Guiding you through your personal injury claim

Unfortunately it is impossible to provide you with a precise timeframe for settlement of your personal injury claim. There are many factors that determine the length of time it takes to successfully conclude a claim. These factors can include the severity of your injuries, how willing the defendant is to concede liability, and other specific issues that are unique to your case.
In cases where fault for the accident can be easily established and it is not necessary for us to issue formal court proceedings, we can in most circumstances settle a claim within 6 to 12 months. If it does become necessary to issue court proceedings, the court will provide a case management timetable which orders the parties to perform certain tasks by specified dates. We will advise you of the dates and when we expect the final hearing to take place.
Beacon Law’s personal injury solicitors have a wealth of experience and we pride ourselves on completing the claims process in as efficient manner as possible. We will always work to conclude your claim in the fastest possible time.
Contact Karen Sproston to find out more.

Your case will be assigned to one of our personal injury solicitors who will conduct your claim from start to finish. Your solicitor may delegate certain tasks relating to your case to other individuals within the firm. You will be advised of your solicitor’s name and contact details at the outset of your claim.

Your claim is subject to constant supervision from one of the firm’s partners, and in the event your assigned solicitor cannot answer your queries, or you are concerned about something relating to your case, you should not hesitate to contact the supervising partner.

It is usually in the interests of both parties to settle a claim before it goes to court, as early settlement tends to reduce costs payable at the successful conclusion of a claim. For that reason, a very small proportion of personal injury claims ever proceed to court.

We cannot however promise that your case will never go to a final court hearing, as it really depends upon the circumstances of the accident, the other party’s view of who is liable,, and our ability to negotiate a suitable settlement.

In the unlikely event that your claim does proceed to court, we will be at your side every step of the way. Our solicitors’ experience and knowledge will ensure that you are fully prepared and comfortable with the process.

You will be required to attend a medical appointment with a suitable medical expert in order that a report maybe prepared on your injuries. We have strong links with nationwide service providers and therefore, any appointment you need to attend will be arranged in your local vicinity for your convenience.

Should it be necessary to issue court proceedings, we shall request that your local court deal with these proceedings.

In England and Wales, you must commence formal court proceedings for recovery of damages within 3 years of the date of the accident causing your injuries, or in the case of an illness or disease, within 3 years of first knowing about your illness. In the event you do not bring your claim within 3 years of the relevant event, you have effectively waived your right to claim.

There are other relevant limitation periods applicable to other types of accidents, and if you are in any doubt about when you should make your claim, we would invite you to contact us as quickly as possible.

Upon contacting us, you are entitled to a free no-obligation consultation which is designed to provide you with initial advice and help our solicitors to assess the prospects of success in your claim. If we do not believe that you have a valid claim, we will advise you of the same, and you will not be charged a penny. If however we believe you have a good case, we will agree to act for you on a “no win, no fee” basis. It is then your decision as to whether you choose to instruct us.

Not one personal injury claim is the same as another, and for that reason it is extremely difficult to value a claim without a medical report. We will therefore arrange a medical appointment and ask you to attend in order that the expert may examine you and interview you with a view to preparing a detailed report. It is for that reason that we are unable to advise you of the potential value of your claim at the outset.

The value of your claim also depends upon the other losses that you may have incurred as a result of the accident. It is very important that you keep a record of losses incurred and wherever possible obtain receipts or invoices in relation to those losses.

Once we are in receipt of the medical report and documentary evidence in relation to your other losses, we shall be in a position to provide you with a valuation. Once you agree our valuation, we shall proceed to try and settle the claim for that amount.

European Union legislation ensures that you are entitled to instruct a solicitor of your own choice. We do however believe that you should instruct a solicitor and a firm who are entirely committed to representing you and who have the absolute expertise of personal injury solicitors. Beacon Law are outright specialists in the field of personal injury, and have solicitors dealing with all types of claims. Therefore, whether you have been injured as a result of a road traffic accident, an accident at work, an accident whilst out and about, or contracted an illness or disease as a result of working in improper working conditions, we are the right firm for you, and our specialist personal injury solicitors are eager to help you recover the compensation you need and deserve.

An interim payment is designed to help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible whilst your solicitor is negotiating settlement of your case. An interim payment could be considered as a partial settlement of your claim and is not to be considered as a full and final settlement. For example, where you have been involved in a road traffic accident and your vehicle is beyond economic repair, the defendant may release an interim payment to enable you to purchase a replacement vehicle. Similarly a defendant may make an interim payment to enable you to receive physiotherapy or other rehabilitative treatment if your symptoms are greatly effecting your day-to-day life. Subsequent to the interim payment, compensation for your personal injury will be paid at a later date.

All your personal information will be kept completely confidential. We will only provide your personal details to individuals or companies that assist us with gathering the necessary evidence to pursue your claim. The agreements we have with these third parties ensure that our duty of confidentiality is maintained. If you are not happy for us to provide your personal details, we would ask you to contact us to advise us of the same.

In some cases, the medical experts that meet with you to prepare a medical report may require sight of your complete medical history. This is to ensure that any symptoms you are suffering are not attributable to any pre-existing conditions or illnesses. In these cases, we will ask you to complete a mandate for release of your records. The mandates are then sent to your GP or the hospital where you received treatment, and they will then provide copies of your records directly to the medical expert that we’ve instructed. We appreciate that there are occasions where details within medical records maybe of a particularly private nature, and that you may not be happy that these details are to be seen by a total stranger. We can however reassure you that the contents of your records are kept entirely confidential, and any irrelevant entries are not included within the final medical report.