Month: July 2020

Do you know if you have lost money due to PPI tax?

PPI tax may have been automatically taken away from the amount you were entitled to in your PPI pay-out. Did you know that the amount taken away from your full sum could be up to 20%? This is because it may have been automatically deducted from the full amount of money you expected to be paid. Gowing Law is ready to help you get you your money back. We can help you claim it back from HMRC if you just fill out our handy self-assessment form. It is completely understandable if you do not know how to claim it back yourself, or perhaps have already been rejected for a claim. This is where Gowing Law Solicitors can step in to help you understand exactly what you are owed.

We are a professional legal firm that can help you get to grips with the basics of PPI tax and any additional questions you may have about PPI and PPI tax in general. Our solicitors will always be here to guide you through your claim. You shouldn’t delay in your claim. After all, you only have 4 years to claim after your tax year ends! Instead, start your PPI journey with Gowing Law Solicitors today. Click the button below to be taken to our PPI tax page:

PPI tax button

What do you need to know about PPI?

Before you dive into information about how you know if you are owed PPI tax, you need to understand information about PPI in general. After all, the only reason you lost money is because you bought a PPI policy in the first place. PPI stands for “payment protection insurance.” It is usually bought to accompany some sort of loan or financial policy. You may have had it included in a:

  • Credit Card Repayment Scheme
  • Financial Loan
  • Mortgage Payment Plan
  • Catalogue Payment

If you had been told that your payment plan came with a form of cover, then this was usually PPI. PPI was used to ensure that you could keep repaying the loan even if you were ill or did not have the funds to cover it. The best way to think about it is that it was a safety blanket. It would provide a small amount of money so that you could keep up with the payments. However, a lot of the time people who bought these schemes may not have even realized that they were paying for PPI. This is where it may have been mis-sold.

mis-sold PPI GIF

What do I need to know about PPI tax?

Now, if you have written in to your PPI provider over the last 12 years, you have probably been able to claim for your PPI back. Many people believed PPI was compulsory or they were pressurised into buying this policy. That is why they were able to get their money back. However, if you fell into this situation, were you able to get your full amount back? If you were charged a higher tax rate, it is very likely that you did not receive the entirety of the pay-out that you were entitled to.

You have the right to have this tax returned to you if you meet certain requirements. This is where a Gowing Law Solicitor can help you with your claim. PPI tax can get complicated, but with the help of a legal professional, you can get a rough estimate about the amount of PPI tax you could be owed.

Why you should keep your receipts help

Why was tax taken off my PPI?

Let’s talk about what actually makes up a successful PPI claim. If you did receive money back from HMRC, it is going to be made up of three financial elements. These are:

  • A refund of the money you put into your PPI.
  • Any additional loans your bank may have asked you to take out to help pay back your PPI. Through this, your payments may have accumulated interest.
  • Statutory interest was added every year to both sums. This should have been at 8%.

Overall, the duty of these categories was to help you get back to your original financial position before you were forced to pay for PPI. However, if you go over the original amount then this is seen as adding interest. If your interest goes over your personal savings allowance (PSA), there is a likely chance that this will be taxed. Only your statutory interest is allowed to be taxed. This is why you may find from your statement that you had 20% of your original pay-out taken away.

Now that you understand why you had this tax taken away, it is time for Gowing Law Solicitors to help you get it back from HMRC.

PPI tax returns and help if you live abroad

How can I tell if I have lost money due to PPI tax?

Naturally, you may have a number of questions about PPI tax claims, however the biggest on your mind is about how you can find out whether or not you can claim for tax back. If you are feeling confused about whether you can receive tax back, or perhaps why you may have been initially rejected for a PPI tax claim, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you.

The first thing that we would recommend is that you take a look at your PPI return statement. This should show whether or not any tax was automatically deducted from your initial pay-out. However, if you are still feeling a little confused about whether or not you could be owed any, you should come to a trained solicitor for advice. Gowing Law’s lawyers are tax specialists and so know exactly how to help you move forward with your claim. Not only can you fill out our quick self-assessment form, you can ask our solicitors for advice on your own specific situation. They can give you useful hints, tips and help about how you can tell whether or not you could be owed any money.

Remember, even if you have already been rejected for a PPI claim, there is no harm in going to a trained solicitor for help. You may have simply made a mistake in filling out your form, or perhaps claimed for the wrong amount. A tax specialist solicitor can help you understand where you went wrong and how you can move forward with your claim.

Am i eligible for tax returns infographic

How much money could I claim from PPI tax?

One of the main things you need to know about any pay-out from PPI tax is that it depends entirely on your own situation. How much you paid in to PPI is how much you get out, therefore your PPI tax will depend on the amount that was taken away in the first place. Here are some examples of what you may be able to claim:

  • Basic Rate Payers: 20% means that you could earn up to £1000 of saving interest completely tax-free.
  • High Rate Payers: 40% means that you could have around £500 of savings tax-free.
  • Top Rate Payers: 45% unfortunately means you will not be eligible for a PPI tax pay-out.

This is why it is so important to speak with a solicitor before you make your tax claim. If you still have all of your previous documentation about your PPI pay-out then your lawyer can help you estimate how much money you could receive back from the tax. That way you won’t have to guess figures and feel sad when the pay-out is less than what you expected.

What is the best way of getting my tax back?

Honestly, we would have to recommend filling out our self-assessment form. You can try and claim a PPI-tax refund on your own, however this can get extremely complicated fast. Gowing Law’s self-assessment form only requires the basic information about your claim. All you need to do is fill out the form and then one of our trained tax specialist solicitors can get in contact with you about your claim. They can guide you through the process and contact HMRC on your behalf. This will simplify the process and will only take around 5-6 weeks to get your money back.

Gowing Law has already helped so many people around the country to get the money back that they deserve. We don’t mean to brag, but so far we have actually managed to get over £10,000 in rebates! To get started, all you need to do is visit our self-assessment form below:

Self-assessment form button

Have you been “Plevined”?

One thing that is important to bring up about losing money with PPI and PPI tax is the new PPI Plevin Rule. Now, if you go for this option then you will not be able to claim PPI tax back. But it should be something that you should consider if it applies to you.

If you fall under the Plevin rule, it means that more than 50% of your PPI’s overall cost was changed into commission for your lender. Should this not have been explained to you, or perhaps it was simply added to your bill and you paid without realising, you could be owed this back. Most of the commission taken by banks was actually paid at 67%. So, you could be owed this money back, plus any interest that was added to your total fees.

Think carefully about the type of PPI case you want to pursue. If you believe that you could get rewarded your money back from a PPI Plevin case then discuss this with your lawyer. They can help you move forward with your case and avoid any future pitfalls

Should I wait to make a PPI tax claim?

Most certainly not! No matter if you have a work accident case or some form of financial mis-selling, the longer you wait, the less likely that you will have the right evidence or amount of time needed to make the claim. For PPI tax claims, you have only around 4 years from when you received your PPI pay-out. In order to re-claim your tax you need to contact HMRC within this time period. Gowing Law Solicitors can do this on your behalf and get your money to you as quickly as possible.

Gowing Law is here to support you with your PPI tax claim

PPI tax button

Here at Gowing Law, we are ready to make the PPI tax claims process simple for you. That way you can get your money back as quickly as possible. Take a look at our PPI tax rebate page now and fill out our self-assessment form. It should only take you a few minutes to get down your information so that one of our tax specialists can help you! We can offer help and advice completely free of charge. If you do decide to work with us, we work remotely to ensure that there is no threat of Covid-19. We can also offer our services on a “no win-no fee basis”. That means if we do not win your case for you, you will not need to pay any fees. So, what’s stopping you from making a PPI tax claim today? Nothing!

If you want to speak to someone directly about your claim, you can also get in contact with us by phoning 08000418350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our contact form. We can also answer any questions you may have about your PPI tax reclaims. Feel free to get in contact at any time.

Want to read more about PPI tax claims

law blogs button

We update our law blog every week with new legal articles that can help you understand your rights when it comes to certain claims. We have a number of articles on PPI taxes, so why not check them out below:

Our blog also covers additional legal topics about financial mis-selling, cosmetic negligence claims, work accident and public injury compensation, RTA claims and criminal activity claims. Feel free to scroll through our blog until you find something you like. We are confident that you will like what you read. If you don’t see what you are looking for, why not write in to ask us to write about a certain topic? We would be happy to write an article about your questions. Feel free to send in your suggestions to info@gowinglaw.co.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Beauty Claims, Salons & Covid-19: How to keep safe

Beauty claims usually entail the claimant getting hurt inside of a beauty salon due to some type of accident. You may have suffered from a trip or a fall or perhaps were hurt due to the aggression of an employee. However, as you may have noticed, Covid-19 has become more of a risk factor in salons than any kind of physical injury. Lockdown has ended and beauty salons were officially allowed to re-open on the 13th July 2020. That’s why it’s essential for you to follow UK government guidelines to ensure that you remain safe.

