After what may have been a traumatic accident, you may feel too fragile to consider making the decision regarding which law firm to instruct on your claim; especially with the high number of firms out there all wanting your business. With the wrong law firm on board, the whole process could become more drawn out and a greater hassle than it needs to be – this is why it is advisable to do your research and choose the best law firm, for you, from the outset.
I have listed some important things to look out for when researching law firms:
- 100% of your compensation – you should make sure that on settling your claim you obtain all your compensation with no deductions or hidden charges. This is an item which can be checked on a firm’s website, but also should be checked before agreeing any no win no fee contract. If you are unsure you, should ask your lawyer directly.
- No fees to you – you should make sure that you are not solely responsible for the solicitors’ costs. Solicitors’ costs are the fees they charge for the time spent on your case. A good place to check this can be to see if the solicitor’s costs are restricted. Solicitors’ do not always get all of their costs on a claim – so, if it doesn’t specifically state that your lawyers costs are restricted to whatever they recover from the other side, they can come to you for the remainder.
- Service Standards – firstly, check to see if the law firm even has any policies on client care – if not, this may tell you a lot about the firm. If they do have policies, then ask about them, and they should be happy to tell you. At The Injury Lawyers, for instance, we have a policy of updating our clients every 2 weeks and returning client calls within 24 hours, if we are unable to return it the same day.
If a law firm has the important items as set out above, you may also want to enquire as to anything else they may offer, such as:
Early Medical Intervention – many good law firms will organise private medical treatment for you from the outset of the case – this may include physiotherapy, osteopathic, or chiropractic treatment. This should be at no cost to you (whether you win or lose your case), and can be organised somewhere close to your home so you do not have to wait on, what can be, lengthy NHS waiting lists.
Vehicle repairs and hire vehicles – if you have damaged your car as a result of an accident and need it repairing, or need the services of a hire car company, this may be something that your law firm is able to arrange for you.
If you have any questions about the services we offer ,feel free to give us a call.
