We undertake a wide variety of work in the field of Civil Litigation such as building disputes, contractual disputes and debt recovery. Our main area of expertise however is the area of personal injury.
We operate a scheme in conjunction with Greystoke Legal Services which provides an after the event insurance policy. The level of cover can vary between simply insuring against having to pay the other side's costs in the event of an unsuccessful claim to a full package covering both our costs and disbursements as well as the other side's costs and disbursements. The cost of the policy can now be claimed against the other side in the event of a successful claim for personal injuries and Greystoke also have an arrangement that ensures credit facilities are available in the majority of cases. The disappearance of Legal Aid in this particular area should therefore have minimal impact upon you
Claims can take many forms: for example you may be involved in a car accident, receive an injury at work or trip over a defective paving stone when walking down the street.
However, whatever the cause of the accident, you should take the following steps to increase your chances of obtaining compensation: Obtain the name, address and telephone number of any witnesses -they can be difficult to trace at a later stage.
If injured at work, make sure the Accident Book is filled in.
In a road traffic accident, notify the Police so they can interview all parties and prepare a sketch map. In a car accident, do not have repairs carried out to your car until the solicitor confirms - the other driver's insurance company may wish to inspect your vehicle damage.
If you are injured, obtain medical assistance right away so that your injuries are properly treated and recorded. Take photographs of any bruising and scarring you may have suffered.
Also, if possible, take photographs of the actual scene of the accident (particularly useful in tripping and car accidents) and any damage to vehicles or other property.
These are some guidelines which should be of benefit and will enable us to help you. However we do recommend you seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity. Personal Injury cases must be commenced within three years of the date of injury or three years of the date that you became aware of your injuries if different. It can take a long time to collect all necessary information, for example, obtaining specialist medical reports is usually a time consuming process. The earliest that you contact us after your accident therefore, the more time we will have to prepare your case.