Why should I claim?

We all have accidents and most of the time they are our fault.

If you bang your head on that cupboard door you left open, you have no one else to blame apart from yourself.

There are however accidents happening every day and people receive injuries which can sometimes be very serious, have life changing results and disrupt their earning capacity. There are also many accidents where the injuries are not as severe but which still have effects on an individual level.

If you are involved in an accident you may think why should I claim? If the results are very minor to you, it may not be worth even considering but if you have received some injury which lasts for longer than a couple of weeks, this may have an effect on your work and you may incur expenses for medication. You may lose earnings if you are off work.In those circumstances you should certainly consider a claim.

The fact that you have had an accident does not automatically mean that you are entitled to compensation. You have to prove that the accident was someone else’s fault and that your injuries resulted directly from that. You may not feel confident to pursue your claim and that is where a specialist solicitor comes in.

No claim for personal injury is without a risk of some sort. You may fail to show that the accident was because of the negligence of another, you may fail to prove that all of your injuries and continuing symptoms are a result of that accident. For that reason you would be brave to take action without the backing of an appropriately qualified solicitor.

What can I expect if I decide to claim?

If you do decide to make a claim then you will be looking to your opponents and their insurers to put you in the position you would have been had the accident not occurred. Obviously you cannot put back the clock insofar as an injury is concerned but it will have a monetary value and you will be looking for that as compensation. You will also be seeking to recover any loss of earnings if you were off work as a result and any other incidental expenses such as prescription charges, travelling expenses and possibly compensation for someone who had to care for you whilst you were incapacitated. Compensation can vary from a few hundred to many thousands of pounds.

Who will pay for a solicitor if I decide I want to claim?

If you instruct a solicitor, he will act for you on a no win no fee basis if he decides to take the case on. You may think that you have nothing to lose and to some extent that is correct. Your solicitor will be paid in the event of a successful claim. Your legal costs will be covered and because your solicitor acted for you on a no win no fee basis he will receive uplift on those costs called a success fee which is presently also paid by your opponents.

There are however items that are not covered under the no win no fee agreement, like your opponent’s costs and any disbursements incurred in your case such as medical fees. It is true to say that generally the loser in a case pays the costs so if you win, you should recover your costs and expenses in full. If you lose or there is a shortfall then ultimately you could be responsible. For that reason your solicitor should and will protect your interests by taking out an insurance policy to cover that eventuality.

First4Lawyers have a specialist panel of personal injury solicitors able to discuss your claim and proceed on a no win no fee basis backed by an insurance policy. If you have had an accident and you wish to claim compensation for your injury and other losses, you should contact First4Lawyers today.

Start Your Claim

First4Lawyers retain a specialist panel of experienced no win no fee solicitors. To find out if you can make a no win no fee claim, call us now on 0800 567 7866 or request a call back for free advice. If you wish to leave more details about your claim, then fill out our Online Claim Form and one of our specialist advisors will telephone you without obligation to discuss your claim further.