It’s a big question – and the answer, we say, is yes! But of course it’s always the choice of the individual as to whether they wish to claim for compensation or not.
When it comes down to it, if you are injured in an accident that was not your fault, but the fault of another person or a company, you are normally entitled to claim for compensation. For example – if a driver drives in to the back of your car because they’ve failed to stop in time; you can claim for compensation from them. If you slip in a supermarket because of water on the aisles; you can claim for compensation. If you are injured at work because you were not provided with adequate personal protective equipment; you can claim for compensation.
It’s called the law of tort – or the law of negligence. Simply put, if you suffer because of someone else’s negligence, you can claim for compensation from them. In practically all instances, insurance is in place to investigate claims and ultimately pay out. There is often a bit of hostility towards the idea of claiming; a lot of people are under the impression that it’s just one big money making scheme! But it’s important to remember that the victims we assist are injured and suffer through no fault of their own, and often lose money.
Compensation comes in to two parts – one part to cover the victim for their suffering and the general inconvenience of the injury, and the second to cover their losses. It’s common for victims to be off work for a couple of weeks (or even more), pay out for medication, or pay for treatment. These are expenses we can recover back for the victim – at the end of the day, this is money they’re losing – so it’s only fair!
The money for the claim usually comes from insurance. Insurance is there for this very reason; to cover their policyholder for claims against them. So there’s no need to feel too guilty about it – your claim is covered and the insurance is there to be claimed from!
For advice on claiming and what it’s all about, don’t hesitate to give us a call for a free, no obligation chat about claiming.
