Accident or injured? Who do you call? - A solicitor of course

The accident claims ‘industry’ has been having a bad press recently. So who should you call for expert, professional help if you have been hurt or injured in an accident that is no fault of your own?

If you call a accident claims management company in response to a “no win no fee” advert, you are likely to be calling a “middle man” who will not be professionally qualified but will typically sell your case on to a firm of solicitors if you are seeking legal representation to pursue a compensation claim. This is big business for claims managers. Typically, referral fees paid by solicitors to claims managers can amount to several hundred pounds per case.

No wonder we are bombarded in the newspapers and TV with adverts from claims companies. Solicitors have to observe strict codes of conduct covering all their activities, including advertising, and they generally don’t have big marketing budgets. That is why you won’t often see a solicitors’ firm advertising directly in the same way, although there are a few networks of independent solicitors who club together to advertise nationally or regionally.

You may have seen the term ‘no win no fee’ being used in advertising. Why is this? Well, some years ago the government withdrew legal aid for most accident compensation cases and instead introduced a law allowing solicitors to take these cases under CFAs on a “no win no fee” basis. Without the introduction of CFAs, ordinary people would have been prevented from bringing genuine compensation claims because of the risk of having to meet both their own and opponent’s legal costs if they were unsuccessful. It is this change in the law relating to funding court clams that triggered the boom in the ‘no win no fee’ market. Although we may find the advertising and activities of claim management companies distasteful, the existence of ‘no win no fee’ arrangements is a huge benefit and, dealt with properly, cost genuine claimants nothing.

By contacting directly an independent firm of solicitors with specialist expertise – such as Dexter Montague - you cut out the middle man. At Dexter Montague, we don’t place Accident Claims adverts on the television or in the newspapers. We concentrate on providing our clients a quality service and achieving the right results. We are not ambulance chasers, the majority of our clients come to us through personal recommendation because they know of our reputation for relentlessly looking after our clients’ best interests and getting results.

If you are hurt or injured in an accident, it is advisable you seek expert legal advice and perhaps representation: the litigation process is complicated and each stage requires specialist and expert knowledge. By calling a specialist solicitor direct you will receive a faster response from the actual experts themselves. You will not be put through to a call centre staffed by unqualified call centre staff.

At Dexter Montague, we have expert solicitors on hand with many years of experience, who can provide you with the necessary legal support that you need. Our team is headed by partner Sharon Kinder who is a long-standing member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel.

We have achieved excellent results for our clients and we always put the client’s needs first from the very start. To be realistic, not every potential claim will be successful. Our specialist solicitors will advise you on your prospects of success – to recover compensation we would normally need to establish that there has your injury is due to negligence or a breach of statutory duty. And there are time limits for bringing claim – normally 3 years. If you have a good case then we will carefully guide you through the legal process, absorbing much of the hassle and pressure while confidently processing your case to a successful conclusion.

Almost all solicitors specialising in personal injury work, including Dexter Montague, are wiling to act under Conditional Fee Agreements, often referred to as “No Win No Fee” or “CFAs” for short. These are normally coupled with a form of “After the Event” legal expenses insurance designed to protect you against the risk of having to meet opponent’s legal costs if the claim fails. The precise terms may vary and need to be considered carefully, but a well-structured funding package from a firm of solicitors such as Dexter Montague – CFA plus insurance – will ensure that a claimant who sticks to the terms of the agreement pays nothing if the claim fails and recovers compensation in full (plus costs) if the claim succeeds.

So if you have had an injury or accident that is no fault of your own, call one of our team of Accident Compensation solicitors in Reading, on 0118 939 3999 or email claims@dextermontague.co.uk