FAQs

In general, you can always instruct a personal injury solicitor to help you, but things get a bit more complicated when it comes to funding. If your accident was on or after 31^st May 2021, and you suffered whiplash injuries whilst you were inside a vehicle (either as a driver or passenger), your claim will have to go through the Official Injury Claim portal. This process does not allow any legal fees to be recovered as part of your claim, effectively giving you the choice of going without legal support, or paying for it yourself. Unfortunately, because injury compensation awards are also lower within the Official Injury Claim process, paying for legal support yourself would almost certainly leave you worse-off financially. More on these reforms to whiplash claims can be found in our guide and FAQ. If the above does not apply to your situation, for example, if you suffered more serious injuries or you were injured whilst riding a bike or motorcycle, you can avoid the Official Injury Claim process and Truth Legal can likely offer to help you through a No Win, No Fee Agreement.    

Payment of compensation often depends on how long it takes for your personal injury claim to be concluded. Compensation is usually paid at the end of a claim. Sometimes, however, the party you are claiming from may agree to advance small amounts of compensation to you whilst your claim is ongoing. These are called interim payments.

If you have received a compensation offer to settle your claim, you are entitled to accept it if you wish. It is also possible to instruct your solicitors to make offers of settlement to try and bring a claim to a close. However, settling a claim is usually not recommended if you are still suffering from your injuries. It is important to ensure that any compensation offers take into account the full extent of your injuries and losses. This is because, once a personal injury claim has been settled, you cannot claim more compensation for that injury or its consequences at a later date. More information on this can be found in our blog post: ‘When should I settle my personal injury claim?’

Road traffic accidents are the most common kind of accident which gives rise to a personal injury claim. However, accidents in public places (such as slips, trips and falls) and accidents at work are also very common.

Truth Legal does offer free initial consultation sessions. We understand that you may want to discuss your situation before deciding whether to make a personal injury claim. These consultation sessions provide you with this opportunity without any cost or obligation to proceed further. If you would like to book a free initial consultation, please contact us.

Many prospective claimants want to know the time it will take to conclude a personal injury claim. Unfortunately, it is difficult to give a meaningful idea. Many things can affect a case’s duration: such as recovery times, the time needed to gather the required evidence, and how quickly other parties respond. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from several months to several years – although cases at the upper end of this are normally those involving very severe injuries.

If you have lost your personal injury claim, you will not receive any compensation for your injuries, or for any other losses you may have incurred due to the accident. Personal injury claims can fail for a variety of different reasons. However, if your claim failed because of something your solicitor did or did not do – to the extent that their conduct fell below required professional standards – you may be able to bring a professional negligence claim against them.

Truth Legal always aims to conduct personal injury claims on a No Win, No Fee basis wherever possible. This minimises any financial risks from bringing a personal injury claim. You can read more about No Win, No Fee agreements here.

This is a very open question as personal injury compensation is valued using lots of different pieces of information. If you are trying to find out how your injury may be valued, it may be more helpful to look up compensation awards for similar injuries. For more information on this, have a look at our ebook: ‘The Ultimate Personal Injury Compensation Guide’.

Only a very small proportion of personal injury claims ever go to trial. Even when court proceedings begin in a claim, it does not mean that the case will automatically go to a court hearing. By Truth Legal’s estimates, only about 1% of our personal injury cases are concluded with a trial.

You can represent yourself in a personal injury claim – there is no legal requirement to instruct a solicitor. Following the changes to road traffic accident claims on 31^st May 2021, you may have to represent yourself if you suffered a whiplash injury as a car driver or passenger. More information on these changes can be found in our whiplash reforms guide. However, there are many challenges to acting without legal support. A personal injury claim is a lot to take on by yourself, especially if you are still suffering from your injuries. The party you are claiming from may also try to take advantage of your situation. For example, an insurance company, with its huge financial resources, could work to prolong your claim, in the hope that you will settle too soon or abandon your claim altogether.

Even if you have already started a personal injury claim with a law firm, you are completely within your rights to switch your claim to a different firm of solicitors. It is your choice who you instruct to handle your personal injury claim, and if you are not receiving the service and legal support you deserve, you should seriously consider changing your lawyers to a better firm.

Good personal injury lawyers will have extensive experience of personal injury claims, comprehensive knowledge of personal injury law, and will be able to devote time and understanding to your claim. If your lawyer lacks one or more of these things, they may not be best-placed to handle your claim.

The most important thing, when you have slipped and fallen at work, is to focus on your well-being. Consider your injuries, ask for help or first aid if needed, and ask a colleague to call an ambulance if you have suffered more serious injuries. Any kind of personal injury claim should only ever be a secondary consideration.

There are legal time limits on all personal injury claims. If you miss the deadline, you may be unable to make your personal injury claim. In England and Wales, you must usually settle your claim within three years of the date on which you sustained your injury. Alternatively, you can start court proceedings within this time limit to protect your right to claim. There are some exceptions to these rules, so you should always discuss this with a specialist personal injury solicitor when considering a claim.

The first step to making a personal injury claim should be to obtain legal advice from a specialist personal injury solicitor. A solicitor with knowledge and experience of personal injury claims will be able to advise you on whether you have good grounds to make a personal injury claim.

A personal injury claim is a form of legal action in which you seek compensation for injuries (and other kinds of harm) you have suffered in an accident. Personal injury claims are made against the people you believe to be legally responsible for your injuries. However, they will often be paid and ‘defended’ by any insurance companies involved.