claim. This is done by obtaining independent medical evidence to show the extent of your injuries and any effects they will have in the future. Information about your financial losses and expenses is also gathered and a schedule of each loss and expense is made to prove their legitimacy and show that they are reasonable. Why do I need a personal injury lawyer? Individuals wishing to make a claim for personal injury compensation are free to represent themselves and make their own case to the court, but to do this they would have to pay costs such as barrister’s fees, medical reports and police reports up front and then claim them back from the other party at the end of your case, if you win your claim.
On top of this, each personal injury claim brings with it its own set of circumstances to which different aspects of the ever changing UK personal injury law. Also the insurance company that your claim will almost certainly be against will have lots of experience in defending against claims such as yours, along with sufficient resources to mount a strong defence against it. By choosing Injuryclaimslawyers.com to handle your claim you allow us to appoint you a solicitor who is an expert in the area of personal injury law most relevant to your claim. We give you the very best representation and it doesn’t cost you a single penny. By choosing Injuryclaimslawyers.com to handle your claim you allow us to appoint you a solicitor who is an expert in the area of personal injury law most relevant to your claim. We give you the very best representation and it doesn’t cost you a single penny.
How much compensation can I get? The actual amount of compensation you are likely to be awarded for your personal injury claim depends on a number of factors like:
• What injuries you have suffered and how severe they are
• How those injuries have and will affect your life after the accident
• The speed of your recovery
• The financial losses you have suffered due to the accident
Successful claims usually result in compensation for pain and suffering and any financial loss incurred such as loss of earnings, damaged property, medical and travel expenses.
There are 4 typical areas that can be claimed for if you suffer an injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault. General damages
This is compensation for your actual injury alongside the pain and suffering you have incurred. Due to the fact that individuals are affected by their injuries in very different ways and every accident has a completely different set of circumstances, courts do not put an exact figure on specific injuries or claims.
At Injuryclaimslawyers.com we arrange for each person that chooses us to help them with their claim to see an independent medical expert. The expert will write a report detailing your injuries and the ways it has and/or will affect your life, which will then be used to help make sure that you are awarded a fair and reasonable compensation amount.
Special damages
This covers your out of pocket expenses and can easily be fairly calculated using receipts and estimates. Special damages can include things like
• Personal property loss or damage
• Loss of earnings due to injury
• Transport costs such as train or taxi fares
• Medical treatment Future losses
This covers loss that is likely to come about in the future. This kind of loss is much harder to assess, so in order to fairly gauge this, the average annual loss is worked out and applied to a special calculation. Interest
Interest is payable on some kinds of compensation claims. Again the rates depend on the types and severity of your injuries. Your solicitor will advise you if you are able to claim interest on your personal injury claim.
Will it cost me anything? No! With our no win, no fee policy we guarantee that you will receive 100% of your compensation award, unlike some claims management companies, we make no deductions from your award. Why is there no cost to me? We believe that, no matter what a person’s financial status, everyone should have access to the proper legal guidance. The lawyers here an Injuryclaimslawyers.com all work on a conditional fee arrangement. This means that if you win your case, as the majority of our customers do, we can claim our fee’s along with your compensation from the other party. In the event that you lose your case our fee’s get written off. Neither do we ask you to take out a loan to pay for any insurance policies to cover a loss. So we make no deductions to your claim to cover a premium once your claim is finished. Who will be taking care of my compensation claim? We appoint a claims handler to you who is friendly and experienced in other, similar cases. He will be available to answer any questions you have about your personal injury compensation claim and keep you up to date on your claim’s progress. We then appoint a lawyer to your case. They will be someone that specialises in the area of personal claims law most relevant to your case and will closely liaise with us throughout your claim.
How long will it be before I get my compensation? Unfortunately there is no way to tell exactly how long it will be as personal injury claims can be affected by many factors, such as the severity of your injuries, the amount of co-operation the other party show and whether the claim amount is disputed, amongst other things. We estimate a general claim to take around 8 months, but it is a very rough estimation. For more information see our “How can I make a claim?” section.
Do I have to go to any meetings? We have tailor made our service specifically so that everything can be dealt with over the phone, by post or by email. We have designed it this way for two reasons, firstly, so that you have no need to book any time off work during your personal injury compensation claim. Secondly so that we can give you access to the very best lawyers across the country without the need to travel. The only thing you may need to attend is a medical exam at some point. This will be held locally to you and the cost of this, and any other medical expenses that arise due to your accident, will be reclaimed once you have completed your compensation claim.
