How To Choose The Right Solicitor To Handle Your Personal Injury Claim
Do I need a solicitor to help me?
As everyone has a right of access to justice, there is no legal requirement for you to instruct a solicitor to handle your personal injury claim. Whilst you can of course attempt to deal with your personal injury claim yourself, this is not something we would ever recommend you doing, especially when your claim is complex or serious injuries have been sustained. Personal injury law is complicated as such, you ought to give your claim the best chance for success by choosing an individual that is reliable and trustworthy. Most Solicitors train for at least 6 years prior to qualifying. From completing a law degree or GDL course, for people having obtained a degree in another subject, followed by the LPC and/or SQE path and a training contract or work based experience specialising in personal injury cases and gaining extended exposure to the field. The day-to-day practice means extended exposure to all facets of case work in the personal injury sector and the experience gained is valuable to maximise the chance of a successful outcome. Once Solicitors eventually do qualify, they continuously train in order to keep up with the frequent changes in the law.
Which firm do I choose?
Selecting a firm to represent you following an accident can become quite confusing, below are some points you should consider when instructing a firm to represent you.
- Does the firm you wish to instruct specialise in personal injury claims?It is important that you choose a Solicitor specialising in personal injury law so that you get the help you require at an early stage, such as for example rehabilitation and interim payments, if you are financially struggling.To find out whether a firm specialises in personal injury claims, you should visit the firm’s website to understand the expertise within the team and ensure they have the expertise to handle your particular case. You can also use the Law Society Website and/or the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (‘APIL’).
- Does the firm have a good reputation and good reviews from previous clients?You can look into this by Googling the firm on the Internet and reviewing feedback provided by previous clients.
- Has the firm been recommended by a friend or family member?Maybe you have a friend or family member who may have used the firm in question previously. If so, obtain some feedback and find out whether they would recommend the said firm to you.
Why choose Hodge Jones & Allen?
Our firm was founded in September 1977 by Henry Hodge, Peter Jones & Patrick Allen, hence the name ‘Hodge Jones & Allen’ or ‘HJA’ in short. The moto of the firm has always been ‘fight for what’s right’.
We have extensive experience at handling all types of personal injury cases, such as Employers’ Liability, Public Liability, Occupiers’ Liability, Product Liability and Road Traffic Accidents involving cyclists or pedestrians, and are dedicated to represent ordinary people and achieve the best outcome for our Clients. We also implement the Rehabilitation Code wherever possible to ensure our Clients get the treatment they require at an early stage.
We are proud members of APIL, which is a not-for-profit organisation who has been fighting for the rights of injured people over 30 years.
Throughout more than four decades, our firm has become recognised as a leading social justice and high quality personal legal services law firm. We have received, or been shortlisted, for many awards throughout the years. Lately, HJA was recognised in The Times’ list of the Best 200 Law Firms 2022.
Our firm has also been involved in many landmark cases such as the Grenfell Tower Tragedy.
Funding your personal injury claim
Conditional Free Agreement (‘CFA’)
At HJA we offer Conditional Fee Agreements supported by a policy of After-the-Event Insurance. This is a written legal funding agreement between a firm of Solicitors and Claimants who cannot afford legal fees. The advantage of a CFA is that you do not need to pay your legal fees upfront. Having a claim funded by way of a CFA means that if your claim succeeds, you will receive damages and the
Defendant’s Insurers will have to pay your legal fees to your Solicitors. To compensate your Solicitors for the risk they are taking by not getting paid if your claim is unsuccessful, the law allows Solicitors to charge a success fee if the case is won, hence the name ‘no win no fee’.
If you have been involved in an accident, for which you are not to blame, and sustained a personal injury as a direct result of that accident then you may be entitled to compensation. Please do not hesitate to contact our personal injury experts on 0808 271 9413 for a free consultation.