The Claims Process
Making A Personal Injury Compensation Claim
If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault and
happened as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have a right to
make a claim for compensation.
However, while you’re well within your legal rights and the
compensation could aid your recovery, we understand that the thought of
making an accident claim can be overwhelming. You may worry that there
are no guarantees of a successful outcome and about being bamboozled by
legal jargon – but our personal injury solicitors don’t work like this.
Our approach is to make the process clear,
straightforward and stress-free for you, working efficiently and
effectively to secure the maximum amount of compensation in the minimum
amount of time possible.
What Can You Expect When You Contact Us?
A Free, Committed But No-Obligation Service
However you wish to get in touch, the advice we give to you from day
one will be free and based on years of specialist legal experience. We
will work fast to establish the basic details of your case so we can
assess your accident and injuries accurately in terms of likely outcome
and compensation levels – and assign you the most appropriate personal
injury solicitor to help with your claim.
At no point, though, are you under any obligation to go ahead with a claim, unless you decide you want to.
From Day One
If you wish to proceed, your dedicated specialist solicitor will ask
you to begin writing a daily diary as a record of your injuries,
symptoms and recovery.
Within a few days, we’ll send you a detailed document with an
outline of your accident and injuries which you will be asked to check
before signing and returning to us.
Your solicitor will then write a Letter of Claim to the relevant
individual or their insurance company, stating your intent to claim for
compensation for the injuries caused because of their negligence.
From Week 1
Your solicitor will start to gather evidence to support your case.
You may be asked to help with this phase as much of the information
could include items like photos of the accident scene and your injuries,
witness details, and receipts.
Your solicitor will let you know what he needs and give you the time you need to get this.
Because of both the importance and the potentially large-scale
nature of this project, this part of the process can take in the region
of 1-3 months before all the evidence is gathered.
From Month 3
At this point, your solicitor will arrange for you to see a medical
professional to assess your injuries. This meeting will be at a time and
place that’s convenient for you, and you’ll be asked to take your
accident diary with you.
Based on this meeting, the medical professional will write a report
of your injuries, how extensive they are and how well you’re recovering.
The report will also cover whether you have any ongoing or long-term
medical problems as a result of the accident.
This report forms a big part of your overall evidence, and helps to determine the level of compensation you will be awarded.
The reason for waiting until this stage is that the medical expert
needs to see what your recovery is like. If you’ve suffered a more
serious or catastrophic injury and it takes more time for your recovery
to begin, then your medical meeting will be delayed until you’re ready.
Don’t worry, though, as the timings are determined by what’s in your
best interest – you need to get the compensation that reflects all
you’ve been through as well as what the near and far future will likely
hold too. And should your case take longer than 6 months to settle, we’d
normally be able to secure interim payments for you from the other
party’s insurance company.
From Month 6
When your solicitor gets your medical report, a Schedule of Losses
will be created. This lists what you’re claiming compensation for, such
as pain caused by the accident, treatment costs, transport costs, and
lost earnings.
Your solicitor will discuss with you the amount you’re likely to
receive, and then send the schedule to the other party’s insurance
company together with a request for the claim to be settled for the
stated amount.
From Month 8
The majority of compensation claims in the UK are settled between
both parties, and it’s unlikely your case will go to court as the costs
are high so the insurance companies will try to avoid this option if
possible. However, if an agreement can’t be reached then it may be
necessary to pursue your claim in court. And if you’ve suffered a
serious personal injury, it’s more likely your case will go to court in
order to secure the maximum level of compensation for you.
Your solicitor will work hard to reach an agreement and once this
has happened, your solicitor will then work hard to have the cheque sent
by the insurance company as soon as possible.
Serious Injury Claims
Claims for serious or catastrophic injury compensation often take
longer than other personal injury claims because of the seriousness of
the injuries and the higher amount of compensation likely to be awarded
as a result. Because your solicitor will need to wait until you begin to
recover before arranging your meeting with a medical expert, and
because there’s a chance of court settlement, it can take longer to
settle serious injury claims.
We need to ensure everything is done properly, which can take a bit
longer when the injuries caused by the accident are more serious, to
ensure you receive the amount of compensation you deserve and are
entitled to.
However long it takes, though, your solicitor will provide constant
support and guidance – and may be able to secure interim payments for
you too.
Do You Want To Make A Claim?
We’re here for you, whenever you feel ready to make a claim or if
you simply want to get some free advice and guidance. We will work with
you at every step of the claims process, should you decide to go ahead,
and will make the experience as easy and straightforward as possible –
as we work hard and do everything we can to secure the highest level of
compensation for you.