Personal Injury Claims - Frequently Asked Questions
If you're thinking about making a claim I'd be very surprised if you didn't have a plenty of questions you wanted to ask! Below you'll find the answers to some of those I'm asked most often - I hope you find them useful. If you can't find the answer to your question here, just give me a call. You won't be wasting my time, and I'll be more than happy to help you out, with no obligation on your part. My direct line is 01663 761890.
Is it important that I live near my solicitor?
I've spent more than a decade working with clients all over the UK. In my experience, distance doesn't make much difference. What matters is that your solicitor is a specialist personal injury lawyer who has the experience and expert knowledge to be in a position to give you the best chance of succeeding with your claim on the best terms.
In any event, where necessary, I will go the extra mile (literally!) by visiting you in your own home in order to take detailed instructions, explain the claims procedure and respond to any questions or concerns.
How can you afford to work for me without charging me a fee?
My fees are entirely paid by the insurers of the person, organisation or company that you are making a claim against. I guarantee you will keep 100% of your compensation. I am only too well aware that certain law firms do deduct amounts from clients' compensation to cover so-called "administration fees" or fees for loans that are taken out to fund disbursements. You can be absolutely confident that you will pay me nothing whether you win or whether you lose your personal injury claim.
How much compensation could I get?
It depends. Each claim is different and the value of the claim will vary according to a number of factors, including the nature and extent of the injuries, the timescale for recovery and, if a full recovery is not made, the seriousness of any ongoing symptoms. When you instruct me I'll be able to give you a much clearer idea of the potential value of your claim. I will also be able to provide you with a definitive valuation of your claim following receipt of medical evidence - which is usually easy to gather.
How long with it all take?
If your case is straightforward then it will be finalised within 4-6 months.
However, all cases are different. In particular, it is crucial that if you have ongoing symptoms your case is not finalised prematurely. The reason for this is that the general rule is that any compensation paid to you will be on a full and final basis. It follows that if you settle your case and you continue with symptoms for longer than anticipated it will not be possible for you to claim additional compensation for any reason. Therefore, I may need to protect your position and closely monitor your recovery so that your case is settled at the appropriate time to ensure there is no danger of you being under compensated.
Whatever the particular circumstances of your claim you can be sure that I will progress matters as quickly as possible with a view to securing you the compensation you deserve.
But my accident was two years ago... can I still claim?
The courts have laid down strict rules in relation to how much time a person has to bring their claim. In general terms, in the United Kingdom, a person has three years from the date of the injury in which to commence legal proceedings. (This is where a number of prescribed documents in support of the claim are lodged with the court.)
Where the injured person is under the age of 18 the court rules stipulate that the three year limitation period in which proceedings must be brought start to run on the person's 18th birthday. The person therefore has up until their 21st birthday in which to commence legal proceedings. Nevertheless we strongly recommend that where the injured person is under the age of 18 the claim needs to be fully investigated as soon as possible in order to preserve evidence and guard against the danger of the evidence becoming stale.
Let me help you!
Put me to the test by either calling me now on 01663 761890 or by completing my
Personal Injury Claim Form. I would be delighted to hear from you and to help you pursue your case - free of charge and in a way that is truly responsive to your needs.
