The no win no fee system of claiming compensation for personal injury helps many injury victims win the compensation they deserve, without having to pay legal fees or expenses. However, there are many common mistakes people make when trying to understand how no win no fee works. Here are the top five mistakes along with their corrections.

1. ‘If I lose my claim, I will only have to pay a greatly reduced fee to my solicitor’: FALSE

If you lose your claim, there will be no fee at all to pay to your solicitor. This is because the no win no fee system in the UK works on the premise that solicitors accept that they will not be paid if a personal injury claim is unsuccessful. They agree do this because, if the claim is successful, they will receive an uplift of their normal fees in retuen for taking the initial risk.

2. ‘If I win my claim, some of the compensation will go to my solicitor in fees’: FALSE

In fact, in most cases where the compensation claims is successful, fees and costs will be claimed from the other side, meaning the injury victim almost always keeps 100% of the compensation.

3. ‘If I go through a claims referral company, I will be obliged to pay them for finding me a specialist solicitor’: FALSE

A good claims referral company will not charge you for the service they provide. They will be paid by the solicitor or law firm they refer you to, in return for finding them new clients. They should also provide you with any information or advice you need to help you decide whether to make a claim, although it can be very difficult to estimate compensation amounts until further down the line in the claims process.

4. ‘I can only make a claim if my accident has just happened’: FALSE

Although there is a time limit on most injury claims of three years, as long as your claim is started during that period you should still be able to claim the compensation you deserve.

However, it is advisable to initiate your claim as soon as you can, because this way your solicitor will find it easier to collect the right kinds of evidence and it will be more straightforward to show that your injuries were caused by the accident.

Certain no win no fee claims, such as claims for asbestos-related diseases, can be made years or even decades after the injury was sustained, because some diseases can lie dormant for a long time but still be traced back to the initial cause.

5. ‘I cannot keep my job if I make a no win no fee claim’: FALSE

It is against the law for your employer to fire you for making a claim, so you should not let this concern stop you from claiming. The compensation will come from their insurance company, as they will be insured against compensation claims. Also, making a claim could safeguard anyone else you work with who could otherwise find themselves in danger because of the unsafe working practices which led to your injury.

Author Bio: National Accident Helpline are experts in no win no fee claims. The company has helped members of the public make successful compensation claims for over 15 years.

Category: Legal
Keywords: accident claim,accident claims,accident,accidents,compensation,compensation claims