We are solicitors offering no win no fee compensation agreements. Catherine Smith introduces our no win no fee services in this short video.

We offer no win no fee compensation agreements for all types of accidents. Why not use our free legal advice service opposite to ask us a question or get started making a claim?

Solicitors Offering No Win No Fee Compensation Agreements

No Win No Fee Accident Agreements

While going direct to solicitors that offer no win no fee agreements is better than using a Claims Management Company, there are still various pitfalls which may be encountered that require careful preliminary investigation. The concept of No Win No Fee should not be taken literally, as the claimant still faces various liabilities with regard to the costs of bringing the claim. Furthermore, as the Citizens Advice Bureau have highlighted, solicitors are not exempt from the poor sales practices normally associated with Claims Management Companies.

No Win No Fee Explained

Firstly, the 'basic' and 'success' fees charged under no win no fee agreements must be closely examined. Ideally, with regard to basic fees, a solicitor should agree to only charge you the amount that the opposing side are willing to pay. It is then up to the solicitor to negotiate with the latter party. Where this is not agreed, you may be liable for the shortfall between what the opposition are prepared to pay, and what you have agreed with your solicitor. This would then be deducted from the compensation award. The success fee due under a no win no fee contract is intended to reflect the risk involved in taking on the case in the first place. Though this fee is normally paid by the losing party, the claimant still bears ultimate responsibility for payment, and again a gap can materialize between what has been agreed with the solicitor and what the losing party may regard as reasonable. The court may decide that the success fee due to the solicitor is unreasonably high, and once more the shortfall will be made up from the victorious claimant's damages.

Hidden Costs Of No Win No Fee Agreements

It should also be firmly established from the outset with your solicitor whether 'disbursements' or regular costs are included in the No Win No Fee agreement. Such costs can include everything from expert opinions, court fees, barrister's fees (where required) and travelling expenses. Ideally these costs should come within the scope of the No Win No Fee agreement. Often unscrupulous practioners will exclude them, to the detriment of their client's interests. In a similar vein the potential for so-called 'hidden costs' should stringently examined. If for example a client chooses to accept an out of court settlement, against his solicitor's advise, he may be liable to punitive charges to make up the solicitor's perceived shortfall. Further, if you change solicitors for whatever reason, having signed a No Win No Fee agreement, the original solicitor will still be eligible for a success fee should the claim prove successful. This has been known to have the effect of wiping out a successful claimant's damages, and instead creating debt. It should be repeated that the claimant bears ultimate responsibility for their solicitor's charges, and meeting the terms of any agreement they have entered into.

Further problems emerge when a credit agreement has been signed by the claimant to cover costs, including after the event (ATE) insurance, where interest is being accrued, often at a punitive rate. Where the value of the potential damages is comparatively small, a credit agreement along with other costs may exceed the value of actual damages awarded. In this instance the solicitor was probably wrong in taking on the case in the first place. Similarly where a solicitor finds that a case is more contentious than he first expected, he may delay taking any action, based on the supposition that his success fee will not compensate him for the effort, expense and risk involved. Often such a conclusion is not communicated to the client for some time, resulting in financial loss for the latter.

None of the above should deter a client from seeking advice from No Win No Fee Injury solicitors. Simply any agreement entered into should be carefully analysed, and the relevant questions asked and addressed to the client's satisfaction. Please view our 'benefits' page to understand the other side of the coin, and why it is infinitely better to engage a solicitor directly rather than relying on an unregulated, unqualified Claims Management Company.

You can rest assured that if you instruct our company you have our promise that you will not pay a penny, either out of your own pocket or out of the compensation we obtain for you, win or lose!

Work Injuries To Specific Parts Of The Body:

Eye Injury | Facial Injury | Shoulder Injury | Arm Injury
Elbow Injury | Wrist Injury | Hand Injury | Finger Injury
Leg Injury | Hip Injury | Knee Injury | Ankle Injury
Foot Injury | Toe Injury

Work Accident Professions:

Warehouse Accident | Factory Accident | Kitchen Accident
Night Shift Accident | Office Accident | Electrical Accident
Scaffolding Accident | Forklift Accident | Ladder Accident
Crane Accident

Public Liability Accident Claims:

Hairdressing Accident | Supermarket Accident
Shopping Centre Accident | Car Park Accident
Restaurant Accident | Coffee Shop Accident
Pub Accident | Hotel Accident | Child Accident
Dog Bite Claim | Bicycle Accident