It is also important for beauty salons to be implementing social-distancing in their stores. If they are not, you do have the right to send in a formal complaint. This is because they are not following official procedure for protecting clients and staff from Covid-19. If you do get sick, there is the potential to ask for compensation, however you will need to discuss this with your solicitor. Make sure to check out our beauty claims page to learn more about making beauty claims for compensation!

What beauty services are available in the UK?

Already, you may have seen that hairdressers have re-opened in the UK. Well, now you will see that beauty salons, nail salons, spas, tanning salons, and tattooists have also opened up their doors to the public. However, strict policies will be in place to safeguard any clients that wish to be pampered. According to the National Hair and Beauty Federation:

“Government officials have confirmed that face coverings do not need to be worn by the public in beauty salons, hairdressers or other close-contact services. These settings already have extensive protective measures in place including handwashing, screens, visors and social distancing. Clients may wear face coverings if they wish. Workers must wear visors but can wear face coverings as well (not instead).”

As you can see these are strict policies that must be adhered to if Covid-19 transmission is to be avoided. However, there are some services that still will not be available until after the 1st August 2020. This includes:

  • Facials
  • Eyelash tinting
  • Make-up services
  • Microblading
  • Facial waxing
  • Eyebrow shaping
  • Dermarolling/Dermaplaning
  • Facial electrosis

You will not be able to get any sort of facial treatment until later on in the year. This is to ensure the safety of both you and the staff of the salon.

beauty claims image about negligence and liability

What should salons be doing to keep you safe?

Beauty claims come from the negligence of employers. This is the same for work accident claims and employees. In any sort of commercial building or business, certain policies should be put in place to make sure that the people who enter the workplace are always safe. Understandably, different workplaces should have different rules. For instance, the rules on a construction site should be different to some sort of retail store. For beauty salons in particular, they should be:

  • Wearing face-masks/facial visors, gloves and glasses
  • Socially distancing customers through screens
  • Regular cleaning of equipment, tables and facilities
  • Staggering appointments and beautician/employee shifts
  • Limiting numbers of clients/employees inside beauty salons

However, there is a chance that they may not be following these new guidelines. Not every salon may take these new policies seriously, and some may think that they can simply go back to the way business was run previously. However, this is certainly not the case anymore. Make sure you are prepared to ask about their policies if you do not think they are safe.

Your beautician should be making you aware of all of the potential outcomes of your treatments and what is expected of you as a customer of the salon. If they do not, and you encounter a problem (be it Covid-19 or perhaps an accident in general) and it is not fixed, you may have the opportunity to make a beauty compensation claim if you get hurt. Take a look at our example below to see what could happen that could warrant beauty claims:

Case study of a beauty claim

Beauty Claims: What sort of accidents could happen in a beauty salon?

Outside of catching Covid-19, it’s important to think of the risks of visiting a beauty salon. That way if you are prepared in advance for any sort of injury, you can prove that you were not at fault for the accident. Remember, you can only ask for compensation if you can prove that the accident was not your fault. Instead, you need to show that the person/employee responsible for your treatment breached their “duty of care” during the services. This includes not: asking you to sign a waiver (aka. an acknowledgement that you understand the risks of the service); telling you about chemicals; asking you about your allergies; or doing a spot test before the treatment.

beauty claims and the definition of a duty of care

If you are involved in an accident in a beauty salon, this could include:

  • Slips and trips
  • Skin reaction
  • Cuts and burns
  • Waxing burns
  • Chemical burns
  • Sensitive skin damage
  • Infections
  • Violent altercations

Even the safest salons may occasionally have accidents that simply came about due to mistakes. However, if you do think that your injuries came about due to negligence, and that the accident could have been prevented, you can ask for compensation. All businesses are legally required to have employer liability insurance. That means they will not need to pay you out of their own money. Therefore, you do not need to feel worried about financially damaging the business that you are claiming from.

Keep in mind that if you did get hurt due to someone else’s negligence, you should still claim for compensation from your employer. This is because the injury happened during business hours and whilst you were working. That means they did not take the appropriate steps to protect you. Their duty of care has been breached.

Beauty Claims: Could I claim compensation for catching Covid-19?

Now, this is where things get a little more complicated. The Covid-19 pandemic is like nothing the UK has ever seen before. Many people are going to feel compelled to make injury and illness claims to their place of work and other types of public businesses if they catch Covid-19, especially if they have not been put on sick leave or on furlough. However, people cannot sue based on exposure alone. It entirely depends on whether or not you have suffered from damages or losses. You will also have to prove that it was the salon specifically that you caught Covid-19 from. If you have visited other places during the day then it is very unlikely that you will be able to prove that you caught Covid-19 from the beauty salon.

If you are thinking about making a claim like this, you will need to think carefully about it. Speak to a solicitor about your options and whether or not it is worth pursuing. They can advise you on your claim and let you know information about what sort of evidence you can use to prove your case. This may get complicated easily. For instance, if you caught Covid-19 from the salon, can you prove that it was due to someone else being positive in the same building? There is also a chance that you could be accused of not taking precautions to adhere to social distancing or face-protection. Having the appropriate law experience on your side can guide you in your claim.

Going back to work help

What should I do if I am injured in a beauty salon?

Traditionally, if you have had an accident in a beauty salon, the first thing that you need to do is report it to the employees. They are legally required to write it down in their work accident book. Make sure to ask for a copy of this statement to provide it with your evidence. You may also want to include CCTV footage of your accident to show an unbiased perspective of the events that occurred. With that said, make sure that your main priority is your health. You should go to hospital if your injuries are severe. Even if they are not, then make sure you go to a walk in centre or get first-aid to help assess whether or not you need medical attention or medication.

Now that you have reported your accident, if you are going to have a valid beauty claim, you need to provide evidence. If you don’t then it is very likely that you will either receive a lower amount of compensation or you may not get any pay-out at all. A court case cannot go in your favour if it is based on “he said-she said”. Instead, consider the following as examples of evidence that can prove you deserve to be compensated for your losses:

compensation evidence infographic

How long will it take to make a beauty claim?

This will depend entirely on how quickly you make your claim and how complicated the case is. You should never leave your claim till later, namely because you don’t know how much evidence you will lose. Not only that, but Covid-19 has caused a serious delay in the court system due to the lockdown. That means that it is very likely that it may take longer than usual to get your court date and to receive your compensation. If you are interested in pursuing a claim, it is recommended that you see a beauty claims solicitor for help. They can help you understand more about your claim and make sure that it is valid. You can never go wrong when you have an experienced legal representative on your side.

How much could I get from a pay-out of a beauty claim?

Again, this depends on the severity of your injuries and the extent of your losses. Some claimants could receive thousands if they have experienced life-changing injuries. A trained solicitor can help you estimate how much you could be owed in compensation. Make sure to write down your losses and provide evidence for each of them. The more evidence you have, the more likely that you will have a successful claim.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your beauty claims

beauty accident claims

Beauty claims can be complicated to deal with if you do not have the right legal representation to help. That’s why you should ask for help from Gowing Law Solicitors. We are specialists in cosmetic negligence claims and are ready to help you get the pay-out that you deserve. Our help and consultations are free of charge. We can also work remotely to help you with your claim if you are worried about Covid-19. If you do decide to work with our experienced lawyers, we can offer our services on a “no win- no fee” basis. That means there is no risk for you to lose any money with our law firm.

Want to learn more? Why not contact Gowing Law today! We can be reached by phone on 08000418350, email at info@gowinglaw.co.uk and through our contact page. Once you have contacted us, one of our friendly team members will be in contact to discuss your claim. Let us know if you have any questions! We would be more than happy to answer them.

Want to learn more about cosmetic negligence claims?

law blogs button

Gowing Law Solicitors keeps its blog updated with a series of different articles on beauty claims. Take a look at some examples below of our blogs:

Our blog covers a wide range of topics like financial mis-selling, public and workplace accidents, criminal damage claims and RTA compensation. We also talk about our latest projects, charity work and much, much more. All you need to do is click on our blog to learn more information about what we get up to. If you can’t find the topic you want, why not write in to us to let us know? We can cover it in our next blog! All you need to do is email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We can then let you know if we can cover the topic.

We look forward to hearing from you soon and wish you the best of luck with your beauty claim!

Can my work accident claim be for emotional damages?

Emotional damages can be difficult to calculate when it comes to a work accident claims case. You need to remember that the ultimate object of your compensation claim is to get you back to the position you were in before you suffered from your injury. This includes any financial and physical damages you have suffered. Emotional trauma from an accident can be a bit more difficult to prove. That’s why you will need the help of a trained solicitor to prove that your feelings of distress have reduced your quality of life. It is for this reason that you should be compensated for your losses.

In Gowing Law’s interview with Elaine, we discussed whether or not work accident claims could be made for emotional damages. Learn more below about how you could proceed with this type of claim and start your accident at work claim today with Gowing Law Solicitors:

work accident claims button

Emotional Damages: What can be claimed?

