No Win No Fee: Dos and Don’ts for Making a No Win No Fee Claim
By: Jessica Parker | Posted: 23rd December 2009
The no win no fee claims system helps people all over the UK to gain access to justice following injuries which were not their fault. If you're looking to gain compensation following an accident or illness, there are a number of steps to take in order to make your claim. Here are the dos and don'ts for making a successful no win no fee claim which gains you the compensation you deserve.
DO: Get advice from a specialist solicitor
There are solicitors all over the country who specialise in no win no fee personal injury cases, and they are trained in every aspect f the compensation claims process. Using the services of one of these no win no fee solicitors to make your claim will give you a far better chance of being successful and in most cases will not cost you a penny in fees and costs.
DON'T: Settle for compensation without speaking to a solicitor
Large companies or organisations wishing to escape the possibility of a large compensation payout or an expensive court case often want to settle for a lower amount of compensation straight away. If this happens before you have spoken to a no win no fee solicitor, it is sensible to seek professional legal advice before accepting the compensation settlement they have offered. You may discover you are entitled to far more and once you have settled for a lower amount it could prove impossible to go back on that decision and ask for more.
DO: Collect evidence immediately
After an accident, you will have a lot of things to think about and it may be difficult to contemplate anything other than the immediate future. Taking notes might seem incongruous in the circumstances, but gathering any relevant evidence connected to the incident, such as the date, the time and the contact details of witnesses, as well as noting down the symptoms of your injuries, could prove invaluable in the long run if you end up claiming for no win no fee compensation.
DON'T: Wait for more than three years before making a claim
No win no fee compensation claims have to be made within three years of the accident which caused the injury. There are exceptions to this rule, such as asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma and asbestosis. These cases are different because symptoms may not appear until years after the exposure to asbestos.
DO: Initiate your claim as quickly as possible
Although the cut-off point for most personal injury claims is three years, it's important to remember that the earlier you make your claim, the more likely you are to succeed in gaining compensation, because soon after the accident the evidence will still be fresh and circumstances surrounding the incident more verifiable. Also, the no win no fee compensation claims process can be lengthy, so in order to help with your loss of earnings and recuperation costs you will want to gain your compensation as soon as possible by making the claim straight away.
DON'T: Worry about fees and expenses
No win no fee means that if you don't win your case, you won't have to pay a penny in fees and expenses. Even if you win, you will almost always be able to claim all of your compensation, the solicitor's fees and expenses being recovered by the other side.
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