Suffering a personal injury following an
accident that wasn’t your fault can be a traumatic experience and choosing the
right legal representation is a major factor in ensuring that you receive the compensation
that you deserve.
Many law firms offer specialist knowledge in particular areas, such as road traffic accidents, personal injury claims, medical negligence etc; but it’s not unusual for a number of larger companies to group all claims under one umbrella – so you need to be sure that the company you choose offers you the best options.
Do
your research
Spending some time doing a little research
will reveal a whole host of companies that offer a range of personal injury claim services. But make sure you look
for a company that has a good number of years’ experience when it comes to the
particular area that affects you and your accident claim.
Many
companies appear almost overnight, in order to capitalise on a number of new
claims and then disappear almost as quickly as they emerged.
You may want to consider checking whether a personal injury lawyer you intend to instruct is accredited by a recognised body such as APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers).
During your research it is also likely that
you’ll come across reviews of some legal firms and lawyers. Often people who
have experience of using a legal firm will leave feedback on their experiences
and dealing with the company – both good and bad.
Small
local firm or large national company?
There is so much high profile advertising
these days for legal firms, you may be forgiven for overlooking your local high
street solicitors.
here are a couple of factors that you need to weigh up in your mind when it comes to choosing to go for the local legalexperts or a national giant.
A local firm is more likely to have more time to spend on your case, dealing with you personally and really getting to grips with any concerns you have. However, larger companies that you may see advertising their services on TV will offer a number of alternatives. Not only will they be more experienced in a wide range of cases, but will be in a better position when it comes to choosing the strategy more likely to get the best result for you.
Check
the small print
Nearly all firms handle personal injury type
claims on a no-win no-fee basis. This means, if your case succeeds, you recover
the full value of the damages you are awarded and don’t have to pay your
lawyer’s fees; they are recovered from the opposing side.
However, if your case is unsuccessful you are potentially liable for not only your own lawyer’s fees but also those of the opposing side; as well as their expenses. In most cases though, this is usually covered by your insurance company, but be sure to clarify the details concerning payment up front so you know exactly where you stand.
Written by Matthew Crist in association with law firm Canter, Levin and Berg, who specialise in accident claims.
So if we agree to
do so, it means our expert cash advance solicitors think
you have a good chance of winning your claim.