The first thing you need to know is that you can definitely claim for emotional damages caused by your work accidents. Whilst you may not have been traumatized by a repetitive strain injury or a smaller wound, if you have suffered from something more severe (such as losing a limb or perhaps an attack from a colleague or customer in a retail store) then this could have left you with emotional repercussions. There is a reason why you will be recommended different types of therapies if you have undergone a life changing injury that could severely damage your quality of life.

emotional damages therapy infographic

Psychological trauma can severely impact your quality of life. Any emotional damages are called “injury to feelings”. So, if you have suffered from these losses, you can claim compensation alongside your physical injuries. After all, these are both examples of general and special damages.

What are general and special damages?

If you are going to claim for an accident at work, it is important that you know exactly what you are claiming for. Damages tend to be split into two categories known as “general damages” and “special damages”. General damages are the most common damages and relate to the direct effects of a work-place accident. This could include:

  • The physical suffering or injury of the claimant
  • Mental pain or trauma
  • Mobility restrictions
  • Career damages/ Inability to find a different job
  • The death of a worker and the loss of a companion

General damages can be more difficult to calculate than special damages. This is because they have to calculate the amount owed based on the suffering and emotional damages of the client. Special damages, on the other hand, are used to compensate any financial losses you may have made due to the other party’s behaviour. Damages may include:

  • Medical expenses
  • Physiotherapy sessions
  • Transportation funds
  • Income/Wage losses
  • Damaged goods
  • Loss of fiscal capacity (aka. if you can no longer work at your company)

emotional damages and special damages help

Emotional and Physical injury claims go together

There is one important thing you need to know about emotional damages claims. You cannot claim for them entirely on their own. Instead, they need to be paired with a physical injury that came about due to an accident at work. That way your employer can pay for your damages with their employers’ liability insurance. So, if a workplace accident has caused you stress, upset or anxiety, but not any physical accident, you cannot claim compensation. Instead, you will need a medical expert to show that you have received physical and mental damages due to the accident at work, such as a psychiatric illness like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

A trained solicitor can help you fully understand your emotional damages and what you can do to claim the most out of your work accident case. Take a look below at an example of how an injury can influence emotional damages:

case study image of special, general and emotional damages

Primary and Secondary Victims

Another thing that you may not know about are the type of victims who can claim for emotional damages and compensation. In very special circumstances, there can be cases where a secondary victim can come forward to claim psychological damages from the event. A primary victim is the claimant who had to suffer physical and emotional damages. They are directly involved in the claim and are a victim of negligence on the part of their employer. However, someone who witnessed the accident may also have the right to make a claim as well. Keep in mind, the guidelines for making this type of compensation claim tend to be a little stricter:

  • You must have witnessed the incident or the aftermath of the incident. If you have solely heard of the claim, you cannot ask for psychological damages
  • There must be a successful prosecution of the primary victim’s case. That way they can sue for third-party negligence.
  • The secondary victim must have close ties with the primary victim. For instance, they could be a parent, partner or child of the original claimant.

If you fit into these categories then there is a high chance that you can make a claim. As these secondary claims can get rather complicated, it would be best if you went to a trained solicitor to see how you can proceed. They can let you know if you could receive any compensation or if the case is not worth pursuing.

How do I know if I am a victim of emotional damages?

This is the sort of thing that you can only really tell if you have gone to hospital to tell them about what symptoms you are having. Yes, you may be having physical symptoms from your injury. But your day-to-day life may have been effected by your employer’s lack of safe work-environment.

Psychological symptoms may include:

emotional damages gif

If you already have a psychological condition, you could also claim for it if it has worsened due to your accident. A medical professional should be able to diagnose whether or not the trauma has worsened your condition. That way it can serve as evidence in your case.

What counts as evidence of emotional damages?

Naturally, emotional damages are not as easy to prove as physical damages. In most cases, you would take pictures of your injuries or the environment. You can’t take physical pictures of your emotions. That’s why you need to find a way to document them as you try to recover from your injuries.

The best way of documenting damages is through diary entries and witness statements. If someone else has watched your struggles and knows what psychological ailments have reduced your quality of life, there is a higher chance that you will have a successful claim. You can also keep diary/ video diary entries of the struggles you endure during the day. Another piece of evidence you can collect is from your medical practitioner. You can ask for a medical report or advice on how to cope with certain issues. They can provide written documentation or medication that can help with your condition. We can use these as evidence.

How much could I get from an emotional damages claim?

Before you consider how much you could get for emotional damages, you need to figure out how much you are going to get for your physical injuries. This will depend on how severe they are. Once you have discussed this with your solicitor, they can estimate how much your damages will be worth. They can add your emotional damages to the amount they have estimated your claim is worth.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your accident at work claim!

work accident claims button

If you think that you have a valid accident at work claim, Gowing Law Solicitors would be happy to help you! Our experienced work accident solicitors can provide you with free advice and consultations. We can also provide these consultations remotely. This includes communication over the phone or video calls. We can also send important documents electronically.

Are you ready to work with us? If you are then we can offer our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there is no risk to trying to claim compensation. You will not need to pay us anything if we do not win your case.

Get in contact with our work accident solicitors now by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or using our contact page. One of our team members will then get in touch with you as quickly as possible to discuss your claim.

Learn more about work accident claims

law blogs button

If you want to learn more information from our interview with Elaine, our operations director, about accident at work claims, why not check out our other interview blogs? You can find them below:

We update our blog weekly! Therefore, you will always find something new to read and enjoy. This includes articles about personal injuries, RTA claims, criminal injury claims, financial mis-selling and cosmetic negligence. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we would be happy to write an article about your topic of choice. Just let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk.

We hope you have enjoyed our article and look forward to seeing you in our next blog!

Are you owed special damages from your road accident?

A road traffic accident can be extremely traumatic. Even if you are only involved in a minor crash, it can leave you injured, feeling afraid of the road and can damage your vehicle. That’s why you may be considering claiming compensation from the party at fault. Now, most people think that when you make a claim, you are solely claiming for your injuries. Well, you can actually claim for a lot more than just that. The point of compensation is to return you to where you were previously, before you had the accident in the first place. This means that you can actually claim for other damages that happened in the accident. These are known as special damages.

So, what are these special damages and how do they relate to road accident compensation claims? This is what this blog is going to uncover!

What sort of Road traffic accident (RTA) have you had?

Before we jump in to the type of special damages you could be owed, let’s focus on the basic facts behind road traffic accidents to get you started. You can have a road traffic accident in any sort of vehicle. This can include cars, public transport, motorbikes or even if you are a pedestrian. Your claim depends on the negligence of the other party and how bad your injuries and losses were. The cause of your accident could have been caused by a number of factors. Take a look at our infographic below to learn how you could have been hurt in your accident:

special claims road traffic accident infographic

As you can see, there are quite a few ways that you could get injured whilst you are on the road. Usually, it is due to the negligence of other drivers. However, there are circumstances where your environment or vehicle could also play a part in your accident. That’s why it’s important to understand who is responsible for your injuries. In some cases it will be the other driver, but who will you go to if you have hit a pothole or if your vehicle breaks down? You may have to consider other types of parties, like:

  • Local government
  • Car Manufacturers
  • Engineers/ Repair Dealers

Discuss who you are going to claim against with your solicitor. The sort of party you claim against may ultimately change how much of a pay-out you receive. You may even be asked to discuss a settlement before you even go to court.

Liability: Who is to blame?

Before we move on to discuss special damages, an important point we need to bring up is liability. Liability means “who is at fault”. So, when someone is liable for a damage, it basically shows that they were the ones that caused the damages in the first place. Therefore, they are now responsible for providing compensation through their insurance to the party that was injured.

You need to figure out whether or not you were truly the party that deserved compensation. After all, there are ways that could make you responsible for the accident too. Were you wearing a seat belt during the accident? If not then the amount of compensation you are owed could be lowered. Worse still, you may even have to claim partial compensation.

Make sure to consider all of the factors and evidence of your RTA before you make your claim. That way you can avoid any pitfalls in your case.

insurance companies and special claims help

General Damages: What are these?

Now that you understand what caused your accident in the first place, you need to figure out what you can claim for. Yes, you can claim for your injuries. A road traffic accident can leave you with severe damages that won’t heal overnight. Instead, it may be months before you are back on your feet. Worse still, you may be left with some sort of disability or impairment. Physical injuries are known as “general damages”. They are awarded for the pain and suffering of the claimant. These damages may also be awarded for loss of amenity. A loss of amenity means that you are now suffering from injuries that prevent you from doing normal activities (i.e. going to work or socializing with your friends).

These tend to be the most common damages that you can claim for. However, there are things called “special damages”. These are awarded for damages that occur outside of physical injuries.

what are general damages top tip

Could I be owed special damages?

Yes! You could be owed special damages if you are the victim of a road traffic accident. You see, special damages are not the same as physical injuries. The other party pays from their vehicle insurance to help restore the losses you may have experienced in your accident. These losses may have included:

  • Damages to your vehicle
  • Emotional trauma
  • Financial losses (aka. wages, engineering work, rehabilitation treatment)
  • Medical expenses

The point is, an accident on the road can make you feel like time has slowed down. It will take you a while to recover. This means in the future you are going to struggle to keep up with your daily routine. For example, if you were involved in a bike accident, how would you travel around if your bike was destroyed in the collision? Claiming special damages can help you get compensation to potentially afford a new bike and any other gear that might have been destroyed in the crash.

