Personal injury compensation - questions answered
What are the different types of personal injury?
The Claim Solicitors can help you claim compensation for all types of personal injury, including;
Please view our types of accident page for more information
If you feel that you have a valid compensation claim for a personal injury that you have received which was not your fault, then simply complete our claim assessment form opposite and a member of our staff will be in contact.
Do I have a valid claim?
If you have suffered a personal injury in the last three years from an accident that was not your fault you are entitled by law to be compensated. Whether you suffered minor cuts and bruises, or more serious long term injuries, The Claim Solicitors will help you claim compensation.
If you have been sustained an injury in an accident that was not your fault and would like to make a claim for personal injury compensation or if you would like to discuss in confidence any matter related to a personal injury claim, please call our claim team on 0800 197 32 32 or complete the claim assessment opposite.
Is there a time limit for me to claim?
A personal injury claim is made against the person or organisation who is believed to be at fault - 'a third party'. To win your claim for compensation your solicitor will have to show that a third party was responsible (liable) for your accident and that you have suffered injury and loss as a result. In a road accident, it could be another driver, or in a work accident, the employer. If the third party or their insurers dispute liability, your solicitor will need to provide evidence to support your claim. This may involve police reports, photographs and witness statements. Most of the time a claim will be against the third party's insurance company, but even if you were injured by a driver who was uninsured, or in a hit and run accident, a claim can still be pursued.
If you were injured in an accident at work you can make a claim against your employer, who will have compulsory insurance for this sort of case.
Even if the accident was caused by a friend or member of your family, such as a child injured in a car driven by a parent, then a claim can still be made. This is not as awful as it sounds, as the claim would be dealt with by the driver's insurance company, or if the accident
When third party liability is established, your solicitor will have to prove the value of your claim by obtaining independent medical evidence to substantiate the nature and extent of your injuries and the effect they will have on you in the future. He will also need to gather information about your financial losses and expenses. A 'Schedule of Financial Losses and Expenses' is produced to prove these losses and show the Court they are reasonable.
Why should I choose The Claim Solicitors ?
You are of course free to make your own case for compensation to the Court. This would involve you funding your claim and paying for costs such as, medical examinations, police reports and barrister's fees up-front, then claiming these costs back from the third party if you win your case. The law relating to personal injury is complicated and ever-changing and each case brings its own individual circumstances. Your claim will invariably be against an insurance company who will be experienced in defending themselves against claims such as yours and will have the resources to defend themselves.
The Claim Solicitors are one of the UK's leading personal injury solicitor firms in the UK. We have dealt with compensation claims for people who have been injured in a variety of circumstances. We recognise that the practice of law is a people orientated enterprise and that our approach should be friendly but efficient. We also appreciate that our success depends upon the success of our clients and upon the expertise and approachability of our partners and staff.
If you appoint The Claim Solicitors to handle your claim, we will appoint an expert solicitor that specialises in the particular area of law relevant to your case. You will have the best possible representation to get you the compensation you deserve and it will not cost you a penny.
What can I claim for?
Compensation sums depend on the nature and extent of your injuries and losses. If your case is successful you will usually receive compensation for your pain and suffering and any financial loss, which may include loss of earnings, damaged clothing, medical bills and travel expenses.
There are four main areas of compensation that can be claimed for:
- General damages
This is compensation for the injury itself, including pain and suffering. These are difficult to calculate precisely. Independent medical reports will be obtained to assist the court in awarding a fair and reasonable figure. See our compensation calculator for details of approximate amounts that are commonly awarded for different types of injury.
- Special damages
Special damages comprise compensation for your out of pocket expenses and losses. These can be calculated fairly accurately from receipts or estimates and can include; cost of medical treatment, personal effects damaged in accident, loss of earnings and transport costs.
- Future losses
This is compensation for losses that you are likely to encounter in the future. These are obviously more difficult to assess, so a special calculation is applied to the estimated annual loss to determine a fair figure.
- Interest
You may also be entitled to interest on some of your compensation. Rates payable vary depending on the type of injury and losses you have sustained.
Who will deal with my claim?
The Claim Solicitors will provide you with a friendly experienced member of our claim team to answer any questions you may have at any time throughout your claim and keep you up to date on the progress of your case. We will appoint a solicitor from our personal injury department that specialises in the particular area of law relevant to your case.
How long will my claim take? - settlement
As every case is different, some take longer than others. Most cases are settled in a matter of months, although very complicated cases can take a year or more. In all cases, our priority is to ensure the best compensation settlement and quick settlements are often not advisable. We will keep you updated throughout the claim process and advise you of any problems that arise.
Attending meetings - medical assessment
We have developed our service so that everything can be dealt with by email/telephone and post. This means you will not have to take time off work to attend meetings and enables us to appoint the very best solicitors to handle your case, regardless of where you live. (Where it is necessary for you to have a medical assessment, your expenses, including any loss of earnings will be reclaimed from the third party).
Should you prefer to talk to someone face to face about your compensation claim, particularly in the early stages when the process of making a claim for personal injury compensation can seem a little daunting, or if your injuries are of a severe or sensitive nature, we are more than happy for one of our experienced personal injury team to visit you at home, should you wish. Please see our home visits page for more detail.
Should I see my GP?
You can make a personal injury compensation claim regardless of whether you have been to see your doctor. It will greatly assist your claim though, if there is a written record of your injury at your doctors, hospital or a specialist who has given you treatment for your injuries.
Will I need to go to court? - personal injury claims
The prospect of having to go to Court and give evidence is enough to deter many people from pursuing a claim. You can rest assured that over the vast majority of personal injury claims settle out of Court, so it is highly unlikely that you will have to go to Court.
Do I need legal aid for personal injury claims?
In April 2000 Legal Aid was withdrawn for almost all personal injury claims. To give everyone access to justice regardless of their financial circumstances, The Claim Solicitors work on a Conditional Fee Agreement, or no win, no fee basis, with an after-the-event insurance policy to cover all costs associated with bringing your case.
What happens next? - online claims assessment
Simply complete the online claim assessment form opposite and one of our claims negotiators will contact you within 24 hours to let you know whether you have a valid claim. Alternatively you can call us free on 0800 197 32 32. We will then appoint one of our specialist solicitors to pursue your claim and keep you informed at every stage of the case until you have received your compensation.
I'm not sure whether to claim? - free advice line
If you are uncertain about pursuing a claim call us free on 0800 197 32 32 and we'll be happy to answer all your questions and allay any concerns you may have. You are then free to decide if you wish us to help you pursue a claim. The Claim Solicitors do not employ high-pressure sales techniques, we just provide access to the compensation you are entitled to.
Do you have a question? -free legal advice
We have included the answers to the questions we are most commonly asked. If you have a question that you would like us to answer call us free on 0800 197 32 32 or email us at claims@the-claim-solicitors.co.uk.
