Certainly not the Ghostbusters! But it can be a confusing time when you’ve had an accident to know exactly what to do. With so many law firms out there all promising to deal with your claim in the best way, who should you go with? If you’ve had a road accident, you’re probably being inundated with calls from the other driver’s insurers offering you quick cash settlements, and your own insurers are probably calling you to make you go with their own appointed legal team!
It’s confusing!
So, here’s a little advice on what to look for in a law firm, and what to avoid. But first things first; take a breather, and do your homework!
Injury Lawyer – Get Your Own!
Never let another company, especially your own insurers, a breakdown or garage service, or any other company whatsoever offer to “pass you to the best lawyer”. Avoid them at all costs! The clue as to why you must avoid them is in the statement: Costs!
If you let your insurers appoint their own “in house”, or “appointed”, or “recommended” lawyers, you’re in for a rough ride. All the insurance companies do is sell the claim on to the highest bidding law firm on their panel. It’s often known as Legal Expense Insurance, or Legal Protection, and it’s an absolute scam. The money the lawyer wastes on buying your case comes straight from the running costs of your claim – leaving you with a poor service, and a lawyer with less money to fight harder for a top payout.
The Law Society and Bar Council have recommended referral fees be stopped as they limit access to justice and reduce the quality of legal services on offer. It’s a recognised problem…
Avoid any Claims Management Companies as well – go direct to the source and skip the middlemen who are ready to take a cut from your claim; whether it’s a percentage or a fee for their service, a middleman will always charge! After all, they don’t exist to pass claims around out of good will. And never deal with the other side direct. You need an independent injury lawyer on your side to fight your corner!
Get the REAL No Win No Fee
It’s now a generic term many people are aware of. But there are a lot of different forms of No Win No Fees, so it’s handy to know what to look out for:
- It should do exactly what it says on the tin; if your claim loses, you should pay nothing at all to your lawyer. Losses can be covered under an insurance policy your solicitor can take out on your behalf: known as After the Event Insurance. This is normal, but make sure you pay nothing towards it – ever!
- If your claim is a winner, you still should pay nothing. You should get 100% of the compensation you are awarded – it’s your money, and a solicitor should never take anything away from it as there fees are recovered back from the other side. A Genuine No Win No Fee means legal fees are limited to whatever is recovered from the other insurers –so, if the agreements the real deal, your solicitor can’t charge you for a successful claim! Look out for terms such as “solicitor seeks to recover your fees” of “if fees cannot be recovered, you are responsible for any outstanding amount”. Avoid these at all costs”
A lot to take in, isn’t it? The above two major factors are key to ensuring you get a top lawyer and a quality service. Ensure your lawyer:
- Is independent – no middlemen involved to take a cut from your claim.
- Is a real specialist injury lawyer – avoid the claims companies and get an APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) accredited specialist.
- Offers a Genuine No Win No Fee – protecting you from any charges whatsoever.
- Offers a great service as standard. E.g. How often will they update you? Are there medical and treatment services on offer at no charge?
Ensure you ask as many questions as possible and pick your own lawyer. For more advice, feel free to get in touch!
