Making an accident claim

Having an accident is a traumatic in itself, so the last thing you need is to add to the ordeal spending hours on the phone having confusing and frustrating conversations. The best thing to do is to plan in advance, so you have the right type of protection. Medical negligence compensation is certainly worth claiming for but you should consider the following first…

Establishing whether you are entitled to make a Personal Injury Compensation Claim?
If you have been injured or contracted an illness or disease as a result of another person’s negligence, you should be able to make a personal injury claim for compensation.

Act fast
All personal injury claims, including those involving cars and those at work or home are subject to strict time limits, so you need to act fast. Another reason to begin your personal injury compensation claim as soon as possible is that you are more likely to recall the exact circumstances as it has only just recently occurred.

Choosing when to use a solicitor
Solicitors are not the only people who can provide legal advice. Legal help may be available from other professionals, for example, an accountant who can give advice on tax and company law. It may be worth seeing an advice centre, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, housing advice centres, money advice centres or law centres. Another option to pursue is other organisations, such as trade unions and motoring organisations. You can even act for yourself in court proceedings, or have a friend or lay representative assist you in court.

Establishing the right solicitor
If you have decided that it is right for you to see a solicitor, then you need to make sure you chose the right one with the appropriate specialism. You can find details of solicitors on the Law Society website at: www.solicitors-online.com, or go to the Ministry of Justice website at www.justice.gov.uk. Local advice agencies such as a law centre or Citizens Advice Bureau will also be able to recommend local solicitors who are experienced in the appropriate area of law.

Seeking the right medical advice
When we seek medical advice or treatment, we place a huge amount of confidence in our medical advisors. Most of the time they provide the right advice and treatment, but when mistakes are made they can cause great distress, serious injury and even death. You can protect yourself against misdiagnosis or mal treatment by getting insurance that covers you, so you can claim medical negligence compensation.