Accidents and Personal Injury
Our Personal Injury Solicitors are recognised as a leading personal injury department by The Legal 500 UK, an independent and definitive guide to the best law firms in the UK. They comment that we are a 'professional and knowledgeable firm', who impress with our 'near immediate response times and giving clients confidence'. Our personal injury legal experts are all partners or solicitors and focus on serious or complex personal injury claims.
People who have suffered an injury can often face life-changing consequences. We only undertake a select number of cases to ensure we provide a proactive and focused approach to our clients in order to obtain the very best medical care, rehabilitation and support available as well as maximum compensation to enable our clients to move forward with their lives as quickly as possible.
Our clients come to us because they want a personal, face-to-face service from an expert law firm. They do not want to deal with a call centre and conduct their claim over the telephone with someone they will never meet or have their claim handled by someone insufficiently trained or skilled. You will find our personal injury solicitors prompt, responsive and sympathetic to your needs in order to resolve your claim as quickly and successfully as possible.
Our clients come to us because they want a personal, face-to-face service from an expert law firm. They do not want to deal with a call centre and conduct their claim over the telephone with someone they will never meet or have their claim handled by someone insufficiently trained or skilled. You will find our personal injury solicitors prompt, responsive and sympathetic to your needs in order to resolve your claim as quickly and successfully as possible.
We offer a Free initial meeting to discuss your claim, assess the merits of any action and to try and give you an indication of the compensation you may be entitled to and the likely duration of your case. We act for most of our clients on a no win no fee basis, or under a legal expenses insurance policy. We have disabled access at our Hornchurch and Upminster offices. If more convenient, we are happy to visit our clients at home or in hospital.
Your key contact: Stephen Green
Your key contact: Stephen Green
▼ Accidents & Personal Injury - FAQs
Below are some initial questions many personal injury clients have when they first contact us.
Q. What if I can't afford to bring a claim
A. There are a number of ways your legal costs can be funded. You might have Legal Expenses cover attached to your household or motor insurance policies or your credit cards. If you belong or used to belong to a trade union, they may fund your legal costs. If none of the above are available, we may take your case on a no win-no fee basis. If your claim is successful, we will claim your compensation and also our costs from the other side's insurance company. You will receive 100% of your compensation, but please also refer to the question below regarding compensation for further details on this.
Q. My accident happened a long time ago
A. The general rule is that you have three years from the date of the accident to issue Court proceedings against the person or organisation which caused your injury. If you do not issue Court proceedings within this time, you may not be able to bring a claim. There are exceptions to this rule (for example, in the case of a child, a claim can be made up until he/she reaches the age of 21) and so if you fall outside this time period, please contact us anyway to discuss matters further.
Q. How much is my case worth?
A. The amount of compensation (also called "damages") that you might be entitled to is split into two parts, general damages and special damages. General damages compensates you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity you have endured as a result of the accident. A medical report will be prepared on your injuries which will give us a clear idea as to the nature and extent of your injuries. Your injuries are then valued by making comparisons with awards in similar cases, guidelines published by the Judicial Studies Board and adjusting them as necessary with the benefit of our experience. Special damages compensate you for any reasonable financial losses incurred as a result of the accident such as: loss of earnings, travelling costs and care costs. Therefore, it is very important that you keep all receipts and a careful note of what you spend. We will give you a document to help you to do this.
Q. How long will my claim take?
A. We will look to finish your claim as soon as possible. However, it might not always be in your best interests to rush a claim through to completion. It all depends on the type of accident and the extent of the injuries suffered. It normally takes between 6 months to 2 years to finalise settlement of claims, but can take longer. Each case is different and we will offer you guidance on when it is appropriate to settle the claim or issue court proceedings.
Q. Will I get all of my compensation?
A. As long as you have signed the relevant paperwork, we will aim to ensure that you receive 100% of the compensation awarded to you. Only on very rare occasions will a client have to pay something from their damages and this will probably be because he/she has not kept to the terms of their agreement with us or we have not been able to recover legal costs in full.
Q. I don't want to make a claim against my employers in case I lose my job.
A. An employer is not allowed to sack you if you are injured in an accident at work. Also, please remember that by law, your employer has to have insurance to cover their employees for accidents at work. In reality, the insurance company will deal with the claim and pay your compensation, and not your employer.
Q. Will I have to go to court?
A. Most cases are settled before they go to court. However, sometimes, it may be necessary to issue court proceedings if that is the best way of getting you the compensation you deserve as quickly as possible. We will advise you fully about what to expect at any court hearing and guide you through the court process.