Personal Injury - TWP Solicitors - The Thrasher Walker Partnership

PERSONAL INJURY ...

An accident can happen to anyone and it’s effects can be devastating both physically and financially.
Our Personal Injury department can help you claim for compensation. We have a dedicated, specialist team of solicitors with many years experience to make sure that you receive the compensation to which you are entitled.

We have represented our clients in all types of personal injury claim and have been involved in a number of highly complex cases which have involved both the Court of Appeal and House of Lords. We understand that your claim is important no matter whether damages are likely to be £1000 or £100,000. At The Thrasher Walker Partnership we offer the same expertise to all our clients.

Some of the most common personal injury actions we deal with include:

Road Traffic Accidents
We can help you if you have been involved in an accident on the road, whether you are the driver or passenger in a car, a bus passenger or a pedestrian. A typical road traffic accident can be settled within 6 months.

Trip, Slip or Fall
Accidents on uneven paving stones or slips in the local supermarket are common, with injuries ranging from scrapes and bruising to broken legs. If you fall or slip it is important that the cause is photographed and witnesses identified as soon as possible. To prevent fraud, Local Authorities thoroughly investigate these types of claim and it is important that you have legal representation.

Accident at work
People often suffer injuries during the course of their employment. It is the duty of the employer to keep you safe at work. If you do have to make a claim it is a breach of your employee rights if you are threatened with losing your job or you are sacked. In our experience most employers are supportive and sympathetic when a claim is made.

Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA)
If you suffer an injury as a result of violence then you may be entitled to claim compensation. To do this, it is important that a formal complaint about the incident is made to the police and you assist with any police investigation. We can help you with an application for compensation. Please note that CICA claims are dealt with under a contingency fee agreement where we agree a percentage of damages to meet the legal costs (usually 25% plus VAT)

Personal Injury - Taking Care of Your Claim

	Types of Claim
	Funding
	Why Choose the Thrasher Walker Partnership?
	Frequently Asked Questions

Sports Injuries
If you are injured while taking part in a sport, you may have a claim. This area of personal injury law is complex; however, we can ensure that you are advised at any early stage if a claim for compensation would be successful.

Injuries Abroad
If an accident happens while on a package holiday it may be possible to bring a claim under the contract made with the tour operator. If you are an independent traveller then we can also help by bringing a claim in the country where the accident happened with the help of a local lawyer.

There are 4 main ways to fund a claim for personal injury:
Legal Expense Insurance (LEI)
Many people are unaware that LEI is frequently added to their household, car insurance or travel policy and this will provide cover in respect of legal fees if you bring a claim. It is essential that you check any insurance policies straight after an accident as it is a requirement that the accident is reported within a specific time for a claim to be valid.

We are more than happy to check if you have LEI insurance and to help you complete the claim form. All you need to do is bring your insurance policies with you to your first appointment.

Trade Union Membership
One of the benefits of trade union membership is that your union may be prepared to fund your claim for personal injury. You will need to speak to your trade union representative before your claim is made. Union funding will usually cover your spouse and those children still living at home if they have an accident.

Privately Paying
It is possible to pay your solicitor as the case progresses and when the claim is successful recover those costs against the other party. This method of funding can be expensive : an average personal injury claim can cost thousands of pounds. Conditional Fee Agreements (CFA) - No Win No Fee This is probably the most common method of funding a claim for personal injury and the most misunderstood. A CFA is signed between you and your solicitor. It is a contract that confirms that if your case is unsuccessful you will not have to pay your solicitor’s costs. What is often not explained is that if you lose your case, you are responsible to pay the other side’s costs. This type of agreement does not provide you with any protection against any disbursements (typically, court fees medical expert fees, etc) which are incurred in bringing your claim or the costs of the other party’s solicitor.

To avoid this we can provide protection for you with After the Event Insurance (ATE) which is a policy of insurance taken out after your accident to cover the other party’s legal costs and disbursements. The policy of ATE which we highly recommend, together with a CFA, ensures that whether you win or lose your case we can guarantee that you will not have to pay a penny.

Our solicitors are specialists in Personal Injury Law this means that your claim will be dealt with in a professional and sympathetic manner. We are members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), College of Personal Injury Law (CPIL) and the Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel.

Who can claim?
There are usually three requirements to bring a claim for compensation:
(i) The accident must have been caused by someone else’s fault;
(ii) The accident must have happened within the last three years unless the injury was suffered to a child, in which case the claim can be made up to their 21st birthday;
(iii) The value of the claim must exceed £1,000 but we will advise you of this

Do I need to see my GP/Hospital?
If your symptoms are severe or persist for more than 24 hours we would strongly recommend seeking medical advice. This will ensure that your accident is properly recorded. It will take time to make your claim and a diagnosis made soon after the accident will help the medical expert involved in your claim make his report even if it is several months later.

How long will it take?
This will usually depend on the seriousness of the injury you have suffered. However, a straightforward claim can usually be resolved with 6 – 9 months.

Will it cost me anything?
Provided you do not mislead us and you co-operate throughout the claim we can guarantee that we will never take a penny off you, win or lose. This is where we differ from the claims management companies who advertise on TV and radio, where you may find that a large portion of your damages are deducted.

Will I need to go to court?
The majority of cases settle without the need for court proceedings. However, if your claim is not progressing to our satisfaction, then we will commence court proceedings on your behalf.

How much am I likely to receive?
This will always depend upon the severity of your injuries. We will provide you with our view upon the value of your claim once we have obtained independent medical evidence.

Can I only claim for my injuries?
No, you are able to claim for numerous other expenses or losses that you have incurred as a direct result of the accident. These would typically include damage to your car (if a road traffic accident); loss of earnings, travel expenses and, if appropriate, costs of care provided by your family following
the accident. We will fully discuss with you the items you can claim to ensure you are not left “out of pocket”.

For more information or to make a claim please contact Carl Marston on 0161 442 6240 or call in to our office in Heaton Moor.