According to a recent report, almost two-fifths of personal injury victims didn’t claim compensation. The reasons include not wanting to contribute to the compensation culture; not understanding how the claim process works; afraid of what others might think of them; and being kept in the dark when it comes to your legal rights. In the rest of this article we will explain and debunk the myths that have prevented these people from claiming compensation.
1. I don’t want to contribute to the compensation culture
Of the two-fifths of victims who didn’t make a claim, a staggering 42% of people felt they would contribute to the compensation culture if they made a claim. However, the government have the statistics to prove that there is no compensation culture. The ‘compensation culture’ is a myth that has grown because of media hype and has ties to the insurers agenda.
The compensation culture myth has given people the impression that claiming is morally wrong. People are being made to feel bad for using a legal system that is designed to help them! Compensation is not for financial gain; it is to help victims recover what they lost and suffered from an accident.
As long as your claim is genuine and you are honest with us, you do not have to worry about contributing to the compensation culture.
2. I’m worried about what people think of me
The compensation culture has created a negative stereotype for the people who claim. It is a misguided view that people who claim are simply ‘money grabbers’. What some people don’t realise is victims often suffer financial losses because of their injuries. For example if your doctor advises that you take two months off work to recover from your injury, you are potentially losing at least 2 months worth of wages. Therefore it is not unreasonable for you to claim back what you lost.
You can claim for the cost of your treatment, the cost of your car repairs (if involved in a car accident), your loss of income, your damaged belongings, and more. Find out how your compensation is calculated. Compensation is there to help victims of accidents, so don’t be ashamed or feel guilty about making a claim. Compensation is the least that you deserve for suffering an accident that wasn’t your fault.
3. I’m nervous about the claim process
Up to 26% of people did not claim because they were nervous about claiming and how the claim process works. It is perfectly normal to be nervous about using any service you have never needed. However, you don’t need to be as that is what we are here for! We have simplified the claim process to help you understand what goes on when you bring us a claim:
- Tell us about your accident.
- If we accept your claim then we will get in touch with the third party who is responsible for your accident.
- We will handle the legal stuff for you, including putting together evidence and more.
- Next we will book you in for a medical, so we can work out how much compensation you can claim for.
- We will inform the third party of how much compensation you deserve (known as an offer).
- If everyone accepts the offer, you will receive your compensation and your claim is complete. Simple!
- Alternatively, if the offer is rejected for whatever reason, we will launch legal proceedings.
- We will represent you in court and a judge will decide the outcome of your case. Although this may sound daunting, we have published a lot of FAQs online about preparing for court and what happens at court should you need it. For your information, only 3% of all personal injury claims brought to us ever go to court. We will always try our best to have it settled beforehand.
4. I’m worried I’ll lose my job if I claim against my employer
It is illegal to sack you from your job for making a claim against your employer. If this is the reason for losing your job, then you could have a case for unfair dismissal. Every company or place you work at should have employers’ liability insurance to cover for accidents at work.
How can Scott Rees & Co help you?
Your solicitor will guide you through your claim and provide you with regular updates on the progress. If there are things that we need you to do or need from you, then we will let you know. We will always try to be as accommodating and flexible for you as possible. As long as you let us know when you are available, we will arrange or contact you at the time and date you request. Our solicitors are very approachable, so please use them for any concerns or questions you have during your claim.
There are no upfront costs for using our service. We are no win no fee solicitors, which means that you only pay us if we win your case. We cap our fees at 25% of the compensation you receive. If you lose your case, then we will not charge you for our service.
We are on your side and can give you the support and advice you need for a successful claim. Don’t lose thousands of pounds because you did not make a personal injury claim you are entitled to make. If you would like more information about claiming, or you would like to start your claim, then call us today on the contact numbers found at the top of the page.