If you are feeling a little bit confused about what you could claim for, have a look at our case study below. It may give you some hints about what you can state are your losses. Just remember, each RTA is completely different. Your case is going to be different from any other case. That means that you are going to have to think about the circumstances behind your accident. Consider what you will need to pay for and how the compensation will help you heal from the accident. This will put things into perspective about what you are going to need the compensation for:

special damages information tips

Additional Examples of special damages in a road traffic accident

If you have experienced very specific losses due to your road traffic accident, it can be difficult to decide whether they fall in the category of general or special damages. Either way, you can claim for these losses. However, it will help your case if you know precisely what you are claiming for. Let’s have a look at a case study to see if you can figure out which losses are general and which are special damages:

car accident example

Did you manage to guess the answers about what Lewis could claim for? If you guessed:

  • General Damages: Whiplash and broken ribs due to the other party’s negligence.
  • Special Damages: Damaged vehicle, payments for rehabilitation therapy & medication and emotional trauma.

You were right! The best way to distinguish between the two is whether or not they were physical damage and had an impact on how you felt in your daily life, or if they made you lose money after the accident happened. Here are some more examples of special damages just to help you get more of a sense of what you could claim for:

  • Long-term medical payments (i.e. physiotherapy)
  • Transport expenses
  • Wage losses
  • Job losses
  • Damaged equipment/personal property

Can I claim for both types of damages?

Yes, you can claim for both categories of damages from a road traffic accident if you have the evidence to back it up. However, you must keep in mind that it can be more difficult to claim for general damages than it is for special damages. This is because you are calculating expenses that are directly due to your road traffic accident case. So if you keep your receipts or medical records, it should be pretty easy to see what losses you have made.

However, general damages rely on you proving that the pain and suffering did cause you significant damages. Having a solicitor available to help you with this will help you to claim maximum compensation for both sets of claims. You may not have the experience needed to fully understand how to do this yourself. However, having a trained legal professional on your side can help take the stress off you whilst you recover from your injuries.

Do you have your evidence prepared?

No matter what sort of claims case you have, be it an accident at work case or a public injury case, you need evidence to prove that you suffered from damages that were outside of your control. When you are involved in a road traffic accident, the first thing that you should be thinking about is your own safety. If you are injured badly then you need to go to hospital. However, if you do not think you have suffered from any severe injuries, you will need to take down the other person’s licence plate number and ask for their insurance number. You then will want to take:

  • Photographs of the accident environment and your injuries
  • Videos of the scene of the accident and your injuries
  • Witness statement and contact numbers
  • Police statements
  • CCTV footage
  • Diary entries (to prove emotional damages and difficulties in daily activities)
  • Receipts for expenses

Don’t be afraid to call the police if you want the accident to be documented in a police report. These can be useful if you want an unbiased statement to help with your claims case.

uninsured drivers help and tips

Do special damages apply to all vehicle accidents?

They do! It doesn’t matter if you were hurt in a car, van, on public transport, on a motorbike or if you were simply crossing the road. Each road traffic accident is different for each claimant, however that does not mean that you should not be able to get compensation. Your situations may differ, but if you look carefully at the evidence that you have already then you should be able to separate it in to general and special damages. That way when you start to work with a trained legal solicitor, you should be able to understand exactly what you can claim for. Make sure to file away your evidence so that it can be organized by your legal advisor quickly and efficiently.

How much could I claim from road traffic accident compensation?

Now that you understand the types of compensation that you can claim for, you may be wondering how much you could claim overall. This depends entirely on the amount of damages and losses you have suffered. Some people may be able to claim thousands if they have the evidence to back up their claims. Your solicitor can estimate the amount you can be owed, so make sure to get in touch with legal help as soon as possible. You don’t want to wait just in case you lose evidence!

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your road traffic accident claim!

Work accident claims button

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that any sort of road traffic accident can be traumatic. They can leave you feeling vulnerable and unsure about how you are going to move forward with the future. This is why are our trained solicitors in Manchester are here to help you with your case. Our lawyers are experts in RTA claims and know exactly how to get you the highest form of compensation that you deserve. They can offer free advice and help about your claim. We also can work remotely to help you if you are feeling nervous about the spread of Covid-19.

Once you are ready to go forward with your claim, you can work with Gowing Law on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means no matter what the outcome is of your case, you will always come out on top. You will not have to pay any fees if we do not win you your compensation. So, what is stopping you from making a claim?

Contact Gowing Law today by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by clicking on our contact page. From there, one of our friendly team members will get in contact as quickly as possible. Feel free to ask them any questions about your case.

Want to learn more about road traffic accident claims?

law blogs buttons

Gowing Law is proud to present our clients an informative blog that is full of interesting law articles. Are you interested in learning about the basics of your claim before meeting a solicitor? Well, our blog is the place to be. We update it every week with new content that can help you understand exactly what you can claim for. Should you want to learn more about RTA claims, why not check out some of our blogs below:

If you scroll through our blog page, you can also find content about work & public accidents, criminal compensation claims, cosmetic negligence and financial mis-selling. Don’t see what you are looking for? Why not write in to let us know what topic you want us to cover? Send in your thoughts to info@gowinglaw.co.uk!

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog and wish you the best of luck with your compensation claim.

How bad does my work accident injury need to be to make claim?

A work accident injury can be traumatic for anyone. When you go to any sort of on-site workplace, you expect your employer to always have your safety in mind. You have certain duties that you need to fulfil every day, but these should be carried out with your safety in mind. Of course, the type of injuries you have will depend on the type of profession you are in, as work environments can differ massively. For instance, injuries on a construction site are going to be very different to a retail store. Either way, if you have got hurt due to the negligence of your employer, there is a chance that you could claim compensation even if you have only suffered from small injuries.

In our interview with our operations manager, Elaine, we discussed how big a work accident injury needs to be for someone to claim compensation. Read on if you want to learn more! You can also visit our work accidents page to start you compensation journey with a trained solicitor in Manchester.

work accident injury claim compensation button

Does my work accident injury need to be bad?

One of the most important things you need to remember about work accident claims is that you can only claim compensation if you can prove that it is not your fault. In other words, you need to show that you were not the one who was responsible for your accident. In more formal terms, this means that you suffered your injuries due to the negligence of your employer. It does not matter how big your injury is. If your employer has failed to provide adequate safety procedures to help you carry out your daily tasks, you could be owed compensation. It does not matter what sort of accident at work injury it was. What matters is that you got hurt. This means that your employer has breached their duty of care.

employer duty of care infographic

How can I tell if my employer has been negligent?

For any work accident injury claim to be successful, it is imperative that you prove that you were not at fault for your own injuries. Your employer is expected to not put you in harm’s way. Instead, they should demonstrate a genuine care of their workers’ physical and mental health. Here are some examples of how your employers can demonstrate that they are fulfilling their duty of care:

  • Defining job duties
  • Writing up risk assessments
  • Providing a safe work environment
  • Protecting staff against bullying or harassment
  • Creating on-site areas for rest and breaks
  • Avoiding pushing staff in to excessive work hours
  • Protecting employees from discrimination
  • Asking workers for feedback

An employer has failed in their duty of care if they have not done everything in their power to ensure that an employee is kept safe whilst they are fulfilling their duties.

work accident injury claims for getting fired

How big does my work accident injury need to be?

If you have been injured at work due to the negligence of your employee, you can claim compensation for it! However, if you do want to get legal representation to get a pay-out, your injury must be serious enough that damages will be worth the case time and expenditure. Therefore, it is up to you to consider whether or not you think it might be worth it to pursue a claim. For instance, if you cut your hand whilst carrying boxes to your office, is this really worth getting compensation for? You may not get a large pay-out for it. Act sensibly and ask for compensation for injuries that have made you suffer some sort of loss. Here are some examples of what these losses may be:

Small Injuries

These may include cuts, sprains, bruises, falls, slips, trips or being hit by a light falling object. These may have been caused due to the negligence of your co-workers or a lack of training.

Medium Injuries

Example of medium injuries may include broken bones or teeth, repetitive strains, muscle injuries, injuries whilst handling heavy objects, injuries due to faulty machines or inhaling dangerous fumes.

Severe Injuries

These are life changing injuries that could result in disabilities or could even shorten the claimant’s life. They could include collisions, severe lacerations, lost limbs, electric shocks, exposure to loud noise, third-degree burns or injuries to the neck and the head.

work accident injury death help

How much does my injury need to be worth to get representation?

If you are interested in pursuing a claim, your injury should be worth around £1,000 in its pay-out. This should equate to around an injury of about two weeks. It may be difficult to find legal representation if you have an injury that is present for less than two weeks. Should you be struggling to estimate how much your injury is worth, you can get free advice from solicitors about a potential estimate. Once you know then you can consider whether or not you want to pursue with your claim. After all, the costs you are after may end up being something that you never recover. So, try and consider what sort of injuries would be worth claiming for.

