The phrase ‘no win no fee’ is one which is often misunderstood by people considering making a claim for compensation. Media representations of a ‘compensation culture’ and the idea that anyone claiming in the event of an injury is merely attempting to cash in have created something of a stigma. No win no fee is part of this since, at first glance, it can sound like it’s simply too good to be true.
To go back to basics – if you’ve been involved in an accident of some kind which wasn’t your fault, and been injured as a result of this accident, then you have every right to seek compensation from the party whose negligence was responsible. It’s not a question of trying to make a fast buck – suffering an injury can be an expensive business. Immediate costs might include travel fees and medical expenses, not to mention money lost through having to take time off work. On top of this there’s the fact that suffering any kind of injury can cause considerable physical and psychological distress. If the quality of your life, now and in the future, has been diminished through the actions of another party then it’s only just and fair that you should be compensated. As far as possible, the amount awarded should allow you to start living your life as you did before the accident, as well as bolstering your sense of fairness.
Pursuing a claim of this kind is something which is best done via an experienced no win no fee lawyer. They’ve seen every kind of case you could imagine, and will have answers to all the questions you might have and plenty you haven’t even thought of.
What no win no fee means is that the cost of launching a claim needn’t be a part of your decision. If you win, your lawyers fees will either be taken from the other side, or as a percentage of your compensation (maximum of 25%), leaving you free to start rebuilding your life with the money you have been awarded. Should you lose, the costs awarded to the other side will be covered by insurance. In short, no matter what happens, you won’t be out of pocket. It’s a system which means that justice is available to anyone who’s been injured through no fault of their own rather than, as used to be the case, being the preserve of those wealthy enough to afford to take the gamble.
