Specialist Personal Injury/Accident Compensation Claim Solicitors
Accidents are unfortunately a regular occurrence of day to day life, and clients often ask us whether they are entitled to compensation and how to go about taking personal injury claim. In fact the most recent survey by research company YouGov found that a full 18% of adults in the UK had been the victim of some type of personal injury in the preceding five years. And the survey found that half of those injuries were caused by road traffic accidents and 16% by work accidents.
Here are Bonallack and Bishop we are personal injury specialists – with an accredited member of the Law Society’s own Personal Injury panel – and can see you at any one of our four offices – Salisbury, Fordingbridge, Andover and Amesbury We also offer home and hospital visits to those unable to travel.
The team handle claims for Personal Injury Compensation not just regionally throughout Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset, Berkshire and Gloucestershire,but for clients nationwide.
We always offer FREE initial phone advice, and a FREE initial first interview for all personal injury claims, face-to-face or on Zoom video. And that means you can find out your chances of making a successful compensation claim without an expensive legal bill.
Call FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 or locally on 01722 422300
We deal with most types of Accident and Injury Claims using no win no fee agreements.
How you can tell our personal injury claims solicitors are genuine specialists
Not only are our Accident Claim Solicitors members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, but the team also includes a fully accredited member of the Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel
But why should I claim compensation?
Many people don’t make an Accident Compensation Claim because they feel their injuries were only minor, or don’t want the stress of making a claim. However no matter how serious or minor your injuries are, if you didn’t cause them, it is only fair you get compensation. From minor whiplash accidents to the most traumatic brain injury, anyone who has been genuinely disadvantaged through no fault of their own deserves some level of Accident Compensation.
- Practical support
One of the main reasons for making a personal injury claim for compensation is for wholly practical reasons. For instance, if you have been unable to work because of your injury, you will have lost money – you will still need to live and will have bills to pay and the chances are that you may have a family to provide for, too. You may also have had to incur extra expenses as a result of your injury, and you shouldn’t be left out of pocket for something that wasn’t your fault.
Furthermore, some more serious injuries can result in lifelong disability. You may need special equipment, or require your home to adapt, for example, to improve the quality of your life.
So, though no amount of money will ever make up for your injury, especially if it was particularly distressing, it can certainly help you get back on your feet and make sure you are able to meet your financial obligations while you are getting better.
- You have a right
If you have been the victim of an accident or injury that wasn’t your fault, you are entitled to claim the compensation you deserve. Some people may decide not to claim, but many others do decide to claim compensation for their injuries, and may sometimes really need that compensation to help them adapt following the accident.
- Reducing worry
Knowing that you are covered financially can also give you peace of mind, which can help the recovery process. It might not remove all your problems but if you have one less thing to worry about, it can be easier to start on the road to recovery and to move on from what happened.
Specialist Accident Compensation Claims
Our specialist Personal Injury Claims Solicitors provide expert legal advice for a wide-range of accident compensation including the following :
- Accident claims for pedestrians
- Accidents/injury abroad including:
- Accidents whilst working abroad
- Cruise line injuries
- Holiday accident claims
- Hotel illness claims
- Cycling injury compensation
- Fatal injury claims and inquests – click here for more information about our specialist inquest service
- Head/brain injury compensation
Click here to find out more about head injury claims
- Horse injury compensation
Click here to find out more about Horse accident claims
- Industrial disease compensation includes:
- asbestosis compensation
- pleural plaques claims
- mesothelioma compensation
- vibration white finger claims
- industrial deafness/hearing loss compensation
Click here to read more about industrial disease claims
- Industrial injury/accidents at work
- Medical negligence compensation.
Click here for more information about making a medical negligence claim
- Military accident claims ( including Navy, RAF and MOD compensation claims- but we do not handle any claims against the Armed forces compensation scheme
- Motorbike claims
- Neck injury claims
- Repetitive stress injury (RSI) claims
- Road traffic/car accidents and pedestrian accident claims
- Spinal injury compensation.
Click here for more information about making a spinal negligence claim
- Sports injury claims
- Trips and slip injury compensation
- Whiplash compensation claim
We are specialist personal injury claim solicitors and our team’s medical knowledge enables us to instruct the right experts and get you the compensation you deserve. We have helped hundreds of clients claim accident compensation for all types of injury.
Please note, however we are also unable to assist with claims with regard to the following:
- Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund
- Any claims against the Police
What can I claim compensation for?
