Choosing a solicitor

It is vitally important that you find the right solicitor to represent you in your compensation claim.

The reason for this is that solicitors usually dedicate themselves to a particular area of law, for example, criminal law. So it is important that you choose someone who handles personal injury claims.

What to look for when choosing a solicitor

A personal injury solicitor will have knowledge and experience of the field of accident and injury claims and will have kept up to date with the latest developments in this field.

Another factor is that certain types of injury claims, for example those for industrial accidents require in depth knowledge of Health and Safety regulations, the occupation in question, e.g. engineering and workplace law in general.

Ask your solicitor about their level of experience in personal injury claims. If they don’t have the level of expertise which is relevant to your claim then go elsewhere.

The solicitor should conduct an initial consultation with you free of charge. They will review details of your case and will ask you questions about your injury or injuries. They will also ask to see any evidence you have to support your case.

If he or she has determined that you have a strong case for compensation then they will proceed with the claims process.

What will you have to pay?

This is an issue that worries many people when thinking about claiming compensation. Your case may be handled under the ‘no win no fee’agreement (also known as the ‘conditional fee agreement’).

This means that any legal costs and expenses will be paid for by the guilty party. This includes the solicitor’s fees.

Check with your solicitor about whether your claim can be settled or has to go to court. Your solicitor should respect your wishes if you request an out of court settlement and conversely, if you wish for your claim to be heard in court.

He or she is engaged to act on your behalf so it he/she tries to pressurise you into making a decision which is against your wishes then look for another solicitor.

What happens if you lose your claim?

What you need to be clear about is whether you are liable for any costs and/or expenses if you lose your case. Ask your solicitor about this as he/she may advise you to take out insurance to cover yourself in case this happens.

In effect, you insure your claim against the risk of losing your case.

Make sure that you have protection such as this in place in case you lose. Even if your solicitor is convinced that you cannot lose it is a good idea to safeguard your interests just in case.

Finding a solicitor

The Law Society is a good resource for finding a solicitor. They are a UK body which represents solicitors in both England and Wales and aims to protect best practice in this field. They also have a database on their website which contains contact details for numerous law firms.

Their website is: www.lawsociety.org.uk

Another good source is the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). Visit www.apil.org.uk.

If you are thinking of hiring a personal injury lawyer then for more information, visit our personal injury lawyer section.