There are some solicitors that will require you to take out a small insurance policy to cover the cost of legal fees in the event that you do not win the case. The insurance policy costs will vary depending upon the type of case, but you should ensure that you are aware in advance of exactly how much you will need to pay for it.

There is also something known as a ‘conditional fee arrangement’. This is when a percentage of the compensation is used for legal fees. You should ensure that you are aware in advance if the firm you are using takes this as a fee or claims their costs from the other side. Not all firms will offer a 100% compensation guarantee and will have to recover their costs somehow, though most will recover them from the losing side.

Most firms will have both a no win no fee and 100% compensation policy but some cases, such as those involving medical negligence, may run for some time. The solicitors handling lengthy cases may be reluctant to do so without some sort of fee in advance, or they may insist on a conditional fee arrangement. It is important for any claimant to ensure they know in advance if they are expected to pay anything and how much they may be charged. 

The solicitor will require all the information that relates to the case. All information on the injuries sustained and the actual incident itself should be presented to the solicitor. Any medical reports should be included and if there are witnesses they should make statements. 

It is only after receiving and assessing this information that the solicitor will decide whether to proceed with the case or not. It is at this point that the person or organisation that you are claiming against will also be contacted by your no win no fee lawyer to inform them that a claim is being made against them. 

This notification serves more than one purpose, because if the person or organisation is prepared to admit liability early on in the process there may be a possibility of settling the claim out of court. It is hoped that most cases can be settled this way, particularly if the liability of the other party is clear. 

If the case does come to court, your solicitor should be able to conduct all the proceedings for you without you having to attend. They will also take care of any paperwork involved. 

The time involved will vary from case to case, but your solicitor will keep you informed every step of the way when you use a no win no fee legal firm. 

It follows that accident claims cover an exceptionally broad range of scenarios, although car accident claims and whiplash compensation claims are amongst the most prominent.

For those many individuals who have suffered a personal injury, especially if it makes work impossible during recovery, making personal injury claims could be a wise and responsible move. A key point to bear in mind when you’re seeking help is to look out for no win no fee compensation. Seeking advice from no win no fee solicitors and no win no fee lawyers is highly recommended – they’ll represent your claim in court and if successful, will generally either claim their fees from the other side or via an insurance policy which they will have asked you to take out before acting for you. This will leave you with 100% of any compensation awarded; and a successful claim may afford you a vital measure of security, when an accident has turned your life upside down.

Despite what may be read in the newspapers, there has been no boom in individuals claiming compensation. In fact only around 31 percent of accident victims claim compensation through legal channels. Individuals who have suffered losses due to injuries that they have sustained and which were not their fault should be entitled to compensation. However, at the moment there are many pitfalls into which potential claimants can fall.

Individuals who have suffered an accident are often put under intense pressure by sales people who are not qualified to advise them on legal proceedings. Few consumers are aware of the pitfalls and liabilities that they will be exposed to by agreeing to conditional fee arrangements, otherwise known as no win no fee accident claims. Consumers often believe that these arrangements are genuinely ‘no win no fees’, but in some cases there are hidden costs which the individual will be unaware of until the bill arrives. There is also the problem that some solicitors will refuse to take cases which they feel they are unlikely to win.

Loan financed insurance premiums, can along with other legal costs eat into the no win no fee compensation that an individual receives. In some cases this can even lead to the individual owing money at the end of the proceedings. Individuals wishing to pursue a no win no fee personal injury claim should ensure that he or she deals directly with the solicitor and that the solicitor has not paid another party for the claim. Think carefully before taking out a loan as the claimant is responsible for the interest payments. Ensure that any damages recovered will be intact. Always read the small print carefully before committing to any agreement.

There is currently no system for regulating conditional fee arrangements which means that consumers may not be receiving good advice and information. A voluntary code of practice is still in its infancy.

In reality there is no such thing as fully comprehensive insurance as there are always exclusions. That being said, fully comprehensive includes everything relating to third party, fire and theft plus accidental damage insurance. The latter refers to damage to a person’s vehicle and includes malicious damage. Windscreen damage is also usually included in the policy but this is likely to be subject to a monetary excess. 

All cars valued over £5000 must be comprehensively insured, with optional extra benefits included such as personal accident cover. It should be noted that drivers are not automatically covered for this.  Legal cover, which enables the car driver access to legal representation if necessary, is also often included as an option.  Another optional benefit is a day 90 EU Green Card that covers accidents occurring while travelling in the European Union.