You need to prove that you suffered losses due to your injuries and the outcome of the accident. The more evidence you have about these losses, the more likely it is that you will get a pay-out from your company’s insurance policy.

What should I do if I have a valid work accident injury compensation claim?

The first thing you should do is alert your colleagues and ask for your work injury to be written down in your company’s work accident book. You are legally allowed to have a copy of the incident to help back up your case. You can also ask for the CCTV footage to show that you were hurt during work-hours. If you have been hurt then you should also seek out medical assistance. However, you should also consider collecting evidence to back up your case. This may include:

  • Photos and Videos of your injury and the environment you got hurt
  • Witness statements
  • Police Reports
  • Medical Records
  • Receipts of financial losses
  • Diary Entries
  • Communications with insurance companies
  • Letters of grievance

The more evidence you have the better! This evidence can prove your losses and can show that you are fully entitled to a compensation pay-out. Make sure to show your lawyer your evidence so it can be organized efficiently and made ready for your court case.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your work accident injury

work accident injury claim compensation button

Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we understand that work accident injuries can be extremely stressful and traumatic to deal with. Not only are you trying to recover from your injuries, but trying to handle a court case can be difficult if you do not have legal experience. That is why you should get in contact with Gowing Law as quickly as possible. We can help you with your case! Our solicitors in Manchester can offer you free advice and consultations to help discuss your accident. These can all be done remotely to ensure that you can follow social-distancing regulations against Covid-19. This includes communication through video or phone calls, as well as sending your documents electronically.

If you want to work with our trained solicitors, our services can be given on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means that there is no risk to your claim. Should we not win your case, you will not have to pay any fees. Therefore you will always come out on top. So, what is stopping you from making a claim?

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors now by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by visiting our to use our direct messenger. One of our team members will be free to help you with your inquiry. Feel free to let them know if you have any questions.

Want to learn more about our work accidents interview?

law blog button

Whether you are an work-accidents experts or just want to learn about the basics, why not check out the rest of our interview series about work accident injuries with our operations director, Elaine? Check out our latest blogs below:

We update our blog every week with the latest content about public injuries, accident at work claims, RTA compensation, criminal injuries and financial mis-selling. That way we can help you with your claim before you even meet up with your solicitor. If you want us to cover a certain topic, why not get in contact with us? You can email info@gowinglaw.co.uk and we will write about it! Let us know if you would also like to be signed up to our weekly newsletter and we will keep you updated.

Gowing Law wishes you the best of luck with your claim and looks forward to working with you in the future.

Beauty Injury Compensation: How bad are my losses?

Beauty injury compensation can be awarded to anyone who has suffered from an injury whilst undergoing some sort of beauty treatment. This can include hairdressing accidents or injuries in nail salons, tanning booths or massage parlours. Whether you have suffered only cuts and bruises from a trip or a fall, or perhaps have had a life-changing injury, if you can prove that you were not responsible for your losses, it is likely that you will receive a compensation pay-out.

Gowing Law Solicitors are experts when it comes to beauty injury compensation claims. That’s why our expert lawyers in Manchester are here to help claimants from all over the UK. Start your journey by taking a look at our beauty claims page for more information:

beauty accident claims

Beauty Injury Compensation: What is salon negligence?

Now, when you go to any sort of beauty salon, you expect top-notch service when it comes to the skills of the beauticians. However, due to an over-saturation of the beauty market, sometimes you may be put into the hands of a beautician who has not had the experience needed to provide safe and satisfactory treatment. As a business, a beauty salon owes their customers and workers a “duty of care”. This means that all of their services need to be of professional standard and have the customer’s safety in mind.

duty of care beauty compensation claims help

To claim damages, it is necessary for you to prove that the salon you went to (or their employees) broke their duty of care towards you. That is why you were hurt in the first place. So, how do you show that they were negligent? If your beautician caused your injuries by being inattentive, forgetting to take safety precautions or just through having a lack of experience. There is a chance you could have a claim.

You also need to keep an eye on the actions taken by the employees. Before you had your treatment, were you asked to sign a consent form or perhaps asked about allergies or whether or not you had skin that was sensitive to different products? If you didn’t, it shows that the employees of the salon did not take the time to personalize your treatment or learn about what could have affected your skin. If you’re confused by this, take a look at our case study below:

Case Study: Casey Cuticle

casey cuticle case study of beauty compensation claims

Casey suffered bad services, which unfortunately cannot be sued for compensation. But her finger did swell due to the chemicals in the nail polish. Not being asked to sign a waiver meant that Casey was not aware of what the treatment was actually going to entail. This means that she was not at fault for not being able to disclose that she had sensitive skin. If this rash and swelling required hospital treatment, it is very likely that she could ask for compensation for both her physical injuries and financial losses.

If you are in a similar situation then you should try and claim compensation for your damages. It is your right if you are not at fault for your injuries. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you will lose evidence. Things may even get worse the longer you wait. That’s why you need to seek legal advice as quickly as possible.

Will I be financially effecting the business if I claim compensation?

Do you feel nervous about claiming compensation? That makes sense. After all, it may be your usual salon and normally the staff members are very good at their jobs. You would not want to put any business in danger of losing money. This is one of the more common reasons why most claimants do not go after compensation.

However, it is important for you to consider what you will be losing out on if you do this. You will not be putting the salon in jeopardy. Accidents happen to the best of businesses, which is why they take out salon insurance and employer liability insurance. These insurances will make sure that the salon does not need to pay with their own money if an accident happens. Instead, they can go to their insurer to assist with the payment. You will not be inflicting any financial damages if you do ask for compensation.

top tips about tests for your skin

Covid-19 & Beauty Salons: What are the dangers?

As we all know, beauty salons have actually been closed with the outbreak of Covid-19. However, they are set to re-open on the 27th July. That means you can finally re-visit your favourite parlour to be pampered. However, amongst the celebrations that business can open once more, you may be feeling a little nervous. Covid-19 has not just vanished. This means that there have to be safety procedures to protect you and employees from getting sick. Otherwise, this would either be classified as a work accident or perhaps a public accident.

These are the type of changes that you can expect when you visit a beauty salon in the future:

  • Visor and mask use when indoors
  • Socially distanced tables and waiting lines
  • Sanitizer stations
  • Consistent cleaning
  • Decontamination of equipment and work stations
  • Temperature checks
  • Staggered opening and closing times

If you see a salon that is not following Covid-19 safety regulations, you should make them aware of this as quickly as possible.

What type of injuries can I get from a salon accident?

Every accident is different. Some may only result in small injuries, like cuts and bruises, but in serious cases the injuries can be life-changing. It entirely depends on the type of accident you have suffered and the type of medical treatment that you require:

beauty injuries infographic

As you can see from our infographic, there are a large number of injuries that you can suffer from. These can range from non-serious to life-changing. Some people may have only small cuts or bruises, but others may have had a hairdressing accident that meant loss of hair or chemical burns that left the skin scarred or blistered.

If you are looking to make a claim, before you collect evidence, make sure to consider how bad your injuries are. You must prioritize your health above anything else. That means that if you need medical assistance or need to go to hospital then you should go immediately. Collect evidence later when a medical professional has seen you. Don’t let your injuries get any worse.

How bad do my injuries need to be make a claim?

Most claimants do not come forward for their compensation because they believe that their injuries are severe enough to get compensation. Well, this is certainly not the case. If you have been hurt due to the negligence of a beauty salon or their employees then you have the right to claim for compensation. It does not matter how small the injury is. Having an experienced lawyer onside can help you understand whether or not you have a claim. They can also tell you if it is worth it to pursue a claim in the first place. That way you can make sure that you do not waste your own money or time.

severe losses compensation tips

What sort of losses can I claim for beauty injury compensation?

This is where things can get a bit tricky in your compensation claim. Normally, when you think about the damages that you have experienced from your injury, you think about the physical injury itself. Now, this does make up part of your compensation claim. However, it can also cover you for other types of damages/losses as well. This includes:

  • Emotional trauma
  • Financial losses (i.e. wages, payment for the treatment)
  • Medical losses (i.e. costs of rehabilitation centres and medical pills)
  • Equipment damages (i.e. if you broke any of your personal belongings)

So, when you are considering what you can claim for, make sure to think outside of just your injuries. For instance, if you were the victim of a violent staff member in a beauty salon, you may feel too scared to leave your house. This may have caused you to pay for cognitive therapy. It’s important that you consider you entire situation rather than just the accident itself. If you can prove the employee/salon was responsible for your losses, you could be owed a larger amount of compensation.

What evidence do I need to claim beauty injury compensation?

As you now know exactly what you can claim for, you also need to consider the type of evidence you are going to need to back up your claim. Evidence is needed to prove your injuries. That way it will simply turn into a case of “he said, she said”.

If your injuries are not bad enough to force a trip to the A&E, one of the first things you should ask is for your injury to be noted down in the salon’s accident book. It is your legal right to have a copy of this for your claims case, as well as for the CCTV footage to show an unbiased perspective of what happened to cause your injuries.

