People can often be cynical about personal injury claims. People may refer to the “compensation culture” and complain about how people “should be more careful”. However, if you are the person who has been involved in an accident that could have been prevented, wasn’t your fault and is stopping you from working then the chances are you would want to be compensated for that and this is why it is vital to get the right advice when making a personal injury claim.
There are a wide array of claims including slips and trips, work related accidents and road traffic accidents. At Larcomes we can also deal specifically with children and representing them in a personal injury claim (for example the school may not have necessarily done enough to reduce risk on the premises).
One major source of claims we undertake at Larcomes are asbestos related conditions. These claims can often be difficult to prove because the symptoms of any conditions can occur decades after exposure to the material. Therefore, you need someone with the necessary medical legal experience in order to show that your condition occurred as a result of asbestos exposure.
The first thing to do before making any kind of claim is to get some form of medical attention as obviously your health and safety should be your top priority after an accident. Ensure this is properly detailed and that the symptoms are properly recorded. This will make it easier when talking with your solicitor and will ensure there are no inconsistencies. It is also important to file reports and get names and details of anyone involved in an incident.
It is also worth discussing with your solicitor before filling out any forms with an insurance company. With a personal injury claim insurance companies will often be involved, but it is vital that you have someone representing you while discussing the claim with the company in order to help ensure your costs are properly covered. There is also the additional benefit that a lot of medical legal experts often have connections with medical specialists that can help you get specific treatments to help with a range of conditions.
One thing that is vital to note is that you need to file any claims as promptly as possible. A lot of claims have a statute of limitations (for example a couple of years after a car accident, although this can sometimes be extended in mitigating circumstances such as a claimant with learning difficulties.) There is also the advantage that if you get details down quickly you are more likely to remember them and this will often make for a stronger case.
What cannot be emphasised enough is that in order to be properly represented it is vital to have a legal representative with the right legal knowledge in order to properly process cases and ensure you get the compensation you need from your claim. You can find out more and get specific contact details from our specialist personal injury team at Larcomes here.