Wednesday 17 October 2012

Opt For an Out of Court Settlement with Your Personal Injury Solicitor


There are various reasons behind hiring a personal injury solicitor when you are filing a claim for compensation. The biggest reason of course is the fact that there is simply too much technicalities involved that, as a layman, you will not be able to take care of. Secondly, only a person experienced in this particular field, in short, a professional, will be able to draw up the details accurately and guide you through the entire process. It might not be possible for the layman to know all the tiny details that need to be looked into while filing a case for compensation. Moreover, in certain cases, the best bet might seem to be to go for an out of court settlement; while you might not be able to decide the right time as well as the compensation amount you should be settling on, an experienced lawyer will be able to decide upon these details accurately. For the above-mentioned reasons, it is always safe to hire personal injury solicitors in a personal injury compensation case, even if you are going for an out of court settlement.

Knowing When the Time is Ripe

According to statistics, most personal injury cases in the United Kingdom are settled out of the court; hardly few are taken to court if the two parties are unable to reach an agreement suitable to both. It is important to understand, however, when it is actually prudent to go for an out of court settlement; it might not always be the wisest decision. Your solicitor will be able to tell you when it is good to go for an out of court settlement instead of taking the case to court.

• A settlement without a trial is usually preferred by the plaintiff, especially because it involves his or her exemption from bearing the legal expenses- of both sides, if the situation arises. The same can be said, however, even for the claimant. A claims case, even if it has been filed under a no win no fee agreement, can turn out to be pretty expensive.

• The process of coming to an agreement without taking the case to court is usually a pretty simple one, without any of the legal hassles, for both parties.

• Your personal injury solicitor will advise you to opt for an out of court settlement if the respondent is willing to agree to your terms that are largely in your favour.  Of course, in such cases, the agreement needs to be mutually beneficial.

• It is advisable to go for a settlement with the respondent if the compensation amount that has been drawn up is not very large. In such a case, it is always advisable to come to a speedy conclusion instead of taking on a court case; this way, you can spare yourself the expenses that involve legal cases.

Very naturally, it is not possible for laymen to recognise the various circumstances that would warrant an out of court settlement. This is where the expertise of experienced personal injury solicitors comes in handy, so that you can get your rightful compensation without going into any of the legal hassles.

Friday 12 October 2012

Letting Go of Your Personal Injury Solicitor: The Whys and the Hows


personal injury solicitor
Appointing the right kind of a personal injury solicitor is definitely one of the most difficult parts of filing a compensation claim. Considering the huge number of attorneys one is bound to come across while looking for one, the task might well become tougher than finding the proverbial needle in the haystack; tiresome and back-breaking. There are several reasons to ensure that the attorney you choose is absolutely the perfect one for your case. First of all, you should only choose the lawyer who specialists in the field you will be filing your claim in. Secondly, money is a huge factor, and you need to appoint the lawyer who fits your budget. It is of the utmost importance to ensure that there are no misunderstandings and doubts when the case is in progress; every point should be cleared up to avoid any ugly scene afterward. However, if the situation does become unpleasant enough that you actually have to let go of your present attorney and resume the hunt for personal injury solicitors once more, there are a few points that you must keep in mind.

Breaking It: Slow and Easy

On the other hand, again, it is not away necessary that there has to be some kind of an argument that would lead to the termination of the attorney. In many cases, it might just be a difference of opinion or dissatisfaction with the modus operandi; if there are some other grounds, one can always file a complaint with the grievance board. In any case, there is nothing that can prevent you from settling the situation without getting involved in a fight with your solicitor; all you have to do is to ensure that you manage to keep a cool head.

• Remember that even if you let go of the legal services of your present attorney in the middle of the trial, it still does not exempt you from paying the fees of the lawyer. This will of course be calculated keeping in mind the amount of work that had been done so far on your case.

• There is of course nothing that can prevent you from terminating the services of your personal injury solicitor at any point during the case, but remember that it would be at least ethical and moral to explain the reasons to him or her.

• It is necessary to remember that a client-solicitor relationship need not be destroyed because of a terminated deal; there are many reasons why the partnership might need to be nipped. These might involve the realisation that the appointed solicitor is not competent enough in the field you are dealing with, or that you are not being able to agree to the steps taken by your lawyer.

• While terminating a particular solicitor is not that difficult at all, the transferring of a case to someone else is not that easy. While it entails going through the tiresome task of looking for another suitable attorney, it also requires considerable amount of paperwork that needs to be completed to consolidate the transfer. This is why maintaining a cordial relationship with personal injury solicitors is necessary; even if you are relieving him of his duties, he can always refer someone competent to you.

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Services That Can Be Expected From a Personal Injury Solicitor


Personal injuries acquired through accidental events can leave a person physically incapable for a life-time. If you had an accident that caused you considerable pain and suffering, then compensation can be sought through a personal injury solicitor. If you are a first timer, then you might be dubious about what to expect and what not from the professional. To help out the first timers, this article distinctly lays out services that a personal injury lawyer offers, regardless of their specialization. Read to know if your solicitor is assisting you as much as you have paid for.

• The solicitors offer advices pertaining to the cases to help the claimants find the right way through it. With years of experience and expertise, you can expect your lawyer to supply you with suggestions and opinions that together can guide you through times of tough decision making.

• The personal injury solicitors are fully informed about the mechanics that involve a particular genre of case. For instance, if you are making a car accident claim, the specialists are likely to be informed about the nitty-gritty of the same. Right from the form filling part to that of attending a court hearing, they have answers to all questions. Thus, apart from seeking their guidance all throughout, you can also ask them about any stray area of law that you are not fully clear about.

• The paperwork part is highly complicated, especially for those who are not into doing them often. This involves form filling, getting statements attested, documenting proofs, obtaining copies of evidence, writing demand letters, quoting a compensation, etc. A personal injury solicitor can be the best person to do this, if you have hired one. And in doing so, they will seek the minimum aid from you.

• The solicitors are expected to work cooperatively with the claimant so that the deal sealed in the end reflects the hard work involved in the same. Whether it is a case of auto accident or a case of faulty product,  your lawyer will consult you at every step, consider your opinions before taking any action. Furthermore, he or she will keep you fully informed at every state of the case to make sure that you are not kept in the darkness.

• To add to it, personal injury solicitors can also serve as mediators in out-of-the court settlements. If you have a small claim to make, you do not have to go to the court with it and shed a lot of money on the court fees. You simply need to hire their services for arranging a meeting with the other party for a fair, informal settlement.

Personal injury lawyers are instrumental in winning a court case because of their expertise and years of experience. Avoiding hiring a solicitor might help you save some money, but it will also keep you from gaining a rightful compensation. Go for no-win-no-fee lawyers to secure your investment while getting ensured of winning a big compensation.