Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Making a claim
Q. What type of claim do you accept?
Q. Does the accident have to occur in England?
Q. How do I know if I can make a claim?
Q. Am I entitled to any compensation?
Q. How much might my claim be worth?
Q. Who will actually deal with my claim?
Q. How often can I expect to receive an update on my claim?
Q. How do I make an enquiry?
Q. How long will it take before my case is settled?
Q. What happens when I win?
Q. What do I do next?
Q. Do I get a real lawyer?
Q. Why should I choose The Legal Line over other service providers?
Q. Can I make a compensation claim without instructing a solicitor?
Q. What type of claim do you accept?
A. We can help you claim compensation if you suffer a personal injury as the result of any type of accident which was not your fault. This might be a; road accident, accident at work, accident on holiday, accident in a school, college, train station, shop or nursery, an accident due to a defective product or a tripping accident caused by defective or damaged paving.
We are also able to assist with claims for industrial diseases and medical negligence. Medical negligence is now more commonly referred to as clinical negligence.
For more information about the different types of claims we can deal with, and whether you may be able to claim compensation, visit our personal injury information section or complete one of our online compensation claim enquiry forms.
Q. Does the accident have to occur in England?
A. If your accident (or illness) happened abroad we could still help if we can sue in the UK - for example if it happened on a package holiday. If you were on a package holiday booked through a UK tour operator and your accident occurred in an apartment, hotel, plane or even at the airport, we may be able to assist.
Similarly if your accident happened abroad but was the fault of your UK employer, which would include military injuries outside the UK, we may also be able to help you recover compensation.
Also, if you were injured in a road accident in another country, we can often provide advice or assist you with your personal injury claim.
If you were injured in say, a trip or fall on the public highway in another country, it is often the case that a claim cannot be pursued through the UK courts. This is because each country has its own laws, regulations and courts. You should therefore contact us to obtain specialist advice on how best to pursue your compensation claim.
Q. How do I know if I can make a claim?
A. Speak to us directly on 0800 032 8511 and we will assess whether you have a valid claim. Before starting the claims process it is important to note that all claims must have these essential features:
- The accident must have occurred within the last three years (for persons aged 18 and over). The time limit for some accidents abroad can in certain situations be less, for example 2 years.
- In any personal injury claim it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care and that they breached that duty of care (were negligent).
- The injury must have been caused by the other person's negligence and be a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence. There may also be a breach of a legal statutory provision that may result in legal liability.
- The other person or organisation must have the means to pay a sum in damages (often through their liability insurers)
- The injury must be such that it would be likely to reach a level of compensation of £1000 or more.
For more detailed information, see our 'can I make a claim' advice page.
NOTE: If there was no one else involved or you were to blame for the accident it will not be possible to claim compensation. We will do everything we can to assist you and our lawyers will accept all claims where the prospects of winning are anything over 50%.
Q. Am I entitled to any compensation?
A. After suffering any personal injury, with or without additional losses (including for example a loss of earnings), due to the negligence of another party, you are more than likely entitled to compensation. To find out call us on 0800 032 8511 or complete on of our online compensation claim forms.
Q. How much might my claim be worth?
A. The amount of compensation depends on a number of factors and every case is different. Factors include the extent of your injuries, loss of income, your losses as a result of the accident and whether you were partly to blame. Previous awards in similar cases may also be used as a guideline.
You will receive advice regarding the amount of money you are likely to receive from the lawyer who deals with your claim. To view results of some recent cases, visit our success stories page and for a basic guide, see our how much section.
Q. Who will actually deal with my claim?
A. Your claim will be handled by an expert personal injury lawyer. Our lawyers, Thompsons Solicitors, have extensive experience in all areas of personal injury and can provide specialist advice and assistance at all stages of your case.
Q. How often can I expect to receive an update on my claim?
A. Twice-monthly, or whenever there has been a development with your claim that you should be made aware of, you will be updated with a progress report.
Q. How do I make an enquiry?
A. Call us on 0800 032 8511 or simply fill in a claim enquiry form.
Q. How long will it take before my case is settled?
A. Most cases are settled in a matter of months although some are settled in weeks. Some, more complicated, cases can take a year or more. Where it may take time for the injury to stabilise or resolve, thus delaying the final assessment of damages, it may be possible to get an interim payment if the other side have admitted liability.
The sooner you take action the better, whilst events are still fresh in your mind and it is likely to be easier to contact witnesses or access the relevant records or reports.
Q. What happens when I win?
A. You will receive 100% of the compensation awarded to you. We make no deductions and you do not have to pay for our services. Our lawyers' costs will be recovered from the other side's insurance company.
There are some exceptions to this. For example, criminal injury claims and some accidents outside England and Wales. Further details can be found on our costs and risks page.
Q. What do I do next?
A. Call our help line on 0800 032 8511 or fill out an online compensation claim form and we will call you back. As soon as we have the details about your potential case we'll assess your claim and the chances of recovering compensation as quickly as possible.
One of our expert lawyers will then call you back to provide advice on whether we can assist you and how best to pursue your claim.
Q. Do I get a real lawyer?
A. The Legal Line's legal services are provided by Thompsons Solicitors, the most experienced personal injury law firm in the UK. Your case will be handled by one of their specialist lawyers.
Q. Why should I choose The Legal Line over other service providers?
A. The service provided by The Legal Line lawyers is completely cost free in England and Wales (see our costs and risks page for full details and any exceptions). Your claim will be handled in an efficient manner by a specialist lawyer with extensive experience in your type of case, and you will keep every penny of the compensation.
Q. Can I make a compensation claim without instructing a Solicitor?
A. The choice is yours as to whether you deal with making a claim yourself or instruct a solicitor; however, dealing with a claim yourself is very time consuming and complicated. You may also find that you are not taken seriously by the insurance company involved and may only be offered a small amount of compensation. The insurers may even approach you directly, hoping that they can settle your case more cheaply than if you are advised by lawyers.
The Legal Line's Solicitors have recently won £2,250 of compensation for a person who initially tried to deal with their claim themselves and was only offered £500. In another case, they managed to recover £1,000 when the insurers would not offer anything to the client when he dealt with them himself.
Remember, The Legal Line's Solicitors recover their costs from the responsible person's insurance company and do not deduct anything from your compensation (see our costs and risks page for full details and any exceptions). As our service is free to you, why not make use of our solicitors' expertise?
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Testimonials
"It wasn't realistic for me to work any more and the loss of my income placed an additional strain on us."
Jane Evans
Mother of Rebecca
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