No one expects to make a personal injury claim. Accidents happen out of the blue and can leave you feeling vulnerable and unsure about the future. Now that 2021 has rolled around, the UK has finally put Brexit into place and has left the EU. For many people that means that changes are going to be on the horizon. The UK will no longer follow EU regulation, meaning that if you are looking to make a compensation claim, rules and regulations may be a little different to what you are used to.
You may be wondering about what sort of impact Brexit is going to have on your personal injury claim. That’s completely understandable. In this time of uncertainty, it is good to have a legal expert on your side. They can help put you at ease and let you know exactly what to expect if any changes do happen within UK legal policy. Gowing Law will make sure to keep you informed if anything happens that might impact your compensation claim. Find out more about personal injury claims by clicking our link below. It will take you to our claims page for extra details.
What is Brexit and will it affect my claim?
Four years ago, Britain decided that it no longer wanted to be a part of the European Union. Instead, it opted to be an independent nation that would decide on its own rules and regulations. It has been a difficult negotiating process, but on the 1st January 2021, Britain finally left after 47 years of membership. That meant that this year, British citizens needed to expect several big changes to be made. To be brief on this, changes include:
The reason why you may be feeling a little nervous about this shift of policy is because you don’t know to what extent it will go to. For instance, if you are making a personal injury claim, you may be wondering if it could affect the amount of compensation you get. In addition to this, if you were hurt in an accident that took place in an EU country, there is the fear that you will not be able to actually make a compensation claim at all.
This is where Gowing Law Solicitors can step in. We can help you with your personal injury claim and make sure that you are updated about the latest legal rules that could affect your case. This includes travel accidents that happened abroad. All you need to do is let our solicitors know and we will provide you with the advice that you need to move forward with your claim.
What sort of personal injury claims could get affected by Brexit?
To put it bluntly, quite a number of compensation claims could be affected by Brexit. As a lot of our own rules and regulations come from EU law, it would not be surprising to see that they are changed in the future. In particular, it would affect claims that have been made when getting hurt abroad. However, there are a few additional claims that you will need to consider as well:
Now, overall, the main thing that is going to affect you during a personal injury claim is how the UK laws eventually develop and change around the upcoming months. Some additional policies that may be changed include:
- General Product Safety Regulations
- Manual Handling Operations
- Display Screen Equipment Health and Safety
- Provision of Work Equipment
- Protection of Employment
Our solicitors will always be alert when it comes to changing laws. If the UK government wants to change health and safety protections, your lawyer will alert you immediately. Even if you are only making a tax claim, it’s always wiser to have a legal advisor on your side. They can let you know if there have been any changes that could affect your claim or cause court delays.
Will anything happen to my personal injury claim if I made it before 2021?
If you have already started a personal injury claim with Gowing Law Solicitors before the Brexit deadline (1st January 2021) then you should not experience any changes to your court proceedings. Instead, they will be treated as if they are still functioning under EU regulations. This is because they are still acting under the withdrawal agreement. If the personal injury claim is made after 2021, we will need to make sure that any changes to UK law are immediately adhered to so we can still get you the compensation that you deserve.
One thing that could happen in the new year is that the UK could join the Lugano Convention. This convention is similar to the Brussels I Regulation. In special circumstances, you will be allowed to bring abroad cases in the EU back to the UK to have the proceedings decided on. Another thing that could happen is that the UK could sign a bilateral treaty. This would mean that the UK could still have the same rights as the EU when it comes to certain legislation (such as motor insurance). However, all of this is yet to be decided. Just keep it in mind over the upcoming months if you have started on a personal injury claim.
What can I do in the meantime to prepare for my personal injury claim?
Quite honestly, Gowing Law understands why you may be feeling a little unsettled. Times are changing and it could have a major impact on your claim. No one really knows how UK accident claims are going to change until proper legislation is brought in that details compensation changes. Until then, we would recommend that you treat personal injury claims just as they were previously until any changes are properly announced.