You may also want to consider the following:

evidence for beauty compensation claims

Of course, you are not going to be able to get all of these forms of evidence, however, the more you get the more likely that you can prove that you were not the cause of your injuries. You will also want to take notes of any correspondence you have with insurance firms or your doctors in the future. That way an offered settlement will not throw you off. Instead, you will know precisely what was discussed and how you can move forward with the claim. If you are working with a solicitor then you can show them this evidence. They can help you organize it.

How much could I claim from beauty injury compensation?

Let’s talk about money. In particular, what you are owed from a compensation pay-out. Each pay-out depends on the amount of losses you have suffered from. Each case is completely individual. That means some people should experience a higher pay out than others. Severely injured claimants could be owed thousands. You need to speak to a trained solicitor in order to potentially calculate how much you could be owed. They can look at your present and future losses and the severity of your injuries.

Keep in mind that your pay-out will also depend on if you can prove whether you are entirely not at fault for your injuries. If the other party can prove that you were also at fault for the accident, i.e. you were fooling around in the salon, then the outcome could be “partial compensation”.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your beauty injury claim!

beauty accident claims

We understand that any sort of accident can be traumatic for the victim. They can physically scar you and leave you feeling depressed. That’s why you should get in contact with a lawyer to help you as quickly as possible. Gowing Law’s trained solicitors in Manchester can help you get the compensation you deserve. They can offer you free help and consultations remotely to avoid transferring Covid-19. We can also talk to you through video call.

If you do decide to work with our solicitors, we will offer our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there is no financial risk if you want to make a claim. You will not lose any money if we do not win your case. So, what’s stopping you from calling our trained team to find out more information?

Contact Gowing Law Solicitors now by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by visiting our contact page to use our direct messaging feature. From there, our friendly staff will get in touch with you to discuss your claim. Feel free to talk to them about any additional questions you may have.

Want to read more about beauty injury compensation claims?

law blogs button

If you want to learn more about beauty injuries, our law blog has a number of articles that may perk your interest. Take a look below at some examples:

Gowing Law Solicitors keeps its blog updated every week with new articles about UK law and present-day issues. Write to us at info@gowinglaw.co.uk about what topics you want us to cover. Gowing Law’s staff are happy to sign you up to our newsletter. We would be happy to write about any questions you may have, in particular about financial mis-selling, medical negligence, beauty and hair claims, work accidents, public accidents, criminal injury and road traffic accidents.

We hope you have enjoyed this blog and look forward to seeing you in our next one.

The Top 5 Common Questions about PPI tax claims

PPI tax claims are essentially for people who have not received the full amount of their entitled PPI pay-out. You may have claimed for your PPI but will have received a smaller sum of money than you originally expected. This is because 20% of your pay-out may have been automatically deducted due to tax! In certain circumstances you can claim this back from HMRC. We are currently claiming back tax for clients who have already tried to claim it back themselves or for people who don’t know they can claim. That’s why it’s a great advantage to have the help of a professional tax claim lawyer.

Gowing Law is here to help you with your claim and to answer any additional questions you may have about PPI tax in general. We understand that PPI tax claims can get complicated, therefore it is useful having an expert to talk about the top 5 common questions you may have about PPI tax reclaims. You can also visit our PPI tax page to begin your journey with our lawyers:

PPI tax claim button

The Basics of PPI

Before we jump in to all of the common queries you may have about PPI tax claims, it’s important that you understand a little bit about PPI in general. After all, if you understand the basics, it will make it much easier to understand why PPI tax was charged in the first place.

basics of PPI infographic

PPI was usually sold alongside:

  • Credit Card Schemes
  • Loans
  • Mortgages

It was used to make sure that if you got sick or injured, you still had emergency funds available to help you pay back what you owed. However, the PPI that was sold may not have actually been helpful to the person who bought it.

Therefore, if someone was:

  • Self-employed;
  • Pressurised into buying PPI;
  • Living abroad;
  • Or buying PPI believing it was compulsory

In the last 12 years, they could have claimed for compensation for these financial losses. If they wrote in to their PPI provider, they could have received a pay-out. However, the majority of people did not get the full amount they were owed due to higher tax rates being charged. This is where your PPI tax claim comes in to play.

exceptional circumstances PPI tax claim

What is PPI tax?

If you did make a successful PPI compensation claim, you most likely received a pay- out. So, you may have expected a certain amount in return. Now, a PPI pay-out is made up of three main elements. These elements are designed to get you back to your original financial position if you had not paid for PPI in the first place. They are:

  • A refund of the PPI you initially paid in.
  • Additional loans added to your PPI payment by banks to help pay it off. This should have added interest to your initial payments.
  • Statutory interest that was added to both sums that were added yearly. This should be at 8%.

Out of these three categories, only statutory interest can actually be taxed. All of these categories are intended to get you back to your original financial position. However, if you go over your original amount, it can be seen as adding interest. Take a look at the statement you received when you were sent your PPI pay out. If it has had the tax taken away from it then this should be noted in the statement.

You may have automatically had 20% of this tax deducted from you original pay-out. But don’t worry, Gowing Law Solicitors is here to help you understand exactly what you could claim back from HMRC.

PPI tax claims abroad

The 5 most common questions asked about PPI tax compensation claims

As we said before, PPI tax compensation claims can be very complicated. This means that when you come to our solicitors for help, we can get you back an amount of tax that was over paid. Take a look below to see if your question has been answered. If it hasn’t then please feel free to let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be more than happy to help you.

1. How long will it take to make a PPI tax claim?

Normally, you will have four years to make a PPI tax claim. This will start from the end of your regular tax year. Gowing Law Solicitors has managed to help people all over the UK with PPI tax refunds, even if they have already been rejected by HMRC for a pay-out. After you have submitted your details to us, it usually takes around 6-8 weeks to receive your tax refund. Your solicitor will keep in contact with you about your compensation and will let you know if there have been any delays or complications. That way you know precisely what you need to do next.

2. How much money could I receive?

When we estimate how much you could be owed, it is based on your own personal circumstances and how much money was over paid. Most of the time the deduction will be around 20% and will depend on your own personal savings allowance (PSA). If you did not go over your PSA then you are definitely owed tax back. To put it simply, your rates may change the amount you are owed:

Basic rate payers gif

3. How long can I take to make my claim?

As you do have a time limit on your PPI tax reclaim, of around 4 years, we would recommend that you come to Gowing Law as soon as possible. Unfortunately, you can no longer claim for 2015/2016 as the deadline did pass for the tax year in April. It only takes a few minutes to fill out our self-assessment form, so what’s stopping you?

4. Can I claim if I am living abroad?

Of course you can! If you were mis-sold PPI tax whilst living in the UK, and then went abroad to work as self-employed or perhaps to open a new business, you can still claim this PPI tax back. This is because you were still a UK resident when you originally took the PPI out. Therefore, you are legally entitled to the money that is owed to you. All you have to do is get in touch with a trained solicitor to help you fill out the paperwork.

Gowing Law help images

5. How will Gowing Law Solicitors help with my claim?

Gowing Law Solicitors is one of the top PPI tax compensation lawyers in Manchester. We help people all over the UK to get the pay-out that they deserve. Did you know that we have already won over £10,000 of rebates for our clients? In this difficult time, it is good to be able to get this pay-out so it can be saved for an emergency or a rainy day. Our clients have been extremely happy with our services. We get their compensation to them in a timely manner and use our expertise to help them with their claims. We can do the same for you!

Our lawyers are extremely experienced and would be happy to share their knowledge with you. We have even simplified the process by creating our own self-assessment form. That way you can get all of the key information of your PPI tax reclaim sent to us before you even get in touch with one of our solicitors. But don’t worry, our trained lawyers will guide you through the PPI tax pay-out process. That way you will never be left in the dark about where you stand with our law firm.

Gowing Law is ready to get your PPI tax compensation!

PPI tax claim button

All of our solicitors are available to work with you on your PPI tax reclaim. All you need to do is get in contact with us. We can work with you remotely to ensure that you are kept safe from Covid-19. So, feel free to come to us for advice and even a helpful consultation. If you do decide to work with us, we can offer you our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there is no risk you would lose money or pay any hidden fees. We will always be upfront about all of our costs.

Get in touch now by calling Gowing Law Solicitors on 0800 041 8350. You can also email us at info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our direct messenger on our contact page. A member of our team will be in contact as quickly as they can to answer any additional questions you may have about PPI tax compensation claims

Read more about PPI tax claims

law blogs button

If you want to learn more about PPI tax claims, you should scroll through more of our blogs! We keep our blog updated on a wide range of articles all about financial mis-selling cases. This includes mis-sold pensions and mis-sold mortgages. We also talk about RTA compensation, work accident claims and much, much more. So make sure to keep an eye on our blog to see what we write about next.

Do you have any suggestions for blogs or questions we can write about? Let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We can also sign you up to our newsletter to keep you informed about our services.

We hope you have enjoyed our blog and look forward to seeing you in our next article.

How can I be sure that I have an accidents at work claim?

