Frequently Asked Questions for Accident Claims in Birmingham
We’ve compiled a list of FAQs — or frequently asked questions — for accident claims that we deal with in Birmingham.
It is impossible to say how long a personal injury claim will take to settle because this depends on the response of the Third Party’s insurance company. Some cases can settle within 6 months, other cases can take longer and can take 2 years or more to settle.
Naturally, our solicitors** will be using their many years of experience to ensure success, and they will be hoping to get the case settled as quickly as possible for you. Our dedicated solicitors** will be working on the claim whilst you go about your daily business, and you will only be contacted to answer questions relevant to the case.
In cases where there is more than one party to blame for your injury (including you, if this is the case) then the law splits blame between the ‘guilty’ parties.
This has the effect of reducing your compensation award in proportion to the amount of blame that each party bears. So, if you are 20% to blame, you will receive 80% of the total amount.
The first thing we do is consult with you about your injury. In our experience, every case – and every client – is different. We will find out exactly what your injuries are, how they happened and the impact on your life since.
We then gather as much evidence as we can – names and addresses of witnesses, payslips, medical reports and so on – and use these to build your case.
Then, we notify the other side and their insurers of your claim. Very often, we will be offered a sum in settlement at this point. Depending on the value of this sum, we may be able to settle your claim there and then. If not, we will continue to negotiate before going to court.
The vast majority of claims settle without the need to go to court. However, if we need to go to court we will keep you informed at all times and support you every step of the
Accident Claims Birmingham deals with cases under a no win, no fee* agreement. In the event your case is unsuccessful, you do not have to pay anything. To cover legal expenses and time, our solicitors** can charge up to 25% of the settlement sum on the result of a successful claim. If you are not successful, you do not pay anything.
Usually, your compensation will be paid by an insurer. In road traffic accident claims, for instance, it is the other side’s insurer who pays. Similarly, it is often your employer’s insurers who pay your claim.
Claims are typically directed against the other side’s insurers. Thus, they are keen to negotiate a settlement without the need to go to court. Most of the work in a personal injury claim is quantifying your loss and then negotiating this with the other side’s insurers.
If we can’t agree on a sum, or there is a complex point of law to be discussed, we may need to go to court. However, many cases settle ‘on the steps of the court’, as the other side makes a last minute offer to save the process of actually litigating.
Contact Accident Claims Birmingham to Start Your Claim
If you have suffered from a personal injury that wasn’t your fault, call us on 0800 083 8358^. If you prefer, you can also contact us online for more information.