We approach these cases with an early focus on rehabilitation and interim payments so support is not delayed while liability and value are resolved. We will explain the process, the experts involved and the funding options available.
Can I Make a Claim?
- You suffered a severe or life-changing injury caused by another party's negligence.
- Typical causes include road collisions, workplace accidents and failures in medical care.
- Claims may be brought on behalf of someone who lacks capacity, in which case different time limits apply.
- The severity of the injury does not change the legal test — liability must still be established.
Situations We Are Instructed On
- Multiple fractures and polytrauma requiring prolonged rehabilitation
- Amputation and limb-threatening injury
- Severe burns and significant scarring
- Complex regional pain syndrome and chronic pain conditions
- Injuries resulting in permanent loss of independence
- Cases requiring long-term case management and support workers
What Compensation Could I Claim?
- Substantial general damages reflecting the permanence of the injury
- Lifetime care and case management costs
- Loss of earnings and pension over the whole of working life
- Accommodation, adaptations, prosthetics, aids and equipment
- Therapies including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological support
What can be recovered in any individual case depends on the medical evidence and on the losses that can be proved. We do not estimate figures before that evidence is available.
Evidence That Helps
- A multidisciplinary set of medical reports covering each affected discipline
- Care expert and occupational therapy assessments of daily needs
- Employment and forensic accountancy evidence for future loss
- Accommodation and assistive technology reports where needed
- Witness statements from family describing the practical impact
How Long Could the Claim Take?
Serious cases should not be settled until the medical prognosis is reasonably stable, which can take several years. Interim payments and an early rehabilitation package are used to meet needs during that period rather than forcing an early, undervalued settlement.
No Win No Fee Funding for This Type of Claim
A No Win No Fee agreement — known in law as a conditional fee agreement — is a written contract between you and your solicitor. Under it, our fee for the legal work becomes payable only if your claim is successful. It is a way of funding a claim without paying our costs up front. It is not a promise about the outcome of your case, and it is not available in every matter.
How a No Win No Fee agreement works
- Assessment first. We review the facts, the likely evidence and your prospects before deciding whether we can offer this type of funding.
- If the claim succeeds. The opponent is usually ordered or agrees to pay a substantial part of your legal costs. A success fee — a percentage uplift on our charges, capped by law in personal injury work — is deducted from your compensation. The percentage will be stated in your agreement before you sign it.
- If the claim does not succeed. You would not pay our fee for the legal work covered by the agreement. You may still be responsible for certain disbursements and, in some circumstances, the opponent’s costs, which is why insurance arrangements are discussed with you at the outset.
- Deductions and other costs. Expenses such as medical reports, court fees, expert evidence and any insurance premium are dealt with separately. We will explain which of these may be deducted from your damages and how they are calculated.
- Alternatives. You may already have legal expenses cover through a household, motor or credit card policy, or through a trade union. We will ask about this because it may be a better option for you.
Who may be eligible
Eligibility depends on the individual case, including whether another party appears to be legally responsible, whether the injury and losses can be evidenced, and whether the claim is brought in time. Some claims are not suitable for this form of funding. We will tell you honestly if we cannot act on this basis, and explain the alternatives that may be open to you.
The exact terms — including the success fee percentage, the disbursements involved and what would happen if the claim were unsuccessful — are set out in writing and explained to you before you decide whether to proceed. Nothing on this page is a guarantee about the outcome of a claim or a statement that any particular funding arrangement will be available. Please take advice about your own circumstances.
Speaking to a No Win No Fee Solicitor
The first conversation is an assessment, not a commitment. A solicitor will listen to what happened, identify who may be legally responsible and consider what evidence is likely to be available. In the context of serious injury claims, that usually means looking closely at how the incident occurred, what records exist and how your injury has affected your work and daily life.
Once we understand the case, we can discuss funding. Where a conditional fee arrangement is appropriate, we will explain the terms, the deductions and the risks in writing so that you can make an informed decision. Where it is not appropriate, we will say so and set out any alternative route available to you, including existing insurance cover or union support. Either way, you will know where you stand before any work begins.
Serious Injury Claims FAQs
- Can we get funds before the claim finishes?
- Where liability is admitted or established, interim payments can often be obtained to fund care, treatment and adaptations.
- Why does settlement take so long?
- The claim must reflect lifetime needs. Settling before the prognosis is clear risks leaving future care and losses uncompensated.
- What is a periodical payment order?
- An arrangement where part of the compensation is paid as an index-linked annual sum for life rather than as a single lump sum, providing long-term security.
- Who manages damages for someone without capacity?
- A deputy appointed by the Court of Protection, or a trust, depending on the circumstances. We will advise on the right structure.
Speak to our team
Tell us what happened and we will assess the claim and explain the funding options that may be available to you, in writing, before you decide how to proceed.