Personal Injury

Following an accident or injury the prospect of making a claim for compensation can be daunting. We aim to help you through the whole process, so that making a claim is not a worry or a hassle.

The exact route your claim takes from the outset to final settlement will vary greatly depending on the circumstances of your claim and the type of injury and losses you've suffered. There are, however, some common areas, and what follows offers some insight into the basic principals of making a claim.

Liability

We must investigate how the injury arose, and who can be held responsible (liable) for compensating you. In some cases this may be a very quick and simple task, but in others it can take some time. There may be a lot of information required, investigations to be made, and evidence to obtain, before a final assessment can be made. Even then the opponent may still dispute the case. In some instances it may be necessary to proceed to a court hearing to obtain a judge's ruling on the question of liability.

Financial losses

You are entitled to claim back all the out of pocket losses that have been caused as a direct result of the accident. For example, you will make trips to the doctor or hospital and you may need to take medication that you pay for which "but for" the accident is money you would not have spent. This is not an open cheque book. You must be careful to be able to justify your expenditure but if it is reasonable it can be claimed. You should try to keep as much information and evidence to support your financial losses, as possible. In many cases your financial losses will continue to be incurred over an extended period of time.

Personal injury

The key to successfully making a claim is ensuring that the expert medical evidence supporting your claim fully reflects the injuries sustained and the impact they've had on your day-to-day activities, hobbies, relationships and working life. In some cases a single medical report is all that is required. In other cases, particularly for those with long-term or multiple injuries, several reports may be required by different experts.

Negotiation and settlement

Once the issue of liability has been resolved, and the necessary evidence to prove your claim has been obtained, we will look to negotiate settlement of your claim. We will seek your instructions at every stage to ensure that you are fully aware of what is happening, and we will advise you as early as possible as to the likely value of your claim.