• "Martin was excellent and clear in his advice, always keeping me informed. He was a pleasure to deal with."
  • "I have never needed to use solicitors before but I was very impressed with the polite and professional service I have received."
  • "Can I just take this opportunity to say how impressed I have been with Ms Nicholls' professionalism and her pleasant, helpful manner."
  • "Melanie explained things very clearly so I could understand the law/jargon well!"
  • "Very pleased with Alicia Dowling's performance throughout. Her proportionate and professional advice was greatly appreciated."
  • "You provided an excellent service. Stephen Trump was excellent."
  • "The claim has now been settled to our entire satisfaction and I cannot speak highly enough about Kerry and your firm"
  • "Stuart has been helpful and reassuring throughout the whole process. His advice was clear and precise, and I'm extremely happy with the outcome."
  • "Anna Neil is a fantastic solicitor. Thank you."
  • "Your service was superb, it would be difficult to improve upon."

0800 316 8892
How can we help? Let us call you.

Enter the characters in the field below

FAQs

What is no win no fee?

A "no win no fee" agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), normally provides that the solicitor will work without payment from the client unless the solicitor is successful in recovering compensation for the client. At this point the solicitor will normally recover his fees from the losing party together with an additional "success fee" for taking the risk of running the case without payment in the first place. If the claim is unsuccessful the solicitor will not be paid and the costs of any other party will be paid under an after the event insurance policy, which the solicitor will have taken out on your behalf.

Can you take over from my current solicitors?

If you have concerns about how your current solicitors are dealing with your claim then you may wish to raise these concerns with them to try and resolve any issues. If you still have concerns regarding time delays or the handling of your claim, then you may wish to seek the advice of other solicitors.

We will be happy to discuss your claim with you, so that you can make an informed decision about the future handling of your case. If you would like us to take over conduct of your claim, we will obtain your current solicitor's file of papers to avoid delays and will ensure your case is handled by an appropriate solicitor.

Can I instruct who I like?

Yes, it is your claim and you should instruct the solicitor of your choice with appropriate experience in relation to your injuries and individual needs. If you have legal expense insurance, for example with a motor vehicle policy, this insurer is likely to steer you towards one of their panel solicitors. In the vast majority of cases, the solicitor will then pay a referral fee to the insurer. These referral fees are in the region of £500 to £1,000 per individual referral. For this reason, your insurer has a financial interest in instructing one of its panel solicitors. You are however entitled to instruct whoever you like. Your insurer may agree to the instruction of this firm. Alternatively, we can arrange new legal expenses insurance cover (after your accident) at no cost to you, which will provide you with at least the same level of insurance protection if not more.

When can I make a claim?

The sooner you make your claim, the better. Broadly speaking, under English law you have three years from the date of your accident, to bring court proceedings against the Defendant. It is therefore in your interest to instruct a solicitor sooner rather than later, to ensure they have adequate time to investigate your claim before initiating court proceedings.

If you delay instructing a solicitor evidence could be lost, memories may fade, witnesses may become untraceable, and as a consequence, it may be more difficult to prove your claim.

This rule does not apply to children, who can proceed at any time up until their 21st birthday. There are different time constraints that may apply if your accident occurred outside of England and Wales or if a defective product is involved.

How can I get financial help whilst I am unable to work?

If you have suffered a serious injury, it is unlikely that you will be able to immediately return to work following your accident, which often creates financial problems. We can request an interim payment on your behalf from the Defendant insurer to ease financial pressures and allow you to concentrate on your rehabilitation. We can also advise in relation to state benefits that you may be entitled to.

How will my immediate care and treatment needs be met?

We will arrange for an immediate needs assessment report, which will be prepared by a medical professional experienced in the management of serious injuries. This report will set out your treatment needs and priorities. Thereafter, if appropriate we will instruct a case manager to co-ordinate your care and treatment needs. In the vast majority of cases, the cost of this will be met by the Defendant insurer.

Will I receive 100% compensation?

If your claim is successful, under the terms of a "no win no fee" agreement, you will receive 100% of your compensation and the Defendant insurer will pay all of our costs subject to the two exceptions below.

  • Certain state benefits paid as a consequence of your injuries, have to be repaid to the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) at the conclusion of your case by the Defendant insurer. For example, if you receive Employment and Support Allowance (formally Incapacity Benefit) and recover past loss of earnings as part of your compensation, this benefit has to be repaid to the DWP. This avoids you being compensated twice for being out of work as a consequence of your injuries. The Defendant insurer has a statutory obligation to repay refundable benefits. This cannot be avoided. To suggest otherwise is misleading.
  • Dishonest Claimant. If a Claimant is found to be dishonest, the Claimant may be responsible for our fees and costs incurred as a consequence of their dishonesty.

How much compensation will I be awarded?

The level of compensation you will receive will very much depend on the seriousness and duration of your injuries plus the effect they have on your everyday life and future. It is often the case that we won't be able to accurately value your claim until we have sought independent medical evidence from medical professionals, experienced in dealing with your specific injuries.

When will I meet you?

In serious or complex injury cases, we will usually arrange to visit you and or your family in person at the onset of the claim. This will ensure you are able to ask any questions you may have and put a face to the person who will be dealing with your claim. It also allows us to obtain all the necessary details we require to start investigating your claim.

How long will my claim take?

This is usually determined by the medical evidence. Once we have a final prognosis, we can assess the value of your claim and attempt to settle it by negotiation. Alternatively we can ask the court for a hearing to assess the value if agreement cannot be reached with the Defendant insurer. If you are still undergoing operative intervention 5 years post accident for example, to seek to settle the claim before the final outcome is known would be premature and would risk settling your claim before its full value is established. Ultimately however, this is a matter for you and if you instruct us to settle your claim at an earlier stage, we will try to do so.

In serious and more complex cases duration of the claim is determined by many factors including length of recovery, duration of treatment, stance of the Defendant insurers and the timetable the Court imposes on your case.

Straightforward road traffic accidents with a value under £10,000 and little or no issue with liability can be settled within 4-6 months.

Will it cost me anything to make my claim?

The short answer for this is no. There are various funding options available for helping you to bring your damages claim. If you do not have insurance or any other pre-existing funding then we can discuss acting for you on a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which will enable you to bring a claim for damages without incurring expensive legal costs and disbursements. Save for in very rare circumstances, we will not seek to recover any costs out of your damages at the end of your claim.

Will I have to go to court?

It is always possible that your case might end up in court and it is important to prepare for this possibility throughout the running of your claim. However, in reality, very few claims go to trial, most claims settle through negotiations with the other side without ever reaching a court room. However, if we cannot achieve appropriate compensation for you through negotiations we will take your case to court with your agreement. See how we've helped our clients.

Will I have to meet the Defendant?

This depends on your case but in the vast majority you will not meet the individual Defendant concerned at any stage unless your case goes to court. The majority of Defendants are insured against claims and we therefore deal with their insurance company and lawyers appointed by their insurance company. In some situations you may end up having to meet the Defendant, for example, if liability is disputed and the Judge has to decide whose evidence he/she prefers, in fatal cases where there is an inquest or in Health and Safety cases where there is an HSE prosecution. If we are acting for you in such a case, we will assist and prepare you for what to expect before any inquest, hearing or trial.

Please contact our solicitors on FREEPHONE 0800 3168892 or complete our online enquiry form.