FAQs
1. How Much Will I Get?
This very much depends on you! The more severe your injury and the longer your injury causes you pain, discomfort and inconvenience, generally the more compensation you will receive. There is however a finite value to all injuries. In this country compensation is awarded on the basis that it is reasonable and adequate, not generous. Nevertheless, using our skill and experience and the appropriate case law we will ensure that you receive the maximum amount possible for your injury. There are some examples underneath.
a) If you are involved in a road traffic accident and suffer a minor whiplash injury lasting no more than 12 months you are likely to receive (for the injury alone) approximately £2000-£2500.
b) If you are involved in a tripping accident and break your wrist (colles fracture) then the amount that you are likely to receive for your injury alone would be approximately £4000.
c) Psychiatric Injuries. If you suffer psychological trauma as a consequence of an accident (this is relatively common) then you are still entitled to be compensated for your injury even though there are not necessarily any physical symptoms, for example, if you suffer moderate post traumatic stress disorder wherein the symptoms could be problems sleeping, difficulty in controlling your temper, problems in concentrating, panic attacks or similar symptoms. On the assumption that these were moderate symptoms only and were not permanent, you could receive anything between £4500-£12,500.
d) Frozen Shoulder. If you were unfortunate enough to suffer an injury which leads to a frozen shoulder that lasts for no more than two years you could receive anything between £4250-£7000.
e) Facial Scarring. On the assumption that the facial scarring had occurred to a female person, had a significant effect and was cosmetically disfiguring, the likelihood is you would receive between £10,000-£16,500.
f) Damage to Teeth. Loss or serious damage to one front tooth would realise between £1250 and £2150.
g) Broken Leg. A fracture to the tibia or fibula, from which a complete recovery is made, would realise up to £5000. A simple fracture to the femur would realise between £5000-£7750.
NB. Values based on the JSB Guidelines 7th Edition
2. How Long Will My Case Take?
There are two main factors which determine the life span of any case. The first is simply your injuries and how long they take to recover. We would not particularly wish to settle your case without being certain that you are likely to make a full recovery, or alternatively, being certain of the exact nature and extent of your injury. To that effect it can very often be a matter of waiting for the outcome of your injury before we are in a position to accurately value the case and thereafter settle it for you.
The second factor which determines the life span of the case is simply the attitude of the defendants. For example if they deny liability, this very often increases the life span of the case, or alternatively, if they admit liability but fail to make any sensible offers in respect of your injury, then again this may increase the life span of your case. Rest assured we are as anxious as you are to conclude your claim.
3. How Much Will It Cost?
The genuine and honest answer is nothing. We will never ask you to pay a bill or pay for any of our expenses. This is of course subject to you co-operating with the case. The vast majority of our client’s claims are run under a ‘no win no fee agreement’. Under the terms of that agreement you are not obliged to pay our fees in the event the case is unsuccessful. In the event the case is successful, then we will recover our legal costs from the defendants in accordance with the normal court rules. This means therefore that you do not have to pay us. It is important to note, however, that if you fail to co-operate with us by not going to medical appointments or turning up at court then we will be entitled to give you a bill! Fortunately, this is an extremely rare occurrence. We give our clients a triple guarantee at the start of their case. Remember, this does not apply in CICA or MIB cases.
Our Triple Guarantee To You:
1. If you lose there is absolutely no charge for our services.
2. If you win we make sure the defendants pay all your legal costs in full.
3. If you win you keep 100% of your compensation – no deductions for interest – no deductions for success fees.
4. Will I Have To Go And See A Doctor?
We will need to amass medical evidence. Without this we are unable to value your claim or prove that the accident caused the injury. It is therefore essential that you are seen by a consultant. The consultant is independent and usually instructed by us. He will need to examine you for the purposes of providing us with a medical report. On the basis of the contents of this medical report we then negotiate and appropriately generous level of compensation for you.
5. What Will I Have To Do?
You will need to provide instructions to us from time to time as to the progress of your injury so that we can monitor the nature and extent of your injury and choose the appropriate consultant for you. You will also need to tell us about your financial losses.
Other than that we will take care of all the paperwork, the details of your claim and gathering all the evidence.
6. Will I Have To Go To Court?
Statistically speaking, you are highly unlikely to ever have to go to court. The vast majority of claims these days settle without the need for a final hearing. If the defendants prove to be un co-operative then we may make what is known as an Application for Disclosure of Documentation. You will not need to attend this hearing. If the claimant is a child or acting under a disability, then it may be necessary to attend what is known as an Approval Hearing. This is a very informal hearing where the Judge simply assesses the paperwork to make sure that the compensation you have been promised is a fair and reasonable amount. We choose the courts very carefully to ensure that the courts are not intimidating and the Judge is friendly and kind. However, statistically, only about 1 in 400 cases goes to trial, so you are very unlikely to have to go.
7. Will I Get Legal Aid?
Following the Access to Justice Act 1999, legal aid for cases involving an allegation of negligence which has led to personal injuries is no longer available. Given that the vast majority of personal injuries result from negligence, this means the vast majority of people will not be entitled to legal aid. If you are, however, pursuing a public body such as the police or Social Services, then you may be entitled to legal aid. You would need to speak to one of our solicitors to obtain full advice on this point, however, it is safe to say legal aid is not available for the vast majority of claims.
