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Accident Compensation Solicitors
Frequent Question and Answers
What is no win no fee and how does it work?
Can any case be dealt with on a no win no fee contract?
Will there be lots of paperwork to complete?
If I win how much will I get?
Can I claim?
If you can answer yes to the following questions, you could be entitled to compensation.
1. Have you had an accident in the last three years?
2. Were you injured as a result of this accident?
3. Could the accident be blamed, or partly blamed on another person or organisation?
If you are still not sure if you can make a claim, don’t be afraid to ask! With Grindeys your initial consultation, either face to face at our offices or over the telephone, is with no obligation and no cost. During your consultation you will not only gain an understanding of the claim process, you can also decide if your legal advisor is someone you can trust with your compensation claim. Our solicitors are approachable, great listeners and won't use complicated legal jargon so, we’re confident that if you want to proceed with your no win no fee claim, you’ll proceed with us.
What is no win no fee and how does it work?
It really is quite simple. If your claim is successful you can, in most cases, claim back your legal advisors' bill on top of any compensation. If and when you win, the other side will pay your legal costs, and you will receive the full compensation.
So what happens if I lose my case?
If you lose we will waive any charges if you have a no win no fee contract. You may be ordered to pay both the other sides costs and your own disbursements but these can be covered by insurance. We will organise everything in such a way that ensures you don’t need to pay anything win or lose.
If it is no win no fee why do I need insurance?
Should you lose you could be ordered to pay the other side’s defence lawyers' bill and your own disbursements. A suitable insurance policy will pick up the bill on your behalf if the worst should happen.
How do I get insurance?
Many people have legal expenses cover as an add-on to their house or motor insurance and some credit card companies provide legal expenses insurance as part of their service. If you don’t have existing insurance we can arrange what is known as an "after the event insurance". This is a one off stand-alone policy that will cover you for the specific case you are pursuing. We will explain all of this, in more detail, at your first consultation.
Can any case be dealt with on a no win no fee contract?
No, in order to be suitable for No Win No Fee it must be the type of case where the other side will liable to pay your lawyers' bill on top of your compensation. Most cases are suitable but the following types are not:
a. Cases where the value of you injury is less than £1000.
b. Claims made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA cases)
c. Certain claims made against the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB)
In the above types of case you would have to pay your Lawyer out of your compensation. We will deal with CICA and MIB cases by agreeing to take a percentage of your award if you are successful.
What are disbursements?
These are sums of money that we pay out, on your behalf, to other service providers whose help is needed in getting a result for you. Such sums of money include fees paid to doctors and other experts for providing reports to help prove your claim and, to barristers who may be called in to advise on specific areas of law or to represent you in court.
Will there be lots of paperwork to complete?
A compensation claim initially requires a certain amount of paperwork to be completed and for some, particularly after suffering an injury, this can seem quite daunting. This is why after your initial free telephone consultation with your legal advisor, if you wish, we can send a representative to visit you to complete the initial paperwork. Our representative will visit you either at home or at hospital, anywhere in the UK, between the hours of 8am and 7pm.
If I win how much will I get?
This is an impossible question to answer without firstly investigating the medical position. When assessing the value of a claim the court considers the following broad categories;
a. General damages. This is the part that CANNOT be worked out using a calculator. It is a lump sum, which the court will award for the pain, suffering and general effect the injury has had on your quality of life. The sum will range from £1000 for some minor soft tissue damage that heals within a few months to £250,000 for quadriplegia.
b. Special damages. These are to reimburse specific sums of money that you have lost as a result of your accident. These can include loss of earnings, medical expenses, travel costs and damage to property.
Will I have to attend court?
Probably not as the vast majority of cases never reach trial. If your case is one of the few that cannot be settled out of court we will make sure you are fully prepared for the trial and will ensure that an experienced barrister is there to represent you on the day.
