10 Frequently Asked Questions about Personal Injury claims
1. What does personal injury mean?
A personal injury can be physical or psychological, and be caused by a variety of things, including a road collision, a work accident, medical negligence, and exposure to dangerous materials. Other causes include assaults, slips and trips in public areas, or faulty goods.
2. I’ve suffered a personal injury. Can I make a personal injury claim through my union?
Yes. If you are a trade union member and you have been injured in an accident or incident that was not your fault in the past three years, then you could be eligible to make a personal injury compensation claim. Thompsons Solicitors is proud of its long history of providing a first-class, free legal services to union members and secures tens of millions of pounds in personal injury compensation for injured union members, and their families, annually.
Contact our personal injury claim specialists today for more information on how to begin your case.
3. How long do I have to make a personal injury claim?
Trade union members wishing to make a personal injury claim need to do so within three years of the date of the accident or injury occurring, though there are a few exceptions.
In medical negligence claims, the cut-off point for starting a claim is three years from the date when you could have reasonably judged that your treatment, or perhaps lack of it, caused you injury.
In asbestos disease claims, the cut-off point for starting a claim is three years from the date of diagnosis, crucially not three years from the date of exposure to the toxic substance. That means that even if you, or a loved one have developed an asbestos disease, such as pleural thickening, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis or asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma as a result of exposure decades ago, you could still make an asbestos disease claim for compensation within three years of receiving your diagnosis
Our advice is to always make a claim as soon as possible, so don’t delay. For more information on time limits for making a personal injury claim, contact our friendly personal injury specialists today for free, no obligation legal advice. You can do this by filling out our online enquiry form or calling 0800 0 224 224.
4. How much will it cost me to make a personal injury claim for compensation through my union?
Nothing. Thompsons Solicitors provides trade union members with free legal advice and representation in all personal injury claims. Union members also keep 100 per cent of the personal injury compensation we secure on their behalf – a deal no high street or non-specialist law firm can match.
Special terms apply for medical negligence which ensure that trade union members or their families making a clinical negligence compensation claim receive free advice and are left with more compensation than they would get if they used a non-union law firm.
5. A family member has suffered a personal injury. Can my union help them make a personal injury claim?
Yes. As a trade union member, relatives are also entitled to free legal advice and representation if they suffer a personal injury that wasn’t their fault, and which was unrelated to their employment i.e. not a workplace accident. For more information about the terms of specific unions’ legal schemes, visit our Trade Unions page.
6. I had an accident on holiday. Can I pursue a personal injury compensation claim through my union membership?
If your case can be pursued in the UK, you are entitled to seek free legal advice and representation from your union’s legal services for any personal injuries you sustain that weren’t your fault - whether at work, home or on holiday, provided the cases can be pursued within the UK courts. If you’re considering making a holiday accident claim, contact us for free, no obligation advice about whether you can claim in the UK.
7. How long does a personal injury claim take?
The time it takes to settle a personal injury claim to be concluded varies depending on the severity of the injury and the extent of its impact on your health and daily life, as well as how strongly contested the case is by the person or organisation responsible for causing your injury. Thompsons Solicitors will always strive to settle your case quickly, securing you as much compensation as possible and at all times keeping you up to speed on the status of your case. We also have a reputation for fighting and winning claims that other firms would deem too challenging, or ‘not worth their while’.
8. How much money will I be awarded for my personal injury claim?
The amount of money awarded for a personal injury compensation claim is calculated according to a variety of factors, including: the seriousness of your injury; the level of suffering you have or will endure and any loss of earnings. Our legal experts will thoroughly examine the details of your case and provide an indication of the amount you could be entitled to, as soon as possible.
9. Will I get all of the personal injury compensation awarded to me if I go through my union?
In every personal injury claim or industrial disease claim, the answer is yes. The only exception is clinical negligence claims where the cases are very complex and we make a small deduction at the end of the case, but the deduction we make is substantially less than any other non-union law firm would make. Your union will expect you to keep up your membership for the duration of your case.
10. How do I start a personal injury claim for compensation through my union?
If you are a member of a trade union and you wish to pursue a personal injury compensation claim, call us on 0800 0 224 224 or visit your union’s hub for details of the scheme. Alternatively, you can also fill out our online enquiry form.
