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If
you were injured in an accident, whether this was as a driver of a
motor car, a passenger in a car, or be it an accident at work
etc you may be able to recover compensation for your injury
and other losses from the third party who was responsible for
the accident.
Your
claim for compensation will consist of the following elements::
(i) the
pain and suffering caused by your injuries (often referred to as
'general damages'); and
(ii) not being able to do certain things because of your injuries,
e.g. if you are no longer able to do gardening or play sport
etc; and
(iii) any earnings you have already lost and will lose in the future
because of your injury; and
(iv) present expenses you incurred as a result of your injury, eg
travelling to the doctor, medication charges, cost of equipment
if any, you need to use as a result of your injuries, and similarly
future expenses; and
(v) the cost or value of care you had to have and will need in the
future because of your injury. You can claim for the cost of
employing a professional, the loss of earnings of a friend or family
member who provided care, or the value of that person’s help
('special damages').
It is
also ways advisable that you should keep all receipts and invoices
of your expenses nor matter how small, to be able to prove your
claim.
Our
dedicated staff throughout Sandhill Solicitors are experts in
dealing with the following injury claims:-
Road Traffic Accident
Injury at Work/Public Place
Criminal Injuries
Tripping Accidents
Industrial Diseases
Dangerous Goods and Services
How long do I have to
bring a claim for personal injury?
In general an
adult has three years from the date of the alleged negligence to
bring a claim. However, there are exceptions to this rule and the
court has discretion to extend the period. The limitation period
does not apply to children (here the three years will start on the
18th birthday) or to mental patients (someone unable to manage his
affairs). So, in cases where children are severely brain damaged at
birth, there is no time limit to the bringing of a claim.
What does 'No Win No
Fee' mean?
It simply means that if
you win your case you solicitor will deduct a percentage from your
damages as well as any costs recovered from your opponent. The
percentage that you pay will depend on the Conditional Fee Agreement
that you have entered into. We at Sandhill Solicitors promise that
you will keep 100% of your compensation unless it is a very complex
case and we are unlikely to recover all of our costs from your
opponent. However, if this was to be the case we will tell you from
the onset of your instructions.
Do I need to go through
a solicitor appointed by my insurance company or even a
claims management company?
You do not have to
instruct a solicitor appointed by your insurance company from their
own panel. You should always in the first instance
instruct a solicitor of your own choice. In this way you can be sure
that you will receive both professional and impartial advice
from your legal representative.
With respect to claims
management companies you should ask yourself why do I need the
services of a third party when my own solicitor
will handle all the legal work on my behalf. The simple answer
is that you do not! They not only take a cut out of your
compensation but will also receive a referral fee from the
solicitor concerned. The solicitor will also recover the
referral fee from you the client by way of a Conditional Fee
Agreement. The client is often left with little or no
compensation.
Your solicitor at the
first interview should always tell you that you need not go
via a claims management company. Whether the agreement that you have
entered with the claims management company is lawful.
Please remember that the solicitor acting for you should make out
the compensation cheque in your own name unless you instruct
otherwise. You do not have to have the cheque payable to
the claims management company. Remember that it is your
money!
If you or member of
your family have been involved in a road
traffic accident or accident at work etc in the last three
years and wish to make a claim then please contact us by phone for
free and complete impartial advice or complete the
query form.
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