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1. |
How much will it cost
me to make a claim?
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We will give
you free initial advice. We will advise you on the options for funding
at the start of the claim. You may have a legal expenses policy already
under your motor or house insurance which will cover your claim. If not,
where possible, we will act for you under a ‘no win no fee’ agreement
(ie. a Conditional Fee Agreement). We can arrange
for insurance cover to be set up backed by the RAC, so that if your claim
is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any costs. If the claim is
successful, most of our costs will be paid by the Defendant. In some
cases we may need to ask you to make a small contribution.
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2. |
How long will my claim
take?
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Some claims
can be finished within a few months. Others take longer. For instance
there may be a dispute about liability or we may need to wait until all
your treatment has finished before we know whether you are going to make
a complete recovery. This will determine the point at which we are able
to tell you how much your claim is worth.
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3. |
How much money will I
receive?
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This depends
on various factors. When advising you on the value of your claim, we
will take into account the seriousness of your injuries, how long your
symptoms last and whether or not you will make a complete recovery. We
follow published guidelines and also awards given by Courts in similar
cases when advising you about how much you are likely to get. In
addition to the money you receive for your injuries, you are entitled to
be reimbursed for many of your expenses and losses incurred as a result
of the accident. We will advise you about these as the case progresses
and, where possible, obtain an interim payment.
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4. |
Is there a time limit
for making a claim?
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The basic
rule is that any Court proceedings have to be started before the third
anniversary of an accident. If you are the victim of a deliberate
injury, the claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has to
be made within two years of the incident.
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5. |
Will I have to go to
Court?
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This is very
unlikely. Most cases settle amicably without having to issue Court
proceedings. If we do have to issue proceedings in your claim, we would
still probably be able to negotiate an amicable settlement without the
need for you to attend Court.
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