8. What Percentage Will You Deduct From My Compensation At The End Of The Case?
We make no deductions whatsoever from a client’s damages in payment of our fees. This is of course subject to you co-operating with us throughout the life span of the case and attending appointments as requested. Don’t worry, you will get plenty of notice to attend any appointments we need you to go on.
* Not including CICA or MIB cases.
9. How Do We Get Paid?
Under the normal County Court and High Court rules, if you instruct a solicitor and are successful, that is to say you receive compensation in excess of £1000 then you are not only entitled to that compensation but you are also entitled to recover your solicitor’s fees.
This means therefore that as and when your claim is successful, we are entitled to submit the bill for the work that we have done on your behalf to the losing party. This means that you need not worry about us sending you a bill for the work we have done as we will simply recover what fees we are able to from the losing party’s insurance company or solicitors. In the event that the claim is unsuccessful there will be no charge for our fees.
To summarise therefore:
If you lose – no charge!
If you win - the defendant pays your bill!
10. Will I Have To Sign Lots Of Paperwork Or Fill In Loads Of Forms?
You will need to sign one or two forms, for example forms of authority for us to gain access to your medical records and you will also need to sign a no win no fee agreement. Any forms or paperwork we send you will be filled out by ourselves and you will simply need to sign them and return them. Helpfully, we ensure that all forms which need to be returned to us are on pink paper and therefore you can easily spot the forms which require your immediate attention. We usually also provide a stamped addressed envelope for your convenience.
If you are in any way unsure about the paperwork please do not hesitate to contact your solicitor who will be only too happy to explain the nature of the forms. We certainly wouldn’t ask you to fill out a lengthy claim form however as we will take all that information from you ourselves.
11. What Are My Chances Of Winning?
This very much depends on the circumstances of the case. There is no such thing as a ‘sure fire’ case unfortunately. The nearest you would come to this is when you are involved in a road traffic accident wherein you have been shunted from the rear. In this type of case you are highly likely to succeed. Tripping and slipping cases are notoriously tricky and it is impossible to give any guarantees as to your prospects of success. Any firm of solicitors or claims company who guarantee your success should, in our opinion, be treated highly suspiciously.
Rest assured, when you employ Tranter Cleere Solicitors to pursue your claim for compensation, you have employed experts in the field of personal injury law. You have therefore maximised your prospects of success.
12. Can I Just Have Some No Obligation Advice?
Certainly, simply telephone to speak to one of our solicitors who will be happy to advise you on the telephone free of charge.
13. Is My Claim Worth Bothering With?
Answer – definitely! If you are in doubt as to your likely prospects of success, in doubt as to the amount of compensation you are likely to obtain, simply telephone one of our solicitors who will be happy to explain to you your prospects of success and give you a rough idea of the likely level of compensation that you will receive.
If you are bothered about the hassle then simply telephone and we will sort everything out with you straight away.
14. Can I Speak Direct With The Solicitor?
Certainly, whilst we employ some agents to fill in forms, visit the scene of an accident and do some of the ground work for us, your claim will be handled by a qualified Personal Injury Solicitor. You will be able to speak direct with your solicitor at the very start of your case and your solicitor will handle the case from start to finish. All the solicitors we employ are friendly and approachable and willing to take your call and speak to you in an informal way without the need for excessive legal jargon.
15. Do I Have To Take Out A Loan?
Certainly not! We will fund any expenses of the case on your behalf without the need for you to take out any loan. If you have been advised to take out a loan by another company we would certainly suggest that you think twice before doing so. At the conclusion of your claim you will receive every single penny of your compensation. If you use a company that forces you to take out a loan with them or their preferred bank then the interest on that loan will be deducted from your compensation. At Tranter Cleere we have never obliged our clients to take out loans and pride ourselves on the fact that our clients receive every single penny that they have been awarded.
16. What Some Of Our Clients Have Said About Us
“Just to say I have not been in this situation before but I am happy that it did not take long and I would be happy to use you again if I have to”
“Very happy”
“Dear Mr Cleere and staff, thank you for taking on my claim from the start. I was all worthwhile in the end. At the time I was in a lot of pain and feeling low now I am almost recovered and hope to put my compensation to good use. Thanks again”
“Excellent work rate, well done!”
“Excellent staff, this is my fourth claim with the company. I have been well served with them all”
“I would just like to say thank you to Mr Matthews and his staff. You always returned my calls and explained everything clearly to me. Thank you so much for representing me and for everything you did”
“I would like to thank Tranter Cleere & Co and especially Mr Matthews and staff for all the work they did in obtaining a satisfactory conclusion to my claim”
Mr Matthews was very good with my case, I found him very thorough and he explained things so I could understand. Thank you for dealing with my case with care and consideration. I would recommend you to my friends”
I am more than pleased with the service provided and would use your organisation again if the need arose. I would also have no hesitation in recommending you”
“Very pleased with the service and the speed. I was always kept in touch about my case”
“Enjoyed doing business with you. I would strongly recommend you to others. You explained everything and kept in touch. Everything was straightforward and very prompt. Very pleased”
“Thank you for your help and efficiency. I am very happy with the result of the case”
“Mr Matthews was very professional in his handling of my case. He explained all the ins and outs to me very clearly. I would definitely use him again. He is highly recommended by myself”
“I have found these solicitors to be profoundly professional”
“Very happy with your service and the professional way you handled my case. I would use you again”
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