Lawyer For Personal Injury Compensation

Q: My husband recently had an accident at work that was not his fault at all and left him injured. He wants to claim for compensation and has asked his union to act on his behalf. Would it be better if he asked a personal injuries lawyer to act on his behalf or should he assume that the union will do a good job?

A: -The union will appoint one of the excellent firms of solicitors on their panel (eg Thompsons, Pattinson & Brewer, various others) and I assure you he could not do better with any other firm. -An relative of mine had a similar situation and went with the union. The case dragged on for three years and in the end he was forced to take an offer (which he considered low) against his wishes as the union refused to underwrite the legal fees for going to court -The union will introduce you to the solicitors. They make the claim and issue proceedings if necessary. It might take several years if the injury is complicated and there is a need for several medical

reports. Eventually the solicitors will advise you on a settlement offer and it may be, of course, that the offer is lower than you expect and that because the solicitors are sure that it is a fair offer, the union then refuses to finance the case any further. The same happens if you go to a private firm of solicitors where the costs are underwritten not by a union but by an insurance company. However if you feel the offer is too low you have ample opportunity to discuss it with the solicitors and if necessary with counsel. They prefer the client to be happy with the settlement and they are usually very effective when it comes to bargaining with the opposing side.