10 Things You Didn’t Know About Personal Injury Claims

Personal Injury Specialists seem to be cropping up everywhere, and there are adverts for them all over the TV and in newspapers and magazines. If you have had an accident that wasn’t your fault, what should you know about claiming for compensation?

1. “No win, no fee” works as the legal costs are paid by the third party if the claim is successful. If the claim is unsuccessful, then the fees may be paid by a legal insurance policy. Your solicitor will be able to advise you on this.

2. A personal injury claim can only be made where there has been an accident or injury that has caused actual pain and suffering and / or financial losses. If you are unsure whether you have a case, why not speak to a personal injury specialist?

3. Compensation is based on the actual suffering felt. It is not based on how much money the third party has, or on an amount that would be seen as a fitting punishment.

4. Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) are a common area for Personal Injury Specialists. RTAs can include drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.

5. Claims for accidents at work accidents are also increasing. Employees are able to claim for all sorts of minor accidents such as those caused by slipping, or for more serious conditions and illnesses caused by work.

6. Slip, trip and fall claims are increasing rapidly. Although there is not always somebody to blame. For example, whereas previously, the council would have paid out without too much fuss, but nowadays those who slip over in the street are often subjected to more investigation to address their claim. In certain circumstances, such as if the paving stone was only broken recently, and the council couldn’t have been expected to know about and fix the problem, the council may not be liable.

7. Obtaining evidence is important to any personal injury claim. As most mobile phones have cameras, there is usually the opportunity to take photographs of the scene in order to support your claim. Witnesses can also prove to be beneficial.

8. You will need to be assessed medically as part of the process. If your injuries do not require medical attention, then there is less chance of the claim being successful than if you needed to spend a long time in hospital and so couldn’t work.

9. There is no guaranteed amount of compensation for particular injuries, and each case is different. You should see your injuries, losses and suffering as injuries losses and suffering, rather than looking to see how much money you can make from them.

10. The sooner you seek legal advice from a personal injury specialist, the better. Not all solicitors have personal injury specialists, so you may need to use a different solicitor. It’s important to remember that not all injuries can be claimed for, and not all claims will be successful.

Now you know what personal injury claims entail, if you’ve had an accident, isn’t it time you spoke to a solicitor to see if you can claim?

See how a Personal Injury Specialist or a Clinical Negligence expert can help you with your claim, at Lees.co.uk