The confidence to make a claim

You’ve been injured and it was not your fault, but do you have the confidence to make a claim? Thankfully, most of us manage to get through life without needing the services of a solicitor – other than in conveyancing or will writing matters – and find the entire legal industry to be slightly scary.

At the very time when our client’s need such a service, they are often at their most vulnerable. When someone has had a nasty accident, the last thing they want is a load of complicated legal jargon thrown at them when they try to make a claim for personal injury compensation.

Common worries

Regardless of background, most people have the same worries when they get involved in a claim, such as “What will my claim cost me?“, “What happens if I lose my claim?” or “How do I deal with the complicated paperwork?”

However, there are other worries, too. People wonder if they have a legal right to make a claim, struggle to remember what happened to them and feel embarrassed about making a claim. Sadly, those who oppose the compensation claimants rights have spread many myths about the industry and this has eroded confidence in the system unfairly.

Many people often fail to exercise their right to make a claim because they are worried that people will judge them for it if they do. As stated in my last article this is silly. For a start, no person will ever know that you are making a claim – unless you tell them – other than you and your solicitor and maybe your GP. The Data Protection Act provides a great level of protection regarding such issues and should leave you safe in the knowledge that your claim is your matter – and a private one at that!

The real questions you should ask

If you find yourself in the situation of needing to make a claim, you will need to find a suitable compliant claims management company or solicitor to manage the process for you. This is one of the most important things to get right, as you only get one shot at maximising the potential payout that your claim may represent. If you choose the wrong company, and they manage your claim inadequately, your compensation settlement could well be lower than it should be. Here are a few questions you should ask:

1. Is the claims management company approved & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority?  Do they have authorised status to operate within the industry under The Compensation Act 2006?
2. If so, what is the claims management company’s FCA authorisation number? Any such number can be checked out on the Financial Conduct Authorities financial services register.
3. What background and experience does the company or solicitor have?
4. How exactly does the company get paid? Any company worth allowing to manage your claim will happily divulge this information – indeed, we are obliged to do so.
5. How will they deal with your claim? In your home, over the phone, by post etc etc…
6. Will the claims management company remain active in your claim even when the solicitor has taken over the litigation work? We remain available to all of our client’s right through the claim process – giving a continuous contact and support to all clients.
7. What time estimate have you been given? Beware of any companies promising speedy payouts or advising of possible payout amounts. Each claim is different and it is impossible to say exactly how long a claim takes to settle. Direct2Compensation advise our clients that we don’t really know the answer to this, but that a rough guide is anything from 9-18 months to over 2 years. Also, we have no idea what a likely payout will be as medical records must be viewed and a medical expert must write a report giving a prognosis on recovery times and possible disabilities. Therefore, we NEVER give advice on this matter as it is an issue for your solicitor.

Bear the above in mind when enquiring about making your claim!

Making your claim

To make your claim, come to us. Direct2Compensation is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, our authorisation number is 830395. Details can be found on the Financial Conduct Authority financial services register.. We offer genuine peace of mind, honesty and a friendly caring service.