Making a claim Everything you need to know

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1 Making a claim Everything you need to know If you re thinking about making a claim you ll want to get an idea of what the process involves, how much compensation you could be awarded and whether your claim s likely to succeed. We ve put together this short guide to explain the claims process and give you a bit of background on National Accident Helpline. We hope it s a useful introduction and answers some of your questions. If you re looking for more information or you d like to ask us something specific please visit our website or give us a call (Free Phone)

2 Making a claim Initial consultation with solicitor Your solicitor will ask you questions about the accident and your injury. Thinking about making a claim? If you ve been hurt in an accident that wasn t your fault you may be entitled to compensation. National Accident Helpline will offer you free and friendly advice. We ll discuss your case and help you if you decide you want to make a claim. You re under no obligation to take things further, but it will give you the chance to find out how our solicitors can help you and what the process involves. Online and on the phone Your solicitor proceeds with claim Your solicitor will send the defendant a Letter of Claim stating that you intend to claim for the injuries caused by their fault. Your solicitor will instruct a medical expert to assess your injuries. Your solicitor will prepare a Schedule of Losses listing all of the financial losses that you wish to claim for. The solicitor will send it to the other side asking them to pay. You can start the ball rolling by filling in a simple form on our website or calling our free 24 hour helpline on We ll need you to tell us a bit more about your accident or injury to help us assess your situation.you ll find our team friendly and helpful, they re also experienced nearly all our advisors are legal graduates. What happens next? If we think a solicitor may be able to help you make a claim, we ll tell you there and then and put you in touch with a solicitor in your area. They can work on a no win no fee basis. What this means is, if you lose, making a claim won t cost you a penny. Your solicitor will be on hand every step of the way to explain what s going on and you won t have to fill in loads of paperwork as your solicitor will do most of this for you. Claim accepted Defendant accepts responsibility. Solicitor negotiates with defendant about your compensation amount. Your claim is settled & you are paid your compensation and your solicitors costs. Claim disputed Defendant disputes your claim. Case goes to Court only if agreement cannot be reached. Case lost Case won If you lose the You will receive claim, you will compensation not have to pay agreed or fixed any costs. by the Court and solicitors costs.

3 No win no fee What does no win no fee really mean? There are no hidden catches or costs when making a no win no fee claim. It s simple, if you don t win your claim You Don t Pay Anything. The solicitor handling your case will have their own insurance policy to cover their costs if your claim s not successful. Types of accident claims National Accident Helpline have successfully helped thousands of people claim 100% compensation for many different types of accidents and injuries. Visit our website for detailed information about making claims for accidents at work, on the road and in all sorts of different circumstances So what happens if you win your claim? Well, in almost all cases you ll be awarded full damages and your solicitor s costs will be paid by the other side. Neither NAH or your solicitor will take any of your damages, you ll receive 100% of your compensation. Road accidents Slips and trips Industrial accidents NAH s costs are covered by their specialist personal injury solicitors, who pay to advertise their services and for the NAH service - that is free to you! We have successfully helped thousands of people claim 100% compensation. Cycling accidents Accidents at home Sporting injuries Medical injuries Accidents at work Animal attacks

4 How much compensation could I get? Interactive guide to compensation amounts Compensation amounts vary from person to person depending on many different factors, even for similar injuries. That s because injuries affect people in different ways and each person s individual circumstances are taken into account when awarding compensation. Once we ve put you in touch with a personal injury solicitor they will be able to give you a clearer idea of what you might get if you win your claim. The table below will give you a rough idea of the typical compensation awards for some common injuries. Additional compensation may also be given on top of these amounts for other expenses such as lost earnings. Injury Compensation Claim Possible Claim Post Traumatic Stress disorder (minor to severe) Complete loss of sight in one eye Hearing loss (minor to severe) Whiplash (minor) Whiplash (moderate) Whiplash (severe) Hip or pelvis injury (moderate) Fractured shoulder Broken arm (simple fracture) Wrist injury with ongoing problems Fractured index finger Serious toe injury You can also use the interactive guide on our website to find out about possible compensation amounts for many more injuries and accidents.

5 So, why choose NAH? National Accident Helpline has been helping people claim the compensation they re entitled to for over 14 years. We re a brand leader for personal injury claims and have helped thousands of accident victims claim 100% compensation. We re not the only company out there, but we work hard to be the best. We aim to provide an excellent service and pride ourselves on our team s friendly, professional approach. Call us free today and find out how we can help you (Free Phone) Regulated by the Ministry of Justice in respect of regulated claims management activities. Registration is recorded on

6 Here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions How long will my claim take? Every case is different, but many smaller claims can be settled in months. Severe injury cases can take longer. Your solicitor will aim to get your compensation as quickly as possible. What if my accident happened some time ago? If you re over 18 you normally have three years in which to lodge your claim in court. If you re under 18 the three year period starts from your 18th birthday. Will people think less of me for claiming? It s important to remember that accident victims are entitled to seek compensation. Many people are in pain or suffer financial loss after an accident. Their claims succeed because over the years ordinary people have been prepared to claim. Will I have to go to court? The vast majority of cases are settled without any need to go to court. What if my accident happened abroad? You can still make a claim but different rules apply in some countries (with regard to time limits for example). Your solicitor will be able to give you specialist legal advice about accidents abroad. If I make a claim against my employer could I get fired? It s not legally justifiable to fire someone for making an accident claim and could amount to unfair dismissal. Your employer is required by law to take out insurance against staff accidents, so their insurance company will pay your compensation, not your employer. There s more detailed information about making a claim on our website or you can give us a call with any questions on