Rebecca here.

It’s been a very long time since I wrote a blog – it got me thinking about where to start.

Then I realised, that must be exactly how someone seriously injured in an accident must feel when they think about making a personal injury claim; where do I start?

Most people have never really thought about making a personal injury claim, until the worst happens, and they are involved in a nasty accident; maybe at work, maybe they are knocked off their bike, or maybe they are hit by a car whilst crossing the road.

When I speak to a client for the first time, contrary to popular belief, their first question isn’t “how much is my claim worth?” but usually “Can you help me, I don’t know where to start?”

The distress and upset of being involved in an accident is quite enough for anyone, and the last thing anyone wants, or needs, is the thought of any additional stress of making a claim.

What you need is someone who can guide you calmly through the process and reassure you along the way.

 

My advice to anyone thinking of making a claim is to find a Solicitor who specialises in injury claims. This means you’ll get the benefit of their knowledge and experience from helping others who have been through similar things.

The thing most injured people want, is not just compensation, but they have a desire to get their lives back to normal. This isn’t always fully possible in the case of very serious injuries, but you should always ask your Solicitor to explore the possibility of getting you the support and treatment that you need to help with your recovery through early and thorough rehabilitation and support.

Waiting lists can be lengthy, and paying for treatment isn’t always an option, particularly if you are off work anyway, and only receiving sick pay.

It may be, that with the help of rehabilitation as part of your claim, you can speed up your recovery time, and get back to “normal” sooner.

Money can be another worry for injured clients. If you are off work for any length of time, you might want to consider whether you are eligible for any state benefits which will help with the burden. If your finances are affected, you might want to ask your Solicitor about the possibility of seeking an interim payment as part of the claim. This is a modest early payment from your opponent, which is like an advance to be offset against your final settlement figure. It’s not always possible, but it’s worth asking the question.

If you’ve been seriously injured, remember the claims process can take a long time, and your Solicitor is going to be on that journey with you, so make sure you instruct someone you like, trust and very importantly, who listens.

Remember, we have been here helping injured people in Leeds, West Yorkshire and beyond for almost a quarter of a century now, so don’t be shy and give us a call to ask if we can help you.

Best wishes for now,
Rebecca