If you had an accident in the last 3 years that was not your fault, you may be entitled to an Injury Claim. And most people tend to think of compensation as one lump sum, but it’s actually calculated according to a number of different factors. Your compensation is split into the following categories:
- Damages for out of pocket expenses – Financial losses are obviously easier to quantify than general lifestyle losses, which is why they’re accounted for separately in a Schedule of Loss as part of your injury claim.Loss of earnings is the most apparent form of financial loss, so if your particular injury has caused you to take time off work and lose pay, this will be reimbursed in the final settlement.You can also claim back the time for anybody who has had to care for you, at an hourly rate, as well as claiming for any treatment that you’ve had to pay for privately.In the same way, it’s possible to claim for anything you’ve had to pay out for as a result of the injury, such as phone calls to medical specialists, travel costs to hospital or solicitor appointments, prescription costs, postage of documents and so on. For this reason, it’s vitally important to keep track of all your expenses.
- Damages for future expenses. If your injury is severe, you may be able to claim for expenses in the future including future lost earnings, future care, the cost of adapting accommodation, the cost of buying an adapted car etc.
- Damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA) These are damages for your physical injury, the fact that you may have problems going about your day to day activities or cannot enjoy hobbies you were involved in before the accident. They are assessed with reference to previous cases or people with similar injuries. The independent doctor helps us work out how serious your injury is, and how much pain and suffering that it’s caused you. This will be influenced by how severe your injury is, and the length of time it’s caused you to suffer. The award will also reflect any psychological trauma or damage arising from the injury.
So if your injury has restricted your domestic, social or professional life in any way, then there is a good chance that you will be awarded compensation for it. For example, if you were in the habit of playing 5-a-side football once a week before the accident, and you’re no longer able to do so, this would be classed as a “loss of amenity”.
Personal injury claims – proving your case
To make a claim for accident compensation, you must prove that;
1. a person owed a duty to take care of you and broke that duty
2. your injuries are related to the accident
A simple example is a driver of a car hit from behind by another vehicle and suffering a whiplash injury. All drivers have a duty to take care of other road users, and if they do not drive safely and cause an accident, then a compensation claim can be made.
Another example is of a person who has had an accident at work. Perhaps they were asked to lift a load that was too heavy for them. All employees have to provide workers with a safe system of work. Getting someone to lift a heavy load on their own could be grounds for a compensation claim. The same rules apply whether you are a permanent employee or a contractor.
How do I prove that my injuries are related to my accident?
There is often a direct link between the accident and the injury eg a car driver who is hit from behind by another driver and has a whiplash injury can directly link the two. The person who lifts a heavy load and immediately has back pain can also establish a link.
Sometimes it is harder to establish a link. For example, a secretary who develops wrist problems may initially think that she started it digging the garden. It is only when symptoms persist that she realises the pain may be linked to typing all day.
To prove a link between injury and accident, our specialist accident claim Solicitors instruct an independent doctor to examine you and prepare a report. We work with doctors all the time and have links with very experienced doctors who are used to helping victims of accidents.
I had pre-existing condition – can I still claim compensation?
A popular misconception exists that if you have a pre-existing condition you will not be entitled to make an injury claim. This is not true if we can prove that your new injury made your pre-existing condition much worse – or causes a condition that you may not have even been aware of to suddenly develop.
Compensation Claim funding
Our injury Solicitors operate various funding schemes for Accident Compensation Claims.
- We are approved by most legal expenses Insurers who will pay your legal costs
- We offer No Win No Fee schemes (also known as conditional fee agreements)
Click here to find out more about how our no win no fee solicitors work. - You get to keep your compensation. Our fees are paid by the Defendants when you win
- We offer FREE initial interviews to see if you have an Accident Claim, and if so what is the likely level of compensation – without having to pay a Solicitor
Legal expenses insurance for personal injury claims
Our Accident Compensation Claim Solicitors increasingly find that clients have legal expenses insurance attached to their car, household, contents or credit card insurance policies. Please check those insurance policies current at the time of your accident to see if you have this cover before seeing your solicitor. If you have insurance cover please ring for a claim form and bring it to the first meeting with your solicitor who can help you complete it. Legal expenses insurance is not back-dated so it is important to make a compensation claim on the policy early on.
We are on the solicitors’ panel of most legal expenses insurers.
How No Win No Fee works
Many people are reluctant to approach Solicitors to make a personal injury claim because they worry about legal costs. However, you don’t need to worry if you instruct a No Win No Fee Solicitor. Under a No Win No Fee agreement, Solicitors agree not to charge any fees unless they win your case.
It’s important to take legal advice from our Injury Solicitors as soon as possible after your accident – time limitation periods apply and it is often easier investigating your Compensation Claim if you take early legal advice.
At your first free interview with us, our Personal Injury Lawyers can tell you whether your Accident Compensation Claim is worth pursuing. We recommend you make notes about the circumstances of your accident and keep a diary of events.
