Securing the right amount of compensation

Particularly with less serious injuries, many people want to know how much their case is likely to be worth, sometimes just out of interest and on other occasions to best decide whether it is worth going ahead or not.

Contrary to popular belief, valuing cases is not always straightforward.  One of the reasons for this is that there are different types of compensation you can claim depending upon what happened, your life circumstances, the outlook for the future and much more.

For example, if your injuries leave you unable to work for 3 months and you are not paid whilst you are off you will have a loss of earnings claim for your lost wages, in addition to your compensation for your injuries.  The different types of compensation that may exist all add together, a little bit like layers in a cake, to reach the total case value.

For instance, it might be you suffered injuries worth £4000, lost earnings of £2,000, medical treatment costs of £500 (the law allows for the recovery of private medical costs) and travel expenses of £50.  The total claim value would therefore be £6,550.

At the outset of a case it can be very difficult to provide accurate advice as to how much a case is likely to be worth.  It might be that the injuries are still being treated, or you do not know when you will be able to return to work.  The longer your injuries last the more they are likely to be worth, and the longer you are off work the greater the lost earnings claim will be.  For this reason a good solicitor will not provide certain advice about your claim value at the beginning but will instead explain how the law works, the types of compensation you may be eligible for and, most importantly, the evidence that will be needed to secure the highest possible settlement for you.

Beware cold callers, text messages and call centres that promise a particular figure – there is no way they can possibly know at the beginning; their hope is to tempt you into using their company instead of speaking to a qualified solicitor.  I remember once speaking to a client who had been promised a minimum of £20,000 for an injury I knew was worth not more than half that.  Remember, if a company starts to promise certain figures at the beginning end the call and seek alternative advice.

Only when your injuries have been fully explored and all the necessary evidence gathered will your solicitor be able to properly advise as to the likely value of your case.

If you would like to know more please contact Aston Knight Solicitors Bury on 0161 399 1231 or info@astonknightsolicitors.co.uk.