It was mentioned above that there are exclusions to all fully comprehensive insurance policies taken out. A common restriction will include third party driver cover, which means that any driver other than the insured person cannot drive the vehicle unless they are named on the policy.  Any driver policies are still available but will be more expensive.

Individuals under the age of 25 who work in certain occupations or a driver with a poor claims record, or who has a criminal record, might be refused insurance cover by some companies.

There are many personal injuries you can sustain while playing the sport that you love. Many of these injuries can be caused by defective equipment, or even as a result of facilities that are not safe for people to be using. Unfortunately, there are also deliberate injuries caused by an opposing player.

Injuries can also sometimes be sustained as a result of inadequate supervision by an instructor. If you are playing a sport, or just using your local gym, you should always ensure that you receive thorough induction and training, so that you lower the risk of sustaining an injury.

Most gymnasiums, leisure centres and health clubs provide adequate professional instruction for the use of their equipment. The majority of people do act with reasonable care towards other people when they are playing their favourite sport. If you are unsure about what you are able to claim for, then please call a no win no fee solicitor, who will be able to give you professional advice and guidance.

The most common claims for injury or illness caused by defective products are related to unsafe drugs, or faulty products such as toys and pushchairs. These can cause serious side effects, or injuries to children. Both skin and hair products can cause irritations and injuries, and are therefore also as much of a risk.

If you are ever unfortunate enough to sustain an injury caused by a defective product, report the product to the manufacturer immediately, as it is vital that it is made safe before further products are sold. Statistics have also shown that people seeking compensation for these types of injuries have a very positive effect on the industry in question, and will probably lead to the dangerous items being removed completely from sale.

Companies who fail to test their products are 100% liable to put them right. If you feel that you have purchased a defective product which has caused you to be injured or become ill, call a no win no fee solicitor, who will be able to assist you competently with your compensation claim.

Fortunately the symptoms of food poisoning do not last too long, but often include a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and possibly stomach cramps and dehydration. In most cases the poisoning can be cleared up with medication available from local chemists, or through the body’s natural healing processes. However, there have been extreme cases where the nervous system has been damaged and death has occurred. The Food Standards Agency has reported that even though 100,000 cases of food poisoning are reported each year, in reality over 5.5 million people in the UK contract it without ever notifying the authorities.

Therefore, if you have eaten at your favourite restaurant and have come down with food poisoning afterwards, remember that it is not your fault. Nobody orders a meal with a side order of food poisoning! If you have suffered food poisoning, please remember to call a no fee no win solicitor, who will be only too happy to assist you with your claim for compensation.

Take injuries sustained whilst out walking as an example. If you fall as a result of your own carelessness, such as tripping over something that you know is there like a kerb, you may just have to grin and bear it. But if you trip or slip over something that ought not to have been there – such as a liquid spill on a supermarket floor or a jutting paving stone on the pavement – you have a case. Similarly, if you get a sports injury during the inevitable cut and thrust of a football match, you’ll just have to rest up until the injury heals. But if your injury was sustained by the deliberate action of another player, you should be considering approaching a no win no fee lawyer. Or another scenario: if you break your nose in a road traffic accident because you weren’t wearing a seatbelt, you could be on dodgy ground as far as making accident claims is concerned. But if another vehicle hits yours from behind and you sustain a whiplash injury, you ought to be making a car accident claim and seeking whiplash compensation.

If it’s not your fault, your injury should lead you to the expert advice of a no win no fee personal injury lawyer without delay.

There is always the possibility that you may not win your case, though your lawyer should advise you at the beginning if there is any doubt about the eventual outcome. Most firms may expect clients to take out a small insurance policy which will cover fees in the event of a loss, as you would also be expected to pay the legal fees for the other side, so this should still not cost you a great deal. 

Claims cannot be made for near-misses, where an accident or injury may have occurred but was prevented in time. You should also ensure that you have consulted doctors at the time of the injury and that you have the appropriate medical records to support your claim. Personal injury claims will not be allowed if the medical evidence is non-existent. 

If you are unsure if your personal circumstances will qualify for a claim, then one of the many no win no fee firms will be able to assess your situation and advise you accordingly. Initial consultations are usually free of charge.