Personal injury claims – home and Hospital visits available
If your injuries are serious and as a result, you can’t travel, don’t worry – one of our team can visit you at home or in hospital. Please contact us to book an appointment.
My child was injured – how do we claim?
It is possible to make compensation claims on behalf of children. Children need an adult to act for them – called a ‘litigation friend’. Usually, the litigation friend is the child’s mother or father, but grandparents and aunts and uncles can also act.
When a child’s claim is settled, the settlement has to be approved by the Court. There will be a short Court hearing, usually a formality. The Court will invest the money on behalf of the child until they reach 18.
A member of my family was killed in an accident – can I claim compensation?
If there has been a fatal accident, the remaining spouse, partner of more than 2 years or children and sometimes other dependents, can claim a bereavement award, currently fixed at £12,890 (as of November 2017), plus funeral expenses, and sometimes money for future upbringing. We can advise you further about this at the initial interview, which is always free.
Don’t delay your claim – time limits for personal injury claims
Time limits for accident claims are strict –
- Road accidents, accidents at work, slip/trip accidents etc – 3 years.
- If you did not know of your injury until after your accident (eg suffering an industrial disease following exposure to a chemical )– 3 years from the date you knew your disease was linked to your exposure to the chemical.
- Accidents involving children – 3 years after their 18th birthday.
- For a person who is mentally ill and subject to a Court of Protection Order– 3 years from when they recover and can handle their own affairs again.
- Claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority – 2 years.
- Accident claims arising abroad or on airways – these can vary from as little as one year. Take legal advice immediately after an accident.
I had a work accident and am worried my employer will sack me if I claim compensation
Your employee cannot sack you for making a compensation claim. If you have worked for your employer for over one year, you can claim unfair dismissal if this happens.
I was the victim of a criminal assault – can I recover compensation?
You can claim compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if you have received an injury as a result of a criminal assault. The CICA is a Government-run compensation scheme. It is easy to apply for but it takes about 18 months to 2 years for a decision to be made.
Making the most of your 1st appointment
At your 1st appointment, it will help us if you can let us have as much of the following information as possible – in writing if possible.
- Your full name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number and marital status and date of your accident.
- If you were driving a car, details of the make of car and the model, registration number and your own insurance policies (including home contents and buildings cover).
- If you were driving a car, details of the other person’s insurance.
- A summary of the accident – and if possible a diary of events,.
- Details of any communications with the police.
- A summary of your injuries and where you have been treated
- Any correspondence with the hospital and all your appointment cards
- A summary of any out of pocket expenses you have incurred, eg lost earnings, prescriptions, travel, care – and receipts for any equipment you had to or services rendered for your injuries
- Anything else you have that you believe is relevant to your accident claim.
- If the accident happened at work then you will need to let us have a copy of your employment contract
Protecting your compensation money with a Personal Injury Trust
Receiving a sizeable compensation settlement following an accident can affect your ability to claim means-tested benefits – which mean your entitlement to these payments could be reduced or even suspended.
The answer may be a personal injury trust. Our team includes a highly specialist trusts solicitor – who, for some years,used to lecture to other solicitors nationwide on trusts.
Click here to find out more about how our Trust Solicitors can help.
Contact our Accident Compensation Claim Solicitors ASAP
Our Personal Injury Solicitors can see you in our Salisbury, Fordingbridge, Andover or Amesbury offices and we have interviewing facilities in West Dorset. Our compensation team also regularly represent clients locally in Wiltshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Dorset and throughout England and Wales.
For legal advice from expert Personal Injury Claims Solicitors, call us today.
FAQs
Is it worth using a no win no fee solicitor?
If you do not have the funds to pay a solicitor upfront or you would rather not pay in this way, a no win no fee medical negligence claim gives you the opportunity to obtain compensation without any financial risk.
You can decide which funding option is right for your circumstances. Provided that you choose a solicitor with genuine medical negligence expertise, using a no win no fee solicitor is usually worthwhile if you want your fees covered at the outset. The other side will generally pay your legal costs if you win. You can put after the event insurance in place that will cover you in respect of the other side’s legal fees should you not be successful.
How long does a no win no fee case take?
The time it takes to complete a medical negligence claim will depend on several factors, including the severity of your injuries and whether the other side admits liability.
If your injuries are severe, it is often advisable not to settle too quickly. This is to allow us time to assess how well you are healing and what, if any, long-term help you may need.
The most extreme cases can take many years to complete. In this case, we can ask for interim payments to give you financial support while your claim is ongoing.
In less severe cases and where the other side admits liability, a case can often be resolved within a year or two.
