Injury Lawyer | Accident Compensation | Work Related Injury | Public Liability Claims

Accident Claims

In order to make a successful claim for compensation it is important to know a few facts. This will help you to make your own decision about whether to go ahead and make a claim or not. 

Obtain Third Party Information

Firstly, in order to have a chance of success, the accident and injury you have suffered must be someone else’s fault. Then, you need to be able to clearly identify who the third party is. Was it an individual, a company, a council? Do you have their details or can you obtain them? You will need information such as names and addresses, vehicle registration numbers, insurance details, exact accident location, date and time, etc. It is important that the accident is reported and officially recorded, perhaps in an accident book or accident report form. It may also be helpful to obtain details of any witnesses to the accident as the third party may deny liability and it is difficult to prove exactly when and how an accident happened without the assistance of a witness.

Take Photographs

Obtain photographs of the cause of your injury. For example, if you tripped over a raised paving slab or fell into a hole, photographs will prove the size, depth, etc. before repairs are carried out and vital evidence is lost forever. When making a successful claim for compensation, proof in the form of evidence is vital and the more you have, the better your chances of success.

Get Medical Evidence

Another important point is that you must visit a doctor or go to hospital to be treated for your injury and to be assessed. This should be done as soon after the accident as possible. This will provide vital medical evidence of your injuries and will also get you the help you need to ensure you make as full and prompt a recovery as possible. The medical practitioner can confirm the date and nature of the injury sustained and may well be called upon to supply written evidence during the course of your compensation claim.

Keep Notes About Your Recovery

Assuming you have amassed all the information necessary and we have found a solicitor for you who confirms with you that your claim is reasonable, you are on the way to receiving compensation. The level of compensation you receive will obviously be greatly affected by your recovery time as we have already stated.

In order to ensure that your solicitor is fully aware of your progress towards physical (and possibly mental) recovery from your accident injury or injuries, you will find it helpful to purchase a note pad and to keep regular notes of your own recovery progress and setbacks. If, for example, you have days when you have excessive headaches or stiff neck or shoulders, or cannot carry out a particular activity such as driving, football, walking, working, a hobby, travelling, etc, make a note of it. Anything that you were able to do before the accident but are now unable to do or are restricted in the amount of time you can do it is worthy of noting down.

Keep your solicitor informed. No two claims are the same and your solicitor cannot be expected to know how you are feeling or what you are thinking if you do not tell him or her.

Answer Solicitor Questions Swiftly

Always be prompt with your responses to your solicitor. He or she is trying to help you and the sooner you provide answers to their questions, the more rapidly your claim will progress. Injury claims are not quickly settled and nothing should be allowed to add to the lengthy time take, especially the client.

The key words to remember when progressing your claim
are information and communication.

One aspect that you have little control over is the length of time from the accident until you recover from your injuries. Of course, you can have medical treatment that will assist your recovery but beyond that, only time will tell if and when you make a full recovery. If your accident is very minor and you make a full recovery within a few weeks, although you may have carried out all the above points in full, your claim may not be considered large enough for a solicitor to become involved. Under the current legal framework, if an injury claim fails to reach a value of £1000.00 as a minimum, a solicitor will not get paid for his work and therefore will not be keen to act on your behalf.

The above are all things you can do to ensure your claim has a good chance of succeeding.  Your solicitor will advise you whether the information you provide is sufficient for your claim to be successful.

Click here to start your injury claim now