If you are trying to make a personal injury claim during the pandemic, you may be feeling concerned about how long it could take to claim your compensation. Things have not been easy over the last year. You may have felt nervous about making a claim because you were currently working remotely, or perhaps don’t fully understand how you could make a claim if you cannot get to court. That’s why you have been putting off making a claim for so long.
Here at Gowing Law, we would normally say that you should try to make your claim as soon as possible. That way you can avoid losing out on evidence or a high pay-out. However, we understand the nerves you may be experiencing during this difficult year. There is a chance that your claim could be delayed due to the current circumstances. Even if you experience a delay in your claim, our law firm will be here to support you and get you the compensation that you deserve. Even during the lockdown, our trained solicitors can give you expert advice to get you started on your personal injury claim.
Click the link below to visit our claims checker and get started on your claim:
Why are there delays right now with my personal injury claim?
Unfortunately, Covid-19 has affected the majority of peoples’ livelihoods. This has put people at risk of losing their jobs, their homes and, ultimately, having their lives turned upside down. It is a sobering truth that does put a lot of things in perspective. If you have suffered from a personal injury that has changed your life, the current lockdown may be forcing you to consider whether or not it is worth making a personal injury claim at this point in time.
You may be fearful that by going out to start on a claim you could catch Covid-19 from being in a public space. Not only that, but it is important that you adhere to lockdown rules to keep safe throughout this difficult time. This is why it is important to have solicitors to guide you throughout the pandemic about how you should handle a claim. If you do have a claim, make sure to seek remote advice from a law firm. They can let you know whether or not you could be eligible for compensation and how your claim will be handled whilst you and your lawyer are working remotely.
What could normally delay my personal injury claim?
Quite honestly, when people ask our solicitors how long a personal injury claim will take, there isn’t really a precise answer we can give in response. Personal injury claims depend on the extent of your injuries and how complicated your claim actually is. Here are several factors that could affect the timeline of your PI claim:
- Your accident’s circumstances
- How serious your accident was
- How long it may take to gather your medical evidence
- Whether or not the other party will accept liability for the accident
- If you know the identity of the person responsible.
These are only a few of the examples of how your claim could differ from everyone else’s claim. Most of the time, your circumstances are going to be extremely individualized. This is because it depends on the type of accident you have and how difficult the other party acts in relation to the compensation claim. However, there may be more specific delay reasons that relate more the current lockdown. Take a look at our infographic below to find out more about how your claim could be delayed:
Medical Evidence: How do I collect it during the lockdown?
One of the difficulties that you are going to experience is actually collecting the evidence needed to back up your case. With any sort of personal injury claim, you need to show that you were the victim of negligence. So, for instance, if you suffered from a work accident claim, you may want to show that the messy work environment (covered in boxes, packages or any sort of supplies) caused you to trip and fall over. That meant that you suffered from their negligence. They owed you a “duty of care” in order to keep you safe whilst you were in a public area. If they failed to adhere to this, they could be liable for your damages.
With that said, the best way to prove you were not liable for your injuries is through evidence. Evidence can be collected before, during and after the incident. To show you what this means, have a look at our case study below:
You can collect evidence at any time during your case, however with the current lockdown you may struggle to go out and claim it. That’s why we would recommend that you only try to find evidence that is currently accessible. So, this may include photographs of your injuries or perhaps calls with your witnesses in order to collect statements. Collecting a medical report may also be very difficult right now due to the current pandemic. If you are prepared to wait a little longer to claim your report, then you may have to delay your future hearing.
Do you know what sort of evidence that you need to make a claim?
Even if you are only considering starting a case, it’s important that you use your evidence to back up your claim. That way you can show you are not at fault for what happened to you. Even if you want to wait a little while, though this is not what we would suggest, it’s better to have your evidence prepared for when you feel ready to take on a claim. It’s understandable that you may feel nervous about how big of a task this personal injury claim may be. That’s why it’s useful to know that you will always have a solicitor on your side to take the burden off you. All you need to make sure is that you have the evidence to back up your claim. Here are some examples of the evidence you can use if you want to receive a successful pay-out:
- Photographs of your injury and the accident
- Videos, CCTV evidence and Dash-Cam footage
- Witness statements
- Diary Entries
- Receipts
- Police reports
- Medical reports
- Communication with your insurers
Speak to our solicitors today to learn how they can help you have a successful claim. Just let them know the types of damages that you have suffered from (be they physical, emotional, financial or equipment damages) and your lawyers will be able to take it from there.
How long will it take to get an offer of compensation?
Another thing that you may need to consider when it comes to delays in your personal injury claim is your offer of compensation. It may take a little while to put your case together, however it is a different story when it comes to the compensation offer itself. The offer will depend on the defendant and their insurance company. A lot of the time, an insurance company will make a “low-ball” offer to the claimant. This is in hope that the claimant will accept it in order to get things wrapped up as quickly as possible. You do not need to accept this offer. Instead, if you are patient then you will find that a settlement agreement is offered in order to avoid the case going to court.
It’s also important to understand that in some cases, you may struggle to get a full pay-out. You may have to accept “split liability”, meaning that you both get a smaller pay-out for the damages. Remember, it may take some time to get your case sorted, so be patient and try to keep calm. You can ask your solicitor for any updates you may need in order to sort out any problems with the case. They will always keep you on track and can even help you create a basic time-line of how your case should proceed.
Are the courts still open to make a personal injury claim right now?
Generally speaking, yes! They are. The reason why the UK is experiencing a backlog of court cases is because of the UK’s first lockdown. That means that right now the court system is trying to catch up with the hearings that have already been delayed. In order to compensate for this, it is very likely that your hearing will be changed to an electronic hearing. That means you will have to go online and join a meeting through a video call.
This video call will include your judge and your lawyer. Therefore, you can speak with your lawyer to prepare yourself for the upcoming case. Make sure that you have good Wi-Fi and are settled in a quiet area so that you can hear the outcome of your case. Your solicitor can also work with you if you need any special adjustments made to help you throughout the hearing. That way an outcome can be reached in an appropriate amount of time.
Should I actually make a personal injury claim at this point in time?
Quite honestly, we would recommend that you make a claim right now. The longer you leave a claim, the more likely you are going to lose out on vital evidence that could affect the extent of your pay-out. We understand that you may feel uncomfortable about making a claim during the lockdown, but our solicitors will be here to support you throughout the legal process.
We can handle your claim remotely and ensure you get the advice you need to proceed through phone calls, emails and video calls. Our solicitors are always available to let their clients know updates about how their claims are progressing. All you need to do is ask them about how you can move forward. This can all be done from the safety of your home. That means you will never be put at risk and instead can feel safe whilst you get your compensation claim sorted.
Right now, Gowing law Solicitors is focusing on tax claims, but feel free to get in contact as well if you have a personal injury claim you would like us to help with! For more information on PPI Tax claims and Marriage Tax Claims, click the link below. They will take you to our tax pages where you can see our self-assessment forms. These only take a few minutes to complete. So, why not get started today:
Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your personal injury claim!
Here at Gowing Law Solicitors, we are proud that we can offer support to all of our clients during this difficult time. No matter what sort of claim you have, our lawyers can give you no-obligation advice and consultations to get you started. If you are happy to work with our lawyers, they can offer you their services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there will be no hidden fees and you will always come out on top with your claim. That means you won’t need to pay your solicitor unless we win your case. So, what’s stopping you from getting in touch with us to begin your claim?
Contact us today by calling 0161 464 444, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our claim’s checker. One of our specialists will then be in contact to talk about your claim as quickly as possible.
Read more about personal injury claims on our website
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