An accidents at work claim can be quite complicated. The amount of compensation you receive depends on the type of accident you have. The more losses you have experienced during your case, whether they be financial, physical or emotional, the more likely it is that you will get a higher pay-out. Some pay-outs may even come to thousands of pounds! That’s why it’s crucial for you to understand precisely whether or not you actually have a claim. We have already discussed in our interview with Elaine the types of work accident claims that exist. Today we are going to talk about what could make your employer liable for your injuries.

work accident claims button

 Could you be due compensation from your accidents at work claim?

One of the main things you need to be certain about when you make your accident at work claim is that you are most certainly not responsible for your incident. For instance, if you were acting irresponsibly in the work place by “messing around” on equipment or in the office, if you get yourself hurt then it is very unlikely that you could sue your employer for compensation. You were in complete control of your actions and knew that there was a chance that you could get hurt.

If you do want to claim for accident at work compensation, you will have to prove that that your employers have been negligent and have not provided an environment that can keep you and your colleagues safe whilst you work. That is their responsibility and the reason why you can claim for compensation in the first place. This is what is known as a “duty of care.”

duty of care description image

Will I be financially hurting my employer if I claim?

No! You actually won’t. Companies are legally required to have employer liability insurance as soon as they employ people in their company. The only way that they may not need it is if they employ someone who is a member of their family or if the employee is based abroad. This insurance will pay an employee if they become sick or injured due to an accident. Overall, it means that if you ask for this compensation, they will not be paying it from their own finances.

There will not be any hard feelings if you return to work after you have been paid compensation. It’s important to know that if you do make an accidents at work claim, no one needs to know about it apart from your manager. It will be kept completely confidential unless you wish to share it. That means things should not get awkward between you and any other employees.

If any discrimination does happen in the workplace then you could ask for an employer tribunal. If this has happened to you during the Covid-19 pandemic, make sure to check out our worker’s rights blog to learn more.

workplace hazards image

How do I establish if an employer has been negligent?

So, if you have suffered from any sort of accidents at work, one of the first things you need to do is prove that your employer is “at fault” for your injuries and losses. Your losses can include:

  • Physical injures
  • Emotional damages (aka. trauma)
  • Financial losses (aka. wages)
  • Broken appliances/equipment

You need to prove that your employer actually failed in providing a safe work environment for you and your colleagues. So for instance, if you work in an office, you may have found that there was no safety training about moving around every few hours to avoid repetitive strain. Another example is if you work in a construction site, you may not have been given appropriate training on how to lift heavy items or use certain equipment. The type of injuries you suffer does greatly depend on the type of work place you are at. Each work environment is completely different, however they may include:

  • Slips and trips
  • Falling down with heavy objects
  • Repetitive strain injuries
  • Injuries with malfunctioning equipment
  • Electronic bodily harm
  • Strained muscles and broken bones

If your employer has not provided training to help you carry out your daily activities, or perhaps has asked you to do something out of the ordinary, if you get hurt then it is their responsibility to look after you through compensation or sick pay (SSP).

The main elements of accidents at work claims

Your main goal is to prove that the responsibilities of an employer-employee relationship have been breached. In other words, they have breached the duty of care towards you. Make sure to write out what expectations and responsibilities they had to ensure your safety in the office. That way you can find out which they breached and what arrangements they should be making to ensure that the workplace becomes safer.

Once you have established what types of “care” has been breached, your employer will have the chance to respond to you. If they accept negligence then they may be happy to enter into a settlement with you. If you have a work accident lawyer on your side, they can help you negotiate any terms and conditions before you even get to court.

negligence claims in the workplace image

How long should I wait to make a claim?

Now, normally we would recommend that you meet with a solicitor as quickly as possible to discuss your injuries. This is because they can analyse the types of damages you have suffered and how much you could be owed in your pay-out. However, as you will need to understand your own injuries, and perhaps receive medical treatment, we would suggest that you wait at least 2 weeks before you start your claim. With that said, try not to leave your claim for too long. Covid-19 has caused the UK court system to back up with unresolved cases. That means if you leave it for a while, it will take a long time for you to receive the compensation that you deserve.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help with your accidents at work claim

work accident claims button

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that any type of injury can leave you feeling vulnerable. That’s why you can put your faith in our trained solicitors to help you get the compensation that you deserve. Not only can we work with you remotely, but we can also offer you free advice and consultations about your claim. If you decide you are interested in working with us further, we always offer our services on a no win-no fee basis. That means there is no risk if you want to claim against your employer. If we do not win your case, you will not need to pay any fees. So, why not get in contact today?

Call 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our direct messaging feature located on our contact page. A member of our team will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible to help you with your claim.

Want to read more from our interview with our operations director?

law blogs button

We understand that work claims can be complicated. That’s why you may want to learn more from our recent interview with Elaine. Check out more about accidents at work claims below:

Our blog is updated every week with new content and interesting law articles. So make sure to come back to check out some of our latest articles. If you have an article topic you would like to suggest, feel free to let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also let us know if you are interested in being signed up to our weekly newsletter.

We hope you enjoyed our blog and look forward to seeing you in our next article!

Have you been mis-sold a SIPP? Gowing Law can help!

If you have been mis-sold a SIPP, it is likely that you may not know about it unless you research into the SIPP scheme itself. Many investors may experience the negative outcome of a mis-sold SIPP, some of them losing almost all of the pensions as a result, however they may not realize that they could actually claim compensation from this act of financial mis-selling. There are two different bodies that you could claim compensation from. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) could award you up to £50,000, whilst the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)has set a maximum compensation of £150,000.

Although you may not be able to regain the entirety of your investment, or your pension funds that you have invested, you should be able to be compensated for some of your losses. This should give you peace of mind, especially if you have a trained mis-sold SIPP lawyer on your side to help you through the process.

So, if you are considering investing in some sort of SIPP scheme, it is important that you know the signs of being mis-sold a SIPP. That way you can invest in a scheme that you fully understand. Before we jump in to the signs of a mis-sold SIPP scheme, remember, Gowing Law Solicitors can help you if you have been mis-sold a SIPP. Start your journey with our trained solicitors to get the compensation that you deserve.

Mis-sold SIPP claims button

What is a SIPP Scheme?

A SIPP stands for a “self-invested personal pension”. These were introduced in 1989 in order to give pension holders more freedom about where to invest their funds. Instead of going for a stand pension scheme from your pension provider, if you were willing to accept the risk, you could invest it in a completely different scheme (a SIPP). There was a higher chance you could get a larger return on your standard pension funds. A financial advisor could offer you advice on these types of investments, especially if you were still new to the world of SIPPs.

Originally, these SIPPs were extremely expensive. That meant that it was not a normal type of investment to make with normal funds. That’s why new SIPP products were introduced to target pension holders. This is because pension holders had a stable income that could be used to invest in a SIPP scheme. Now, you may think that if anything happened to the investors, it would come at their own risk .That meant that there was no risk of complaints because they fully understood the risk that came from these types of investment plans.

How could I have been mis-sold a SIPP?

SIPP Schemes GIF

One of the main things that we need to talk about is the vulnerability of those who invested in these types of SIPPs. Those who have a pension tend to be older. This means that there is a high chance that they could fall into a vulnerable age range. If this is combined with a lack of investment experience, this can leave them open to more malicious financial advisors or unregulated investment opportunities. Many people found that these “recommended SIPPs” were simply unsuitable for them and that the risk was higher than they expected. If someone had been mis-sold a SIPP, it is likely that they would sometimes be out of thousands of pounds from their pension pot or personal fund. This made it no different to being mis-sold a pension.

misrepresentation of SIPP image

How do I know what an non-standard investment is?

If you have already been advised to invest in a specific type of SIPP, it is essential that you fully understand what you are investing in. One of the main reasons why you may have been mis-sold a pension is because you were making a “non-standard investment”. These investments may have included:

  • Car Park Schemes
  • Unlisted types of shares
  • Luxury property abroad
  • UK/abroad property
  • Farms/Farm land
  • Burial plots
  • Forestry
  • Renewable Energy
  • Store pods
  • Film schemes

SIPPs come with a wide array of investment opportunities. Usually, they may be in commercial property, investment trusts or shares. Keep an eye on the type of investments you are making. If you feel that they may be out of the normal categories of investment, or perhaps your advisor is pressurizing you too hard to invest, you should ask for help or conduct research to see if you can find evidence that you could be wasting your time and money on the scheme.

The Signs that you have been mis-sold a SIPP

You now understand the basics of mis-sold SIPP schemes. It is important for us to reflect on what you should do if you have already been mis-sold a SIPP. Unfortunately, you cannot get your money back, but you can still get compensation for your losses. This depends on how negligent your financial advisor was when they originally sold you your SIPP scheme.

negligence claims for mis-sold SIPPs image

If you can prove that your advisor gave you bad advice or told you to invest in a SIPP scheme that did not suit you, you can ultimately prove that you are the victim of a mis-sold SIPP scheme. To do this, you need to understand the signs of a mis-sold pension in the first place. Similarly you can use it to reflect on your own case and see what red flags could have been shown in your communication with your financial investment advisor:

1. Cold-Calling

SIPP investments can be extremely complicated. You have to take your time to find the right investment. For instance, it will suit the amount of money you have prepared to spend, and the amount of risk you want to take. So, why would a financial advisor randomly call you out of the blue to talk about a great new SIPP scheme that’s just appeared? Most of the time these advisors are commissioned or are part of a scam to get the money from your pension. The best thing to do is simply ignore these calls or hang up the phone. They are offering you a scheme that is not personalized and will most likely make you lose money. Do not get involved in them!

