One of the first questions we are asked is “what might my claim be worth?”
Compensation falls into two parts.
Firstly you are entitled to be compensated for your pain and suffering and any upset that may have been caused by the accident. This may be worth two thousand pounds for neck pain such as whiplash following a road traffic accident. It may be thousands of pounds if you have broken an arm or leg. It may be more than half a million for serious injuries that affect your head or spine. Every injury will have its own value. Solicitors refer to this as “general damages” and we will be able to give you simple no nonsense advice on this topic.
The second element of any compensation claim is called “special damages”. This basically refers to expenses that have been incurred or will be incurred following an accident.
You may have been off work and lost wages. You may have damaged clothing, paid for medical treatment or incurred travelling expenses. All of these are examples of fairly typical losses that can follow on from an accident. Remember to keep receipts and documentation to prove your losses.
The most serious accidents are also going to result in claims for ongoing medical rehabilitation and nursing care. You may also need the help of a support worker to organise your treatment and talk with the DSS on your behalf. This all costs money that can be claimed from the insurance company.
