If you have been injured, physically or mentally, you might have to make a claim for damages (compensation), to put you back in the position you were in before the injury - as far as is possible. Even if you don't like the idea of the 'compensation culture' that the UK seems to be developing and don't want to make a damages claim, your injury might mean that if you don't seek damages you will suffer financially: perhaps you have to stop working, or pay for private treatment rather than wait, in pain, to be treated on the NHS.
Personal Injury Solicitors, Compensation Lawyers and Personal Injury Lawyers are professionals to whom you would normally turn to guide you through and represent you to claim compensation. But they have a bad press: they are seen as vultures, circling and seeking to make a profit from someone else's misery and suffering.
Some (anyone who calls themselves 'Solicitors') have legal qualifications and are regulated by the Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority. Others ('lawyers') are not necessarily legally qualified or regulated - and if your case has to go to court, they have to pass the work on to a practicing Solicitor or Barrister who can present the case in court.
That's not to say that such professionals are not experienced - indeed they will typically handle many cases each day and have large caseloads to handle just as a Solicitor would. But if they don't have a Solicitor within the team, your case could be passed at a late stage to someone who you don't know and who doesn't know you.
Do your research before you agree to sign up to any Personal Injury legal specialist. Some small firms of Solicitors practise in all areas of law whereas others (usually, but not always, in larger firms) specialise in one type of law. Within a firm, there can be different departments, each specialising in different fields of law. Make sure you choose one who specialises in personal injury claim, or you are taking a gamble that your legal representative might not know what they're talking about.
If you have been involved in a road traffic accident and you have Legal Cover through your insurance, you don't have to instruct the lawyers that your insurers put you in touch with. You can choose to instruct whomever you want. If you have had an injury due to medical negligence then it is even more important to choose a lawyer with experience and specialism in this particular field - they need to know which experts to instruct and what to ask, and they can be expected to tell you how your claim will progress and what you are likely to achieve.
Check how your chosen Solicitor expects to be paid. Will they offer you a 'no win, no fee' agreement and if so, would any money come out of your pocket during the case or out of your compensation at the end? These contracts are often written in legalese - do not be afraid or embarrassed to ask how it would work in practice - it's potentially a lot of money you're talking about and not something that should be brushed under the carpet due to British reserve. Ask about exactly what will happen, cost-wise, if you lose but also what will happen if you win.
If you have been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to claim compensation. Making a claim with Claim Today Solicitors could be the first step to receiving compensation with no risk of cost and without any deduction from your injury compensation, leaving you with 100% of your compensation claim.
Orignal From: How to Choose a Personal Injury Solicitor
No comments:
Post a Comment