2. High-Pressure Advice

When you hire a financial investment advisor, you expect them to do the research about what SIPP is best for you and your financial situation. Unfortunately, they may not be as experienced as you think or have the credentials you originally believed them to have. That is why they may feel like they are trying to pressurise you into a certain scheme that does not fit you. Either that or they may make extra commission if they get you to invest in a certain SIPP. If you feel like you are being pressurized, it is important that you ask for your financial investment advisor to back off. You may need to find a new financial advisor or you could make it clear to your normal advisor that you have no intention in this recommendation. Instead, you would like new suggestions.

3. Your advisor knew about more risks than they were willing to tell you

This is one of the most common ways how you could have been mis-sold a SIPP scheme. Usually, when you invest in a specific SIPP, you know all of the risks and investment opportunities involved in the transaction. However, if your advisor only told you the positive aspects of the SIPP, and did not warn you about the potential risks, it is likely that you will lose more money than you originally intended. If you need some examples of SIPP schemes that have already done this, please have a look at the following investment brands:

4. Lack of information about fees and commissions

When you invest in a certain scheme or investment plan, you most likely want to know as much information as possible about it. That way you can know precisely what you are getting into and how much of a reward you can expect in return. However, in some cases you may be forced to pay in more than you realised. Did your investment advisor tell you that they had to be paid a commission, or perhaps there were hidden fees on your investments? These can all be red flags as it shows that your advisor has very little interest in helping you. In fact, it may even point to a larger scam in play.

5. You were forced to leave a regular pension scheme to invest in a SIPP

The main aim of anyone who had been mis-sold a SIPP is to prove they did it because of bad advice. Originally, you may have been satisfied to keep your funds in a work-place pension scheme, or perhaps in a
government pension scheme.

However, you were advised to move it to a SIPP by your advisor, when you had no intention of doing so, this could be a prime example of bad advice. You may have thought you did not have the experience needed to invest, or perhaps just did not want all of the fuss and bother of an investment. Would you have even invested if you had not been pushed into it?  In conclusion, if that is not the case, it can show that you deserve compensation for your losses.

How long do I have to make a mis-sold SIPP claim?

As in most cases, you will have around 3 years. This will be from the time you found out you had been mis-sold the pension. We would advise that you collect as much evidence as possible before you make your claim. This can include:

  • Communications with your financial advisor
  • Letters of grievance
  • Examples of your financial losses
  • Information about the SIPP you invested with
  • Examples of additional fees and commissions you have paid to your advisor

Can a Solicitor help me with a mis-sold SIPP scheme?

If you have been mis-sold a SIPP, one of the most important things that you can do is get a solicitor. They can help you understand your claim. Financial mis-selling cases can get extremely complicated. This is true especially if you need to prove that your financial advisor was negligent and did not find a SIPP scheme that was personalized to your own financial situation. Every investor is willing to spend different amounts of money and take varied amounts of risk. A financial advisor’s main job is to give you different options. These can help you understand what precisely you are investing in.

If this did not happen for you, a solicitor can help you claim compensation for their negligence. Here are some reasons how they can help you with your case:

solicitor mis-sold sipps claim infographic

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you if you have been mis-sold a SIPP

Mis-sold SIPP claims button

Gowing Law Solicitors understands how heart-breaking it can be to have your pension and SIPP funds stolen away from you. We endeavour above all to help as many people as possible around the UK claim for their mis-sold SIPPs. All you need to do is fill out our simple form with as much information about your claim as possible. Additionally, you can find our mis-sold SIPP form here.

If you do decide to work with us, our trained solicitors can offer you free advice and consultations. We work on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means that there is no risk to your claim. If we do not win your compensation, that means you do not have to pay any additional fees. So, what are you waiting for?

Call today on 08000418350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. or use our direct messaging feature on our contact page. One of our team members will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible to help you. If you want more information about mis-sold SIPPs, make sure to check out our mis-sold SIPP FAQ page!

Read more about mis-sold SIPPs!

law blogs button

Gowing Law is proud to keep its blog updated with the latest facts and information about UK law. We update it every week with new articles that discuss big topics and the basics of compensation claims. This includes information about safety at work, road traffic accidents and many forms of financial mis-selling. If you have a topic you would like us to write about, feel free to let us know. You can email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. In addition, we would also be happy to sign you up to our weekly newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog and wish you luck with your mis-sold SIPP compensation claim.

Gowing Law Solicitors: Supporting our Local Community!

Support Local Businesses and Charities

A Local community can provide the building blocks of our everyday world. They provide support to those who need it the most in their time of need. These are the core values behind Gowing Law. We support people all over the UK when it comes to helping them get the pay-outs and compensation that they deserve. Our clients have suffered from injuries due to work accidents, RTA accidents and public accidents that have not been their fault. That is why we are ready to help them in any way that we can. Our lawyers are here to protect and defend.

Here at Gowing Law, we have always thought it is essential to give back to the community in order to help protect the most vulnerable. That is why we have always taken the initiative to take part in charity projects, sponsorships and general good causes. That way, even if we are going through the worst of days, or the world has turned upside down, we can still try and put a smile on somebody’s face.

Gowing Law, Our Local Community and Charity

together in football foundation button

As we are a Manchester law firm, it is probably not a surprise to you to know that we love football! That’s why we have worked with Michael Owen on a series of campaigns and blogs to promote our services. Check out examples of our radio campaigns and advertisements below:

We are very proud of the work we produce with Michael. However, one of the most impressive things that we have managed to produce with Michael is the “Together in Football Foundation”. Did you know that he is the brand ambassador for this charity? The main aim of our charity is to bring together children from all different backgrounds to enjoy a game of football at a professional stadium. Football can truly build friendships and lasting memories of comradery. This charity originally ran across all of the North-West and West Yorkshire, however if you want to be a part of it then please let us know! All you need to do is register your football team with our “Together in Football” foundation. Then our team will be in contact as quickly as possible to arrange your first match.

Feel free to visit our charity page or reach out to our team directly by emailing Together@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be grateful if you could spread the word about our charity, that way we can get more people involved!

Equality, Diversity and our local community

Pride image Gowing Law

Don’t all of these goodies look wonderful? Well, this is what we did for Pride last year in our local community in Manchester! Here at Gowing Law, we think it is important to celebrate diversity. Everyone deserves justice and to be treated as equals. No matter what race, sex or gender you may be, you deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. This is what we always strive to do when we are battling for our client’s compensation claims.

Due to the lockdown in the UK we have not been able to celebrate diversity with a raffle. That’s why this year, we have focused on a series called: ”Celebrating BAME voices & their contribution to the field of law”. In this series we focused on three different BAME figures and their impact upon the UK legal system. We discuss what these figures overcame and what we can learn from their stories. If you’re interested in reading more about them, feel free to check out their blogs below!

Christian Frederick Cole

Cornelia SorabjiTunji Sowande

Put your faith in Gowing Law Solicitors

We are endeavouring to do as much good as we can during this difficult period of time. Covid-19 has truly carved its mark in to our community. So, if you do need any legal help then please feel free to come to us at any time. A lot of people will have fears of losing their jobs and livelihoods right now due to the lockdown. That’s why we will always be here if you need us. Whether you have had a personal injury claim, a road traffic accident or perhaps a hairdressing accident because of the recent re-opening of different beauty parlours, we will be here to help you handle your claim. All of our solicitors can offer you free advice and consultations.

If you want to work with us then we can offer our services on a “no win-no fee basis”. Don’t worry if you are feeling a bit scared about seeing us face-to-face. That’s why we offer our services remotely and can help by sending documentation electronically. We can also do video and phone calls.

If you have any questions then feel free to get in contact with us at any time. We would be more than happy to guide you through our processes before you decide to fully commit to a claim. This is why we also produce so many blogs about the claims that our lawyers specialize in! That way you can know all the basics of UK legal processes before you even set foot in a court. Isn’t that great?

Feel free to call us at any time by ringing 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our direct messenger located on our contact page. A member of our team will get back in touch with you as quickly as possible to help you.

Want to learn more?

law blogs button

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our blog page! We update it weekly with the latest information about different types of legal claims and present UK laws. Whether you want to know about work accidents or perhaps want to find out about immigration policies, Gowing Law will always be behind you 100% to ensure that you get the outcome that you deserve. If you’re interested in a certain topic, but cannot find it in our blog, why not let us know about it? Email info@gowinglaw.co.uk to let us know your suggestions and questions. We would be happy to write about them. You can also let us know whether or not you want to be signed up to our weekly newsletter.

We hope you enjoy our blog and future blogs to come! Good luck with your compensation claim.