subject: Work Injuries - Can You Keep 100% Of Your Compensation? [print this page] Author: Nick Jervis
Being off work is an expensive business with lost earnings, extra expenses and the added anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing exactly what the future holds. All this as well as the actual pain and discomfort that you may well be feeling.Questions that might be going through your mind might include - how much do good accident injury lawyers cost? How will I find the money to pay for one? Do they need money up front? What if I win, how much of my compensation will I need to hand over? What if I lose? Can I afford to lose? Can I even afford to win? What will my bosses think if I make a claim?It doesn't have to be like this.First of all you should realise that accidents at work are nothing out of the ordinary. Yes, you may feel embarrassed or annoyed that you find yourself in this position, but know that you aren't the first and you certainly won't be the last. Nearly 300,000 people in 2008 were injured in workplace accidents.Know too that your employer should be protected against injury at work claims through their liability insurance. Whilst things like legal action, employing solicitors and making work injury accident claims against employers might seem intimidating to people not experienced in law, understand that your employers are professional business people. They need to appreciate that a work injury claim made against them isn't personal - it's simply a request for entitlement. It's you who have suffered the pain, the time off work and it's you who now face a future made uncertain through no fault of your own. If the evidence you have collected and shown to your specialist work injuries solicitor is deemed enough to justify a claim, then do just that: claim what is rightfully yours.Secondly, you need pay absolutely nothing to proceed with an accident or illness claim if you opt for a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), most commonly known as a no win, no fee arrangement. Introduced in the 90's as an alternative to legal aid, CFAs mean that you don't need to be wealthy to seek justice. More than that, if you win your compensation claim you will receive 100% of the amount awarded. Your work injuries solicitor will receive their fees from your employer's insurance company.In the event that you lose, and you and your solicitor receive nothing, you don't have to pay a penny. The financial risk is the solicitor's. It is their job in the first instance to assess your claim and decide whether it is viable to proceed. If they think it is, then they shoulder the financial risk. To this end it is important that you collect as much information as possible relating to your claim - accident book details, medical reports, eye witness statements, anything that your solicitor can use to evaluate your case and use as evidence in your claim. The more detail, the more likely the solicitor is to take your case on for free and the greater the chances of a positive result for you. About the Author: Visit Work Accident Solicitors if you have been Injured At Work.
Read our free Work Accidents Guide to discover everything you need to know about making a Work Accident Claim.
Nick Jervis is a solicitor (non-practising) and a consultant to Work Accident Solicitors who specialise in Work Accident Claims.
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