I was in a car accident last year, was a passenger. The driver went to a solicitor to claim for injury from the other driver who hit him and asked if I wanted to put in claim too as I had really hurt my back and neck and had to take time of work etc.
I went along to solicitors he was going to and she took details, got me to go to my doctor and get a report done and sent it all off to injury board, has been 4 months since it all started and that's all that has had to be done.
I have since read up on personal injury claims and wished I had filed it myself through injury board, had no idea about it all at the time. I was speaking to someone else who had a claim a while back and they told me they got hit with a big bill from solicitor at end of it after settling with insurance company and I'm worried this will happen to me. The solicitor sent me a letter to begin with saying that costs will depend on a long list of things such as complexity etc but so far mine has been simple just a report from doctor and the application sent away, no extras like specialist or the like.
The person who said they got hit with big bill said theirs was simple too and there was no way they expected how much it was.
I'm just wondering does the money that you get offered in a settlement go to solicitor and then on to you with costs deducted or do you get money and then pay solicitors bill??
What if it isn't settled but gets awarded by Personal Injury Board? Is that paid to me or my solicitor?
Another friend told me that solicitors can't take costs out money awarded to their client unless previously agreed, she mentioned it is in law, a solicitors act??
Now it could all work out fine I'm just trying to work out where I stand.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
I went along to solicitors he was going to and she took details, got me to go to my doctor and get a report done and sent it all off to injury board, has been 4 months since it all started and that's all that has had to be done.
I have since read up on personal injury claims and wished I had filed it myself through injury board, had no idea about it all at the time. I was speaking to someone else who had a claim a while back and they told me they got hit with a big bill from solicitor at end of it after settling with insurance company and I'm worried this will happen to me. The solicitor sent me a letter to begin with saying that costs will depend on a long list of things such as complexity etc but so far mine has been simple just a report from doctor and the application sent away, no extras like specialist or the like.
The person who said they got hit with big bill said theirs was simple too and there was no way they expected how much it was.
I'm just wondering does the money that you get offered in a settlement go to solicitor and then on to you with costs deducted or do you get money and then pay solicitors bill??
What if it isn't settled but gets awarded by Personal Injury Board? Is that paid to me or my solicitor?
Another friend told me that solicitors can't take costs out money awarded to their client unless previously agreed, she mentioned it is in law, a solicitors act??
Now it could all work out fine I'm just trying to work out where I stand.
Any advice would be gratefully received.