In the UK alone over three million people are injured in accidents. Accidents occur in various situations and different places whether at the office, outdoors, or out and about in their car in many cases it will be the fault of someone else as to why the accident occurred. When there is a clear fault by someone else then the victim will be inclined to make an accident compensation claim.
Compensation claims do not have to be a long and drawn-out process. With the aid of an expert solicitor an accident compensation claim can go through quickly and easily, it does not have to be a complicated process.
What you need to establish
A viable case requires establishing before a successful compensation claim can be made. It’s not possible to base a case on simply your word against theirs. When an accident occurs the following details are of paramount importance:
- The date of the accident; where and how it happened, detailing as much information as possible
- Witness contact details from anyone who was there at the time of the accident
- Full details of injuries sustained – it’s important to provide an official medical diagnosis with details of any treatment
Depending upon the details of your case you may also need to provide:
Evidence that you suffered the loss of earnings and other financial expenses which are the result of your injury from the accident
- Details of any insurance policies you may have as these may cover you for the cost of your compensation claim – examples of this include household or motor insurance
- Any documents that could potentially help your claim – these could include documents from before your accident or any evidence of previous accidents in similar circumstances
How to make a claim
Your solicitor will firstly send a letter to the individual you’re claiming against. All details, regarding the incident, will be listed, detailing injuries sustained and the circumstances of whereby it occurred and how.
In most instances the individual will have a fixed period in which they need to respond – this is usually within a 3 month period. They will have to provide a detailed response letter that elaborates on an investigation into the incident. The response will also require them to state whether or not they accept the claim – usual practice involves settling out of court if they accept full blame for the accident.
Accepting compensation
Your solicitor should inform you what they believe the true value of the claim settlement should be at this stage. You’ll also need to think about how much compensation you’d be prepared to accept as your solicitor will be able to make an offer to the responsible individual for that amount. The respondent can come back with a counteroffer and if they are deemed to “respond reasonably” it will usually be settled without having to take the matter to court.
Going to court
If the claim can’t be settled between the parties involved and their solicitors; legal action can be sought. In this instance, it will be in the court’s hands to decide whether or not you’ll be awarded compensation for the claim.
Leave a Reply