When it comes to personal injury claims, the first thing you need to do is establish liability. Liability means you need to find out who was responsible for you getting hurt in the first place. If you suffered due to someone else’s negligence, you could claim compensation from them. That’s why it is essential that you start looking for evidence that could back up and prove your claim.
Work Accident Claims and Brexit: What should you expect?
As the EU is responsible for the 1974 Health and Safety Act for employees, there are fears that if a work accident happens, employees may be left vulnerable without any protection. One of the biggest fears that workers have after Brexit is that an employer may hold it against them if they make a claim. However, we can assure you that this won’t happen. Instead, it has been assured that workers’ rights will be protected. That means your employer will not be able to do anything if you make a claim. Instead, they should respect the compensation process for your injuries.
If an employer does treat you unfairly because of a work accident, you can make a claim against them. After all, it was your responsibility that you got hurt. Take a look at our blog about employer responsibility during Covid-19 for more information.
But just to be blunt about it You will still have the right to make a work accident claim even after Brexit. So do not worry. Instead, let your solicitor help you with your claim.
Traffic Accident Claims: Will they change?
Over the last few months, the UK government has tried to encourage commuters to start using their bikes. This is so public transport can be freed up during the pandemic and people can start using greener modes of travel. However, there has also been a focus on pedestrians, motorcyclists and even horse riders. It is hoped that when new UK legal policies have been reformed, these types of commuters will be exempt from the changes. However, there may be teething problems if you experience an accident in the EU. This is because the court systems will be different and you may not have access to insurance. Keep this in mind if you do decide to hire a vehicle abroad when you go on holiday.
Keep aware of Brexit and Personal Injury Scams
One of the things we would like to alert our clients about are scams that may be going around in relation to Brexit, insurance and compensation pay-outs. You may find that pressure is placed on you from cold-callers in order to make a claim or to find out personal information about you. The same may be said that they may try to push you into buying some sort of insurance that can help you with your “accident”. If someone rings you up out of the blue, the best thing that you can do is put the phone down on them. Instead, you should only get the help you need that you ask for.
A cold-call is simply looking for someone to take money from. They may not even know that you have been injured. Some are simply known as Crash for Cash Scammers. Keeping aware of them can mean that you are protecting yourself and people who are vulnerable.
Can a solicitor help you throughout the Brexit Transition period?
If you are feeling nervous about any changes that are made throughout Brexit to UK personal injury law, Gowing Law Solicitors will be here to help you. All of our solicitors are extremely experienced with legal matters. So, they will always make it their goal to find out as much information as possible about legal matters.
You do not need to feel worried about making a personal injury, work accident or road traffic accident during this transition period. Our solicitors will make sure to give you expert advice even if you do not decide to work with us. That way we can make sure that you feel good about making a claim with us, even during a time of change. You can rely on us to work with HMRC on your behalf and let you know if any additional changes happen that could impact your claim. You can rely on us to give you the best service possible.
Gowing Law Solicitors are here to help you throughout the Brexit changes.
Gowing Law Solicitors will always be here to help you with your personal injury claim. If Brexit changes legal policies, we will be the first to know about it and will inform our clients ASAP. That way they will immediately know how we can handle their claim and now we can help. To start off with, Gowing law can offer our clients free advice and consultations to get started. If you’re happy with the advice that we have to offer, we can work with you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top and will never have to pay any hidden fees. Instead, you will only need to pay our lawyers if we win your case.
Contact us today by calling 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our claims checker. You can also use our LiveChat to get in contact with us quickly about your claim. Our specialists will be in contact as quickly as possible.
Read more about UK laws and personal injury claims
Don’t forget that you can learn more about UK personal injury claims on our blog. We update it every week with new content about personal injury claims and other compensation questions. We also speak about tax claims and how we can help you get the pay-out that you deserve. If you cannot find the topic that you want to read, feel free to suggest a topic. You can send in your suggestions to info@gowinglaw.co.uk.
We also use our blog to talk about our seasonal events and updates. This includes giveaways and competitions. Make sure to follow our socials to learn more and always be kept in the loop.
We look forward to seeing you in our next blog.
