UK Personal Injury Solicitors, No Win No Fee service

Road Traffic Accidents . Accidents at Work . Slipping Accidents . Medical Negligence

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Whether or not you choose to instruct one of our specialist Panel Solicitors, you are very welcome to use the resources on this website. If you are considering a local firm of solicitors we hope the information on this page would help you to choose the right solicitor for your type of accident. However, please note that our services are available throughout England and Wales, and that it is far more important to choose a highly skilled specialist personal injury solicitor, than one who is just located near you. Distance should not be the deciding factor as matters can be easily dealt with over the telephone and through the post.

1. A successful personal injury claim will provide you with a lump sum of money, to help you to get your life back on track. While money can hardly compensate for broken bones, the money might be needed to pay for special nursing needs and to make up for any loss of earnings - yours and/or that of your family.

2. By reporting the accident and making a claim for compensation, you are helping to prevent future accidents. This is because safer practices and working conditions often only come about because of the investigations instigated by a claim. In serious accidents, the Health and Safety Executive will be involved.

3. There is very little work on your part, once you have instructed a competent solicitor to act for you. You could leave it all to the experts and just focus on recovering from your injuries and getting on with your life.

You should only instruct a solicitor. All solicitors practising in England and Wales are regulated by the Law Society and must have Professional Indemnity Insurance to protect their clients.

Only a solicitor can issue court proceedings and brief a barrister on your behalf.

When you contact Accident Claims Direct, a leading firm of specialist personal injury solicitors will be instructed to act for you.

Your choice of solicitor could affect how much compensation you get and how quickly you get it.

1. To achieve the right level of compensation, you must have an experienced solicitor who is competent and skilled in the complexities of personal injury claims. Ideally the firm you select should either specialise in personal injury claims or has a personal injury department comprising of solicitors specialising in personal injury claims.

With Accident Claims Direct, a leading firm of specialist personal injury solicitors will be instructed to act for you. Your case will be assigned to a solicitor, with whom you will have direct contact throughout the case. He or she would have the resources of a team of support and investigative staff to work on your case, as and when necessary. Should your case go to trial (although only a very small percentage of cases do) a barrister would normally be instructed to represent you.

2. Choose your solicitor carefully if you want to receive all the money awarded to you as compensation. Not all solicitors would return 100% of your compensation - many take a percentage of your compensation as part of their fees.

With Accident Claims Direct,
1. Your solicitor will return 100% of your compensation.
2. You do not have to pay any disbursements - win or lose.

Win or lose - you don't have to pay a penny. This is possible because of the following:

1) The "fee-shifting" rule in English law meant that the loser pays most of the winner's costs, including solicitor� fees and disbursements.
2) The availability of "After-the-Event" insurance that protects you against costs should you lose.

What is involved in a Personal Injury claim?
To succeed in a claim for compensation, your solicitor will have to show that a third party was responsible for the accident and that you have suffered damages as a result.

If the third party, or their insurers, dispute liability, your solicitor will need to obtain evidence to prove otherwise. This involves obtaining documents, witness statements and possibly expert reports.

When liability is established, or admitted, your solicitor will have to prove the value of your claim by obtaining medical evidence to substantiate the nature of your injury. A schedule of financial losses and expenses is then produced to prove these losses and to show that they are reasonable.

Will I have to go to Court?
We understand that you might be wary of going to Court. However, the vast majority of personal injury claims for compensation never go to trial - most claims are settled following negotiations with the insurance companies.

Will I have to visit my solicitor's office?
No, we understand that your injuries might make it difficult for you to
travel to see your solicitors. If necessary, your solicitor will visit you.
Usually matters can dealt with by telephone and correspondence so you should not have to attend any meetings. This also means that we can appoint the very best firms of personal injury solicitors throughout the UK to handle your case even if they are nowhere near where you live.

What happens if I lose?
All clients are provided with insurance cover against the risk of losing the
claim. If you lose you do not have to pay anything. The insurance policy will pay your own solicitor's costs as well as the costs incurred by the other side - if costs are awarded against you.

What happens if I win?
All costs, including the insurance premium, will be claimed from the other side (under the provisions of the Access to Justice Act 1999) and, unlike many others, your solicitor won't deduct a penny from your award. We guarantee that if you are successful you will receive 100% of your compensation.

What types of accidents can I claim for?
There is no finite list of the the type of accidents for which you are entitled to claim compensation. Accidents and injuries can and do happen in all kinds of places. As long as it can be shown that the accident was not your fault and that someone else is responsible you should be able to make a claim for compensation. If you have been injured in any accident within the last three years - give our Accident Helpline a call for an assessment of your claim.

Click below to access the further details on: