Choosing a Solicitor to Manage Your Accident Claim
Choosing a solicitor to take care of your accident claim is a decision which is as complex as it is important. If you don’t take the time to find the right solicitor then you risk having your accident claim rejected, or your compensation significantly reduced. The more complex your accident claim, the better and more experienced your solicitor should be.
It is rarely a good idea to trust a claims management company with your case because the advice they provide is not always high quality. Think about why a solicitor would need to pay hefty referral fees to claims management companies to buy claims like yours. Do you really want a solicitor who buys clients to handle your claim?
Instead choose a solicitor with a specialism in personal injury. Don’t be afraid to do your research on law firms’ websites and by talking to their employees in person. You should ensure that they are a member of a professional body, such as the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority Personal Injury Accredited Scheme, APIL or MASS (the Motor Accidents Solicitors Society).
If you have found a firm that you think you can trust with your accident claim, check that they will see you for an initial consultation free of charge. During the consultation, they will want to know all the details of your injury and the accident that caused it so that they can establish whether you have a case for an accident claim. However, this is also your opportunity to check out the solicitor’s credentials. Don’t be afraid to ask them how many personal injury claims they have handled recently and how they were settled.
Following the initial consultation your solicitor should be able to give you plenty of clear information, written so that you can take it away to consider. You should have a good idea how much your claim is worth, its chances of success, the associated risks and costs and the balance of the two and how long the case is likely to take. If you leave in any doubt as to the answers of these questions then your accident claim solicitor is not worthy or your case.