Busting Myths and Misconceptions about Personal Injury Claims.

With numerous myths surrounding the complexity, cost and time involved in bringing a personal injury claim, people can be deterred from making a claim for compensation. However, if you have been injured and it was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation.

Myth: making a claim is too complicated

Starting a personal injury claim can seem like a daunting idea, but we have a team of highly experienced lawyers who are able to assist you every step of the way. We will assess the case based on three criteria:

• That the injury has occurred within the last three years (according to the Limitation Act 1980)
• That the other party was to blame in our consideration, and
• That the defendant owed you a duty of care

We will get some details from you about your accident and ask you to provide any evidence you might have to help strengthen your case. This might include:

• Photographs of the scene of the accident and your injuries
• Details of any potential witnesses
• A written account of how the accident has affected you
• We will also refer you to a medical expert who will produce a report describing the cause and seriousness of your injuries, and the extent to which they have affected your life

These will help us build a case for your personal injury claim. We will guide you through the process, doing most of the hard work for you.

Myth: claiming is too expensive

A common misconception is that it is expensive to make a personal injury claim. The majority of cases are actually funded on a no win, no fee basis with a conditional fee agreement. This means that clients pay nothing unless they win, when most legal costs will be recovered by the opponent. If your claim is successful, you will be charged a ‘success fee’ out of your compensation. This amount will have been agreed before starting your case, but this will be a relatively small portion of the money you receive.

Myth: it takes too long to get any benefit from making a claim

It is a misunderstanding that claimants have to wait a prolonged period of time to see any benefit from a claim. On the contrary, fast-track claims, where liability is admitted early on, can be settled within months. How long it takes a claim to be settled depends on several factors, including the amount of compensation being claimed, the complexity of the case, and whether liability is accepted or denied by the other party. Although high value and complex personal injury claims can take a long time to reach a conclusion, we are often able to arrange interim payments to start the rehabilitation process as soon as possible.

Myth: people who make a claim for compensation are just after free money

Some people think that certain claimants making personal injury claims are trying it on to get some free money. This is certainly not the case, as the vast majority of claims are legitimate and sometimes involve tragic life-changing injuries. If someone has suffered injuries and losses due to someone else’s failures, they should be entitled to compensation to try and place them in the same position they would have been in had the negligence not occurred. If you have been injured and it was not your fault, you should not feel guilty about claiming for compensation.

Myth: I will have to go to Court

Many people are deterred from pursuing a claim as they think all personal injury claims end up in Court. Conversely, many personal injury claims are settled without the Court being involved. Of those where Court proceedings are started, less than 5% reach a final hearing in Court, with most being settled well beforehand.

If you have suffered an injury and are interested in seeking compensation, please contact a member of our team.