If you have been injured in an accident and you wish to make a claim for compensation, first and foremost you should seek legal advice from a lawyer specialising in personal injuries.
A lawyer will be able to help you establish your eligibility for compensation, and advise you on the best route to compensation. They will also inform you of your legal rights, and provide information about timeframes and claim values.
Starting a claim
Here’s some advice for starting a personal injury claim for financial compensation:
Discuss your case with a law firm
You should make contact with a reputable law firm that has preferably been in business for several years and has a glowing reputation. If you already have a law firm in mind, you can get a clearer picture of what they are like to deal with by using Google, Bing, Yahoo or another search engine to search for “law firm testimonials” or “law firm reviews” (replace law firm with the respective law firm’s name) and see what comes up.
Get advice from an accident advice helpline
Alternatively, you could search for an accident advice helpline. Claims helplines are usually operated by law firms and at the end of the phone you will find either experienced claims advisors or lawyers to discuss your case with. These are a fantastic way to get immediate advice following an accident. Furthermore, because they are operated by law firms, you can begin application for making a claim with them if you choose to do so.
What are the timeframes for making a personal injury claim?
You have three years to bring your claim forward from the date your accident happened or from the date your injuries first became clear. This is known as your Date of Limitation or your Date of Knowledge. After three years, your case will be statute barred or time-barred so it cannot be brought forward. So, it is worthwhile thinking about making a claim sooner rather than later to avoid missing out on the compensation which you are owed.
How long will it take to process my claim?
In terms of how long it will take to get your compensation, many claims can actually be processed in as little as 6-8 weeks by a reputable law firm. However, this only really applies to ‘clear-cut’ or straightforward cases. For more complex cases, a timeframe of 3-6 months is more realistic. To get a more accurate timeframe for your claim, you should speak with your lawyer because only once a lawyer understands the nuances of your case can they really offer you an estimated timeframe, as well as an estimated pay-out amount.
