Personal injury lawyer

A personal injury lawyer is a legal representative with experience of handling compensation claims. He or she represents someone who has sustained a physical or psychological injury due to negligence or a lack of duty of care.

This type of lawyer has skill, expertise and knowledge in the field of personal injury claims. They may have experience in other fields but tend to specialise in personal injury claims.

Examples of these include work accidents and illnesses, road accidents, criminal injuries and medical negligence.

A personal injury lawyer has professional and ethical codes of conduct to abide by and must act in the best interests of his/her client.

Role of the personal injury lawyer

A lawyer will meet with you to discuss various aspects of your claim as well as examining any evidence you have to support it. The issue of evidence is an important one as this can help determine the outcome of your claim.

The lawyer will evaluate your claim and if he/she feels that you have a strong case with good supporting evidence, will take this on for you.

Their aim is to ensure that you receive justice and compensation with is proportionate to the extent of your injury and the impact it has had upon you and your family.

When looking for a lawyer, choose one who is accredited to the APIL.

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)

APIL are a not-for-profit organisation which consists of lawyers, solicitors and barristers with the aim of improving services for people who have suffered a personal injury.

They are constantly working on behalf of their members to promote good practice in the field of personal injury and to encourage new entrants into this field of law.

Look for an APIL accredited lawyer as this means that they will act in your best interests and provide help and support throughout the claims process.

Their website is: www.apil.org.uk

There are different levels of accreditation so check to see what level your lawyer has and what experience he/she has in handling claims for your type of injury or illness.

If you prefer there is the option of using a solicitor instead. For more information about this visit our choosing a solicitor section.