The Most Common Personal Injury Myths

When you suffer an injury at work, you’re probably thinking that all those daytime adverts might actually give you some useful information this time around. However, making a claim on an injury you’ve sustained isn’t always that simple, well at least that’s what some people would like you to believe. You’ve probably taken onboard plenty of misinformation with regards to personal injury claims during your lifetime, some of which might have enough of the scare-factor to put you off making acclaim at all. So here are six myths you might have encountered down the line that might help you regain the confidence you need to get what you deserve.

Myth 1: All Solicitors Lack Sympathy

The legal industry is certainly one of those industries that receive some of the worst press. In fact, you couldn’t be blamed for thinking that solicitors are out to get what they can from you and have little interest in putting you first. There have been all kinds of scare stories created in the past about solicitors, from hidden fees to reliability. It’s important to remember that solicitors are highly regulated by the Law Society, so whilst they may be a few bad guys out there, the good guys phenomenally outweigh them and are more than qualified to help you out. As with any online service acquisition, you should always do the research beforehand or look out for recommendations.

Myth 2: You’ll Get Sacked If You Make a Claim Against Your Company

This is a pretty big one for some, with many employees too afraid to put their job at risk. Unfortunately, this is something that can’t be ruled out, despite the fact that the vast majority of employers would certainly not support the idea of getting rid of an employee who was injured in the workplace. What you can do is take a look at your employee rights, as the law are fully prepared to support you should anything like this happen. In addition, you could actually make claim for unfair dismissal should they decide to give you the sack after sustaining an injury. Ultimately, you have nothing to worry about should you decide to make a claim against an employer with regards to your employment.

Myth 3: Claims Take Ages to Sort Out

Whilst it’s true that claims tend to last anywhere between 8 – 12 months, it would be inaccurate to say that they are time consuming procedures that aren’t worth the hassle. Providing there are no issues with regards to liability, the 8 – 12 month prediction is usually accurate. It is only where there is a particularly complicated liability issue or severe injury that claims can take longer than this. Solicitors are present to minimise inconvenience as much as possible, although it can be frustrating during the opening stages of a claim as you go through the necessary paperwork. However, there is no reason why you can’t have a team of trusted, reliable and qualified lawyers and solicitors onboard to make things as easy as possible for you.

Myth 4: You Don’t Need a Solicitor If You Have an Insurer

Insurers never used to be as cooperative as they are now. They have significantly altered they way in which they approach a claim since 1999, which was when the personal injury protocol rules were first launched. However, it’s important to remember that whilst insurers might seem devoted to helping you out, they are also hugely keen on saving costs. Solicitors help to intercept an insurer’s quest for the best possible deal, ensuring that you get a settlement that is right for you personally and at the right time. You could easily miss out on compensation if you work solely with an insurer, so instead of trusting them with the entire claim procedure, make sure you get a solicitor onboard as well.

Myth 5: You’ll Need to Go to Court at Some Point

Solicitors say that less than 5% of all their cases end up in court, so it’s fair to say that there is no absolute necessity to go to court at any time during your claim. If there are situations whereby the claim has caused a contentious atmosphere between the two parties, a court case may be necessary. However, this is very unlikely and it’s important to stress that the vast majority of cases never end up in court. Insurers are also aware of the fact that a drawn out case can lead to excessive costs and further delays, so everyone associated with the case would much prefer it to run smoothly and be completed within the standard time frame of 8 – 12 months.

Myth 6: People Will Claim For Anything

There are some cases that turn up every now and then that are utterly ridiculous, although the idea of this country possessing a “booming compensation culture” is wide of the mark. Many people feel that claiming isn’t the way to go because they’ve heard of people making morally incorrect or unethical claims. In truth, this happens far less than often than you might think. Which? Stated on their website that the price of a compensation case has stayed the same since 1989, plus claim volumes have been unaffected by the introduction of the internet and legal marketing initiatives. Clearly there is no compensation culture in the UK, which is the idea that is often put across by people. However, this isn’t denoting the fact that some rather odd cases have managed to find their way to court in the past, as few as they may be.

Stephen Byron was an IFA in a different life and continues to be involved in the legal and financial arena and he writes about relevant news on behalf of George Ide, an independent full service law firm based on the south coast.