Serious Injury - Making a Claim

We know... the impact that a serious injury can have on you and your loved ones. We can help you claim compensation for your injury and ensure you get the best possible care, rehabilitation, and the support that you need.

Accidents will happen and injuries can be suffered, but they may not always be your fault. Illness and injury can affect you both physically and financially, taking its toll on your wellbeing, limiting your activity and in many cases resulting in loss of earnings.

To pursue a successful serious injury compensation claim, it is usually necessary to establish that somebody else was at fault. If you suffer a catastrophic or life-changing injury, you can claim compensation for the pain and financial losses you experience.

What is a serious injury?

Serious injuries are catastrophic injuries that have a profound and often long-lasting impact on a person and their loved ones. Examples include:

• Amputated or lost limbs
• Industrial illness and diseases
• Brain and head injuries
• Spinal injuries
• Fatal injuries
• Clinical Negligence

Compensation for a serious injury will need to also consider the impact on your future. This could include:

• Future loss of earnings if you can no longer work, or do the same job
• Long-term care, support, and rehabilitation
• Mobility aids and transport
• Adaptations to your home, or moving to a new home
• Travel expenses
  
  

Getting the right advice and support

Although the thought of getting legal advice may be daunting, we would always recommend that you obtain legal help as soon as possible so that you can start taking advantage of the extra support and guidance available to you and your family immediately.

Claim the compensation you deserve

We are here to ensure that you get the compensation you require so that you can continue living your life without financial worries. Very often in serious injury cases, such as an injury to the brain, extensive and costly changes to your lifestyle will be necessary, such as lengthy rehabilitation and possible modifications to your home and car.

Experienced emotional support

Our medical and disability experts are experienced in dealing with cases involving brain injury, spinal injury, loss of limbs and loss of life. Therefore we understand that this is an extremely difficult and emotional time for you and your loved one. We deal with all our cases with the utmost sensitivity and care and can arrange to meet with you at home or in hospital if this is easier for you.

More than just legal advice

We know that serious injuries can be life-changing for families as well as those who’ve suffered a serious injury themselves. Our service is therefore built around the need to provide support, understanding, rehabilitation and after care just as much as legal expertise:

• We will ensure you get the very best medical care, rehabilitation, adapted accommodation and any necessary specialist equipment as soon as possible
• We can provide experienced case managers and specialist health and care professionals

If your insurer has made you an offer to settle your injury claim early, we’d advise you seek a second opinion.

How does a serious injury claim work?

1. Suffered a serious injury that wasn’t your fault?
Call for a FREE, no-obligation, chat with one of our experts.

2. Gather evidence
To help establish the likelihood of success, we will need to collate any essential evidence such as witness statements, medical reports, loss of earnings etc.

3. Needs assessment
A Rehabilitation company will be instructed and a Case Manager appointed to complete an Immediate Needs Assessment report to determine the severity of any injuries sustained. To maximise your recovery, it is important that we make any rehabilitation arrangements as early as possible.

4. Proof of blame
The legal responsibility or ‘liability’ for an accident or injury, will usually depend on whether someone was careless or “negligent.” We will perform an in-depth investigation on your behalf.

5. Arranging an interim payment
Serious injury cases can take time. An interim payment (to cover any immediate expenses) could be the difference between feeling you have to accept lower settlement quickly, and getting the full compensation payment you deserve.

6. Final outcome
Settlement agreement
A settlement agreement will be prepared detailing your compensation award breakdown.

OR

Court
It is rare that a claim will proceed to a final hearing before the court. We will advise on your best options if this happens.

How much will a claim cost?

In most cases we will pursue compensation claims on a “no win, no fee” basis (also known as a conditional fee arrangement). However, we will consider all possible methods of funding, including legal expenses insurance, trade union funding and private fee agreements.

Where claims are pursued on a conditional fee agreement, in most cases there will be no fees to pay if the claim is unsuccessful. If the claim is successful, fees may be payable, but generally those fees will not exceed 25% of the sum obtained in respect of pain suffering and loss of amenity and past recurring loss. Your legal representative should explain the position in detail before they proceed with your case.

In some cases you may be contacted by a claims handler looking to represent you, particularly if your claim has gone through an insurer. They may suggest that you must choose them or their panel solicitor to represent you, however, this is not the case, and you are free to select a solicitor of your choice and one in your locality if seeing them in person is important to you.