FAQs for Personal Injury
Q. What is a personal injury?
A. A personal injury can be a physical injury, disease or illness or a psychological injury or illness. Typical examples of personal injury include: an injury caused by an accident at work, a psychological injury caused by stress at work, and injury which results from a traffic accident, an injury received as a result of faulty goods or services, an injury which results from a slip, trip or fall or an injury caused in a traffic accident. Psychological illness can also be cased by bullying, harassment or discrimination in the work place.
Q. What are the advantages of using a personal injury solicitor to make a claim?
A. If you claim through Farnworth Rose Personal Injury Solicitors, we are regulated by the Solicitor´s Regulation Authority (SRA), which regulates more than 110,000 solicitors in England and Wales. Our professional team will deal with your claim directly and it will not be passed on to a third party, which can speed up the whole process.
Q. Can I make a claim for minor illness or injury after an accident which was not my fault?
A. Yes, you can make a claim for any type of injury or illness that was caused by someone else. We offer a free claim assessment so we can investigate the details of your claim, and give you guidance and advice about how best to proceed.
Q. What can I do if I suffer a personal injury that was not my fault?
A. Inform the police, if, for example, the injury resulted from a road accident, seek medical advice, even if you have only suffered minor injuries. Then contact Farnworth Rose Personal Injury Solicitors, who may be able to help you claim compensation. Where possible, take photos of the accident scene, and write down an account of the accident while the details are still fresh in your mind. Also write down the contact details of any witnesses.
Q. How much compensation can I claim after a personal injury?
A. You may be able to claim general damages and/or special damages for an injury caused by someone else. General damages are paid as compensation for injury, which can include pain and suffering or loss of future earnings. Special damages are paid as compensation for actual financial loss caused by an accident. This may include damage to belongings, travel costs, medical expenses and any other costs you have incurred as a result of the accident. The amount you will receive depends on the severity of your injuries and the expenses incurred. We will be able to give you a better idea of this when we have assessed your claim.
Q. What are the time limits for making a personal injury claim?
A. There are different time limits, depending what you are claiming for, but if you are claiming for negligence, which is the most common claim in a personal injury case, you have three years to bring the case to court. Never delay, and contact us as soon as possible if you have suffered a personal injury, as details of the accident will still be fresh in your mind and witnesses are more likely to come forward.
Q. Why not use a claims management company?
A. Disadvantages of using a claims assessor could be: a claims assessor will not be a solicitor, meaning he/she will not be able to claim compensation through the courts. This could result in you receiving much less than you are entitled to. You may also be expected to pay an assessor a percentage of any compensation you receive. Farnworth Rose Personal Injury Solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis, which means you get 100% of the compensation.
Q. How long do personal injury claims take?
A. It depends on the case. Every case is different, and once your claim has been assessed, you will be given a clearer idea of how long it is likely to take. The most important thing is reaching a successful conclusion, so the more evidence you can gather, the better.
Q. Will I have to pay an up-front fee for personal injury advice?
A. Not if you use a no win, no fee solicitor – win or lose, you won´t have to pay a penny.
Q. Who would I claim compensation from after a work accident?
A. If the negligence of your employer caused the accident at work, you would claim from his insurers. All employers are bound by law to have liability insurance, so you should never feel guilty about claiming compensation after an accident at work that was not your fault.
Q. Can I claim two years after a road accident?
A. You can make a claim for compensation up to three years after a road accident, but the sooner you make a claim, the more chance you have of success.
Q. What information will a personal injury solicitor need from me?
A. The more information you have, relating to the accident which caused personal injury, the better your chances of success when it comes to claiming compensation. Keep copies of all paperwork you signed relating to the accident, including accident book entries, police reports, medical reports, complaints books etc., and take photographic evidence where possible.
Q. Will I always have to attend court to claim personal injury compensation?
A. Not necessarily, if the third party admit liability, your claim could be settled out of court. We will be able to give you a better idea of this once we have heard back from the insurers of the third party.
Q. What is the quickest way to claim compensation?
A. Contact Farnworth Rose as quickly as possible after the accident which caused personal injury, and we can assess your claim, contact the other side´s legal team or insurers, and start the ball rolling. You may need a medical report to confirm your injuries, but we can advise you of this as soon as you contact us.
Q. If a personal injury affects my future earnings can I claim additional compensation?
A. If an accident causes personal injury, and you are unable to return to work for an extended period of time, or if you are unable to continue with normal day to day life, you could claim a substantial amount of compensation. Farnworth Rose will advise you of this when we have looked at the details of your claim, and your injuries.
Q. Can I claim for minor whiplash injury?
A. Yes, minor whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained after a road accident, particularly a rear-end shunt, and you should contact us as soon as possible if you have sustained this type of injury.
Q. Can I claim unfair dismissal for redundancy?
A. Certain procedures have to be followed by employers if they plan to make any workers redundant, and if you have been chosen unfairly for redundancy, you could claim compensation. We need to look through your claim in order to give you legal advice and guidance about redundancy, unfair dismissal and your rights in the work place.
Q. Can I claim compensation after an accident boarding a cruise liner?
A. Yes, providing the accident was caused by the negligence of the tour operator/cruise line operator. If you have tripped, slipped or fallen while boarding a cruise liner, particularly if your accident was due to unsafe flooring, you could have a case for compensation.
Q. Am I more likely to succeed with a compensation case if a group action is taken?
A. Group actions involve several people bringing the same claim against a company or tour operator. In the case of holiday illness and food poisoning, for example, group actions carry a lot of weight, as several people may have become ill at the same hotel after eating the same food. Discuss this with one of our solicitors, who will give you expert advice about the best way to make a claim.
Q. Is it possible to claim for a car accident in Spain?
A. Yes you can make a claim against any driver in Europe, but it is vital you take down as many details of the driver and vehicle as possible, to help us when you make a claim. Note down the registration number of the car where possible, and take the insurance details, as you would if you had an accident in the UK.
How long does it take to make a claim?
A. It depends entirely on the type of claim you are making, and whether or not the other party admit liability. We can explain more about this once we have assessed your claim and looked at the details more closely.
Will I have to go to court for a personal injury claim?
A. If the other party admits responsibility the case is likely to be settled out of court. However if liability is in dispute or the level of damages cannot be agreed then the case may go to court.
What are the advantages of using a personal injury solicitor?
A. Farnworth Rose Personal Injury Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitor´s Regulation Authority (SRA), which is the independent regulatory body of the Law Society of England and Wales. We offer a level of professionalism which cannot be matched by unregulated claims management companies.
Can I claim if I have already accepted a small amount of compensation?
A. It largely depends on the type of personal injury claim you are making, but you should never accept any amount of compensation from a third party until you have spoken to us, as you could be entitled to much more. If you have already accepted a compensation payout you may not be able to claim more compensation at a later date.
Can I make a claim against an uninsured driver?
A. Yes, you can claim against an uninsured driver, with our help. Always make sure, after any traffic accident, that you make a note of the registration numbers of the other vehicles involved and take witness contact details. This will help with any compensation claim in the future. If you have made a police report, make sure you get a copy of it, which will also help your case.
