Personal Injury Solicitors

A guide to the work of our personal injury solicitors

At Camps Solicitors, we understand that whilst most people have some idea of the work that goes on inside a personal injury law firm, many there are still many people with unanswered questions about what a personal injury solicitor actually does. To help to answer some of these questions, Camps Solicitors has put together a short guide to the work of our lawyers.

Establishing the facts

Typically, one of the first tasks our personal injury solicitors have to do when taking on a new client is to establish the facts of claim. It can sometimes be very difficult to find out what actually took place, as there may be conflicting accounts of the accident. Establishing the who, what, where, when and why of any case can involve anything from having a few photos taken of the scene of an accident right up to contacting police and government agencies, and commissioning expert reports.

Contacting witnesses

If you weren't the only person to see your accident, then your personal injury solicitor will ask you for the contact details so that they can get statements as to the circumstances of your accident from any witnesses. Unless you knew the witness before your accident, then it is usually the job of your solicitor, not you to contact them in order to obtain their statement.

Assembling a claim

Making a successful accident compensation claim relies on presenting a convincing argument either to the court, the third party's insurance company, or an organisation responsible for paying out compensation, such as the Motor Insurers Bureau or the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. Your solicitor will draw together any medical evidence, police accident reports, witness statements and any other expert evidence to make your case for compensation as strong as possible.

Negotiating with other parties

Once a strong case has been assembled, the next step in most cases is to contact the other side. In these negotiations your personal injury solicitor will attempt to get the maximum possible compensation for your particular injuries. In cases where someone has admitted responsibility or liability for causing the accident, then negotiations will mainly cover the amount of personal injury compensation their insurance company will be prepared to pay out. If the person you think is responsible for causing your accident has denied any wrongdoing, then your case may be settled in the courts.

Advising our clients

At Camps Solicitors we take time to explain the claims process to our clients as well as providing regular updates on the work we have done for you, in accordance with Solicitors Regulation Authority rules. If the other side offers to pay you an amount of compensation, your solicitor will give their advice on whether to accept the offer or to push for a greater amount, the decision is then yours to make. In many cases we find that through the negotiations process, when a new offer of compensation is made by the insurers, it will often be substantially more than that which was first offered.