Suffering an accident by virtue of someone else’s negligence is not something for which you can plan – but happen it does, amounting to around £128 million in CRU-recovered damages each year. Whether workplace incident or public injury, it can often be difficult to know exactly how to respond, even if you know you could be owed compensation. What are some of the essential steps to choosing legal representation to help you navigate a claim after an accident?
Initial Steps – or, Building Your Case
Before taking active steps to seek out legal representation, you might want to take a moment to gather any information and evidence you have relating to your accident. For some law firms, even initial consultations can command a relatively high price; you do not want to be making appointments without first being sure you have some form of case, and second being able to provide enough for a firm to make a professional assessment.
This means gathering witness statements from those present at the accident, whether co-workers at a workplace incident or relatives, friends and passers-by for a public injury. If any incident reports exist, copies should be taken where possible. Medical opinions on the extent of your injuries are also crucial.
Search by Specialism
With all your ducks in a row, so to speak, your next step is to narrow down the pool of potential legal representatives. The specifics of your injury will also lead you into specific fields of civil litigation, where finding solicitors with specialism would greatly benefit your case. With regards to workplace accidents in industrial scenarios, you’ll want to seek counsel from a firm with a clearly-signposted specialism in industrial accidents; likewise with medical negligence claims, where a different set of precedents can apply altogether.
Review Testimonials
Even with your search window narrowed, there will be a broad number of potential firms with which you can work. At this point, ascertaining professionalism and effectiveness is key. Just as you would with any other public-facing service, you should endeavour to seek out testimonials from prior clients of your firm shortlist. These testimonials will reveal how easy each firm is to work with, and give you a clearer picture of whether they are worth your time and investment.
Consultations
With your shortlist now narrowed down to a handful of well-reviewed, specialised solicitors or legal practices, your final step would be to arrange consultations with each of them. Generally speaking, firms will give a free half-hour to hear out any potential case, but this isn’t always the case. Still, the money can be worthwhile for the peace of mind that results from choosing the right firm to represent you in civil court.
Final Considerations
Finally, it is important to acknowledge the slow and often frustrating movement of any legal case or claim. There are several steps to take, each with their own timelines, deadlines, extensions and appeals attached. That said, a great deal of civil claims are settled well before court action, meaning if your case is airtight enough, you could be spared from drawn-out sessions before a judge.