Quick claim form

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the claims process work?

This simple flowchart shows the main steps involved in bringing a claim for compensation.

Claim Process

What should I do if I have an accident?

We have useful guides for practical advice for different types of accident. Our guides are available throughout our website.

What exactly can I claim for?

You can claim compensation for your injuries, to reflect the extent of your pain and suffering and how the injuries have affected your day to day life. You can also claim compensation for any financial losses or expenses you have suffered, like loss of earnings, medical fees and travel expenses.

How much is my injury claim actually worth?

To see how much your injury claim is worth click here to view our interactive injury claim values guide.

Will I have to go to court?

This is extremely unlikely. Most accident claims (about 95%) are settled before they go to court.

What should I do to start my claim?

Click on the claim now button, email us or call our free phone number on 08081 355 355 which is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Why choose Actons Injury Solicitors?

Actons have a personal injury team with vast experience. We deal with all types of personal injury claims, such as road traffic accidents, accidents at work, trips, slips and falls in public places and on private property, dog bites and hair care and beauty treatment mistakes. Unlike many other injury claims firms, we do not employ unqualified “claims advisors / handlers” or “paralegals” to deal with personal injury claims. All members of our personal injury team are fully qualified lawyers and only deal with personal injury claims. So you can be sure that the person dealing with your claim is a specialist with a wealth of experience of claims just like yours.

How much will it cost me to claim?

It won’t cost you anything. If appropriate, we will enter in to a ‘No Win No Fee Agreement’ with you and arrange insurance cover to protect you against any liability to pay your opponent’s costs. We recover our costs from your opponent or their insurers if you win. Otherwise you may already have legal expenses insurance cover which can be used to fund your claim. We will investigate this for you.

What does no win no fee mean?

No win, no fee is the commonly used nickname for a “conditional fee arrangement”. As the nickname suggests, if we act for you on a no win, no fee basis and the claim is lost, there are no fees to pay to us. If the claim is won, we recover our costs from your opponent or their insurers.

If I do not pay my costs then who does?

If we are acting for you on a no win, no fee basis, no fee is payable to us by you. If we are successful we recover our fees from your opponent or their insurers on your behalf. If your claim is lost, we do not get paid.

Do I pay once I have won?

If, as in the vast majority of cases we deal with, you win, you are ultimately responsible for our costs but we recover them directly on your behalf from your opponent or their insurers. There is nothing left for you to pay and you keep all of your compensation.

What if I lose my case?

In the unlikely event that we have to advise you to abandon your claim or you lose at court, we don’t get paid. If court proceedings have already started then you may be required to pay your opponents legal costs. But you can buy insurance to cover that event and you may in fact have it already as part of your car or home contents insurance or through your membership of an organisation like a vehicle breakdown organisation or trade union. We will look into this for you from the outset. If you do not already have cover we can arrange that for you if it is necessary. If you lose there is nothing left for you to pay as the cover we are able to arrange for you also includes the cost of the premium. If the case is won, we will get the premium back from your opponent or their insurers.

Does it matter where I live?

No. All that matters is that your accident took place in England or Wales. But we can still act for you if your accident happened abroad whilst you were on holiday, as long as it was booked through a holiday company / tour operator based in England or Wales.

Will I have to meet face to face with my lawyer?

Not usually. We will advise, take your instructions and keep you up to date with the progress of your claim via email, telephone and post. We aim to make the claiming process as simple for you as possible.

My accident happened a while ago. Does this matter?

Not necessarily. There are different time limits for different types of accident and different types of claimant. Those time limits can also be extended in exceptional circumstances, with the permission of the court. But, in general, for accidents in England or Wales you have 3 years from the date of injury to bring your claim.

Anyone who was under 18 at the time of their injury has until their 21st birthday to bring their claim. We will be able to advise you on the relevant time limit for your claim at the beginning.

If my accident happened at work, can I make a claim against my employer without being sacked?

Making a claim against your employer does not entitle them to treat you any differently. The law protects employees from being harassed, disadvantaged or dismissed for pursuing a personal injury claim against their employer. In the vast majority of claims against employers, it is in fact their insurers who deal with the claim and pay the costs anyway.

Can I still claim if my accident happened abroad?

Yes you can. We can deal with your claim if your accident happened abroad whilst you were on holiday, as long as it was booked through a holiday company / tour operator based in England or Wales.

Can I claim on behalf of my child?

As a parent or guardian of an injured child you can make a claim for compensation on their behalf up until the child reaches 18. Once the child is 18 they must bring the claim in their own right. For the majority of accident claims, someone who was injured as a child will have until their 21st birthday to bring their claim.

Can I claim on behalf of a family member who has died as a result of an accident that was not their fault?

Yes, if you are an executor or a personal representative of the deceased’s estate you can bring a claim on behalf of the estate. The deceased’s dependants may also be able to make their own claims for their dependency loss, which can often be a very significant loss.

Do I have to use the solicitor recommended to me by my legal expenses insurers?

Certainly not! You have the right to choose the solicitor you want to represent you and not have one forced upon you by an insurance company. Frequently the insurer will want you to use their suggested firm because they have an arrangement with that firm which means that a fee of hundreds of pounds is paid to the insurer to effectively sell your details to them. That firm then has to make savings to cover their large upfront cost of getting the client, which usually means those claims being run by very junior members of staff. We act for many clients who have chosen us instead of the firm that their insurers tried to direct them to for their injury claim. All of our clients are represented by qualified and experienced lawyers who specialise in injury claims.

Are Actons Solicitors a claims management company?

No. Claims management companies are the middle men that you see on TV. In our industry they are known as claim farmers. They are not qualified to give legal advice. Callers to claims management companies are effectively speaking to call centres. They sell the information that people provide to them about their injuries to solicitors for hundreds of pounds. We are a firm of Solicitors. All of our clients are represented by qualified and experienced lawyers who specialise in injury claims, who will speak to you directly from the moment you begin your claim. It is this direct legal service that no claims management company can offer.

What should I do if I have been approached by someone offering cash to settle my claim?

You should not accept anything until you have received independent legal advice. It is often the case that the amount offered to a claimant directly is far less than what the claim is actually worth.

Will I lose my welfare benefits if I win compensation?

No. If the amount of compensation that we get for you is enough to affect your entitlement to welfare benefits we can arrange for the compensation to be paid into a trust fund. This allows you to carry on receiving your means tested benefits whilst benefiting from the compensation you have received.

What other services do you provide?

We can arrange for you to have physiotherapy and other forms of treatment to help with your recovery. We recover the cost of this treatment as part of your claim.

Can you advise me on what to do with my damages?

We specialise in bringing personal injury claims. We are not financial advisers and it would be inappropriate for us to try to give our clients financial advice. But we do have arrangements with qualified financial advisers who can discuss a wide range of investments or other options to ensure you make the most of your compensation, if required.