Making a Claim for Compensation
Accident victims are not automatically entitled to compensation. It is usually necessary to establish that the accident is someone else’s fault. For example –
- An employer may have operated an unsafe system of work or required an employee to work with unsafe equipment
- Another employee may have caused an accident at work and usually the employer will be held to blame
- A victim may have tripped in the street and the local authority may be responsible
- In a road traffic accident another car driver could be held to blame
- If an accident took place on another’s property eg in a shop, the occupier of the property could be held responsible.
Morrish Solicitors has many years experience in acting for accident victims. Clearly the circumstances of each case are unique and we therefore offer all accident victims a free half hour interview to establish whether there are grounds to pursue a claim for compensation.
How to make a claim
Our solicitors will consider whether anyone can be held to blame for your accident. This is not always straight forward and the answer cannot always be given immediately but our job is to look into each case thoroughly.
We have dealt with many thousands of cases where liability initially seemed difficult to establish but where we have ultimately brought the case to a successful conclusion.
How much can be claimed?
‘General Damages’ are awarded for the pain and suffering in respect of the injury itself.
‘Special Damages’ relate to the financial loss or expenses which have been incurred as a result of the accident. These might include loss of earnings during any absence from work, travelling expenses, medical expenses, or the cost of any care required. If as a result of your accident you are unable to return to work, you may be able to claim for future loss of earnings.
When should a claim commence?
Personal injury claims must be commenced at Court within three years of the date of the accident. In some cases, for example those relating to industrial diseases, the three year period starts when the injured person first knew or ought to have known that their condition was work related. If you are not sure when this would be, our solicitors would be happy to advise you.
Paying for compensation claims ‘No Win No Fee’
You may be fortunate enough to have the backing of a trade union. We deal with thousands of claims every year on behalf of trade union members, recovering compensation on their behalf. We also deal with personal injury claims on a ‘No Win No Fee’ basis. This means that unless we win your case, you will not pay our costs.
How long will the case take?
Much will depend upon how easy it is to establish liability and the seriousness of the injury. Some claims can take many months to resolve and complex cases can take many years. At Morrish Solicitors, we pride ourselves in dealing with claims as quickly and efficiently as possible and we will keep you fully informed at all times as to how your claim is progressing.
Getting you Better, and Back to Work
We recognise that the legal system often fails accident victims. All too often, claims are settled without consideration being given to the victim’s health. Our commitment to rehabilitiation enables accident victims to recover more than compensation. It is a real chance of returning to work and a better quality of life.
Morrish Solicitors has many years experience acting for accident victims. We believe our experience in this field is second to none. Our Personal Injury team has consistently recovered headline awards for accident victims. If you would like to speak to one of our solicitors in the personal injury team about a claim for compensation, please call 033 3344 9600 or complete our contact form.