How much does it cost to make a personal injury claim?

Personal injury claims: how much do they cost?

When making any personal injury claim, whether it’s for a road traffic accident, fall, or anything else, there’s a lot that will be going on.

It’s a stressful, often painful time, so the last thing you want to be worrying about on top of everything else is the costs associated with hiring a qualified solicitor; an expense that most people have likely never had to consider.

The cost of making a claim is often something clients want to know well before they commit to anything. No one enjoys sudden upfront costs or additional unexpected fees. That being said, the cost of making a personal injury claim will vary depending on numerous aspects, such as what type of personal injury claim you’re making, and whether it goes to court or not.

How much do solicitors charge?

There isn’t a fixed rate for how much personal injury lawyers may charge. Some will charge by the hour, while others might offer a fixed rate or flat fee depending on the type of claim you’re making. On top of this, their overall cost will also be based on a variety of additional factors, including but not limited to:

• The cost of any requested accident reports
• The cost of requesting copies of any medical reports
• Barrister fees if the case goes to court
• Travel expenses

Alongside this, many solicitors might ask for a success fee for personal injury claims. A success fee is a percentage of billable work related to the complexities and risks relating to your specific case. This means that success fees will vary from case to case, but they will always be agreed upon before you agree to begin the claims process. Naturally, a success fee will only be paid if your claim is successful.

While this might seem a lot to bear in mind, in many cases you won’t have to pay a solicitor’s fee in full. A large portion of the legal expenses may come from payments made by the opposing side’s insurers and there are a variety of options that make hiring injury lawyers affordable for everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

Ways to Pay for a Compensation Claim

Generally speaking, there a three main methods people can use in order to cover the costs associated with their legal expenses:

• A conditional fee agreement
• An insurance payment
• Assistance provided by their trade union

Starting with the first and most common option, a conditional fee agreement is also known as a no-win, no-fee agreement*. When you opt for a no-win, no-fee agreement, you won’t need to pay a single penny of your legal fees if your claim proves unsuccessful, though you may still be liable for some of the incidental expenses of your case. However, If your case is successful, you will be required to cover some of your solicitor’s legal expenses.

If, on the other hand, you don’t meet the criteria for a conditional agreement, or you prefer to pay your legal expenses separately and keep the full amount of compensation for yourself, you might choose to cover your legal costs with an insurance policy. Some clients already have legal protection as part of their home or car insurance, while others take out After the Event (ATE) insurance instead, ensuring that they have the funds to cover any legal costs should a personal injury occur.

Finally, if you’re unfortunate enough to experience an accident at work, then you may be able to access legal support through any trade union you are a member of who can cover most if not all of the legal fees for you.

What percentage do solicitors take for a success fee?

As stated, when you agree to a no-win, no-fee agreement, the resulting success fee from any successful claim will be taken from your compensation in order to cover their fee. This is due to changes in the law made in April 2013 that no longer allow success fees to be recovered from the defendant, requiring you to cover them instead from any compensation you receive.

The fees asked for by your solicitor will vary based on case type, but if it is a case that our solicitors can take on, the legal team will explain the fees associated with your case and any additional VAT. Of course, if your case is unsuccessful, it won’t cost you anything.

Here at The Compensation Experts, we give every claim the time and consideration it deserves.

Contact our expert team today to see if you’re eligible to make a claim, what that claim might cost, and everything you need to know about our no-win, no-fee agreements. You can also read some of our more frequently asked questions regarding the claims process right here.

*Conditions may apply