Should I report my injuries to a doctor? Reporting your injuries to a doctor, while not essential, is often a great way to help your claim. A written report of your injuries by a doctor, specialist or hospital detailing how extensive your injuries are, how you are recovering from them and possibly how it will affect your later life helps determine the amount of compensation you will receive. We will arrange for you to see an independent specialist at some point for this report, but going to a doctor directly after the accident is advisable. Will I need to attend court? At Injuryclaimslawyers.com, we understand that the idea of going to give evidence in court can be daunting enough to put many people off of making a personal injury compensation claim. That is why, thanks to our tailor made service and the efforts from our team of experienced lawyers, we make sure the vast majority of cases do not go to court, and therefore we can say its highly unlikely that you will need to attend any court dates. What if I lose? In the rare occasion of a loss we guarantee that you will be protected from all costs. All of our costs and fees will be written off and our insurance will protect you from any other costs, so you don’t have to pay a penny. What if I win? At Injuryclaimslawyers.com we guarantee that you will receive 100% of your compensation. There are no loans or premiums to pay on your part, before or after your compensation claim, and all our costs are recouped from the other party. This means the whole amount of your compensation award is yours.
If I have legal expenses insurance, can I still claim with Injuryclaimslawyers.com? You are legally entitled to choose your own lawyer to represent you while you make your claim. Even if your insurance company puts you in touch with a lawyer they recommend, you can still choose someone else. So even with legal expenses insurance you can appoint Injuryclaimslawyers.com to handle your personal injury compensation claim. Before instructing any solicitor, there are a few things you should ask them: 1) Will I receive all of my compensation? Many solicitors and claims management companies will take around 25% of your compensation amount as a ‘winning fee’. At Injuryclaimslawyers.com we promise to take none.
2) Is there anything I have to pay up front? Many solicitors require you to pay for medical reports, barrister’s fees or for you to take out loans for insurance. We guarantee you won’t have to pay a penny.
3) Am I protected from ALL fees if I lose? Some solicitors will claim their service is no win, no fee, but they still require you to pay the other party’s fees in the event of a loss. With Injuryclaimslawyers.com we cover you from ALL costs, win or lose.
After you’ve asked these questions you should know exactly what costs will be expected to be covered by you and what isn’t. At Injuryclaimslawyers.com we believe in letting you know exactly what you need to know to make an informed choice. That’s why you will find all the answers to your questions on these pages, or if you still have more questions, you can fill in the online claims form and a claims handler will reply, quickly and simply.
What about legal aid? In a bid to give everyone, irrespective of their financial status, access to justice, legal aid was removed from nearly all personal injury compensation claims in April 2000. Here at Injuryclaimslawyers.com our solicitors work on a conditional fee, no win, no fee arrangements, so not only do you not have to arrange legal aid, you don’t have to pay a penny, no matter which way your personal injury compensation claim goes.
What should I do if I want to make a claim? Simply fill in the online claims form on the left hand side of this page and send it to us. One of our claims handlers will get back to you with whether you have a valid claim or not. We will then appoint a solicitor to your case specialising in your circumstances and keep you fully informed every step of the way during your personal injury compensation claim. Still unsure whether to claim? We at Injuryclaimslawyers.com understand that entering into any legal proceedings can add to the stress following an accident. The uncertainty can lead to anxiety which can hinder recovery from an injury or accident. That’s why we have tailor made our service to require minimal fuss, effort or hassle to you. The no win, no fee conditional arrangements our lawyers work under means that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from our risk-free service. If you are still unsure then take advantage of our free, impartial legal claims advice by filling out the online form on the left hand side of the page to get the answers you need to your compensation claims questions. At Injuryclaimslawyers.com we don’t employ high pressure sales techniques, nor do we expect any obligation from you unless you decide to choose us to help you get the compensation claim you deserve
Anymore questions?
Free, Real, Impartial personal injury claim advice If you are thinking of making a personal injury claim, take advantage of our free impartial personal injury claims advice, even if you’re unsure of whether you want to pursue a claim. Here at Injuryclaimslawyers.com we can supply you with all the information you need to make your own, fully informed choice. Just fill out the quick online personal injury claim form to get your free, impartial advice. For more information and advice please contact us on 08450533111.
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