Author Archives: Russell

AXA Insurance Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For Whiplash

In this guide, we are going to look at the legal process of making an AXA car insurance whiplash claim. If you have been injured in a road traffic accident that was not your fault, then if the party that caused the accident is covered by an AXA vehicle insurance policy, a personal injury lawyer could be able to process a personal injury claim against AXA for you.

We have tried to cover every aspect of making a claim in this guide. However, there may be unique aspects of your own claim that this guide doesn’t touch on. If this is so, then our claims team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide you with any additional information you need. All you need to do is speak to one of our claim advisors on 0800 073 8804 to proceed with an AXA personal injury claim.

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A Guide To Whiplash Injury Claims Against AXA Insurance

This is a guide about how to claim for whiplash injuries against AXA. Whiplash is regarded as one of the most commonly claimed injuries in the UK each year. This guide should provide you with enough of a background about the claims process to help you decide how to progress with your own claim. We start this guide by taking a look at what whiplash is—how it is defined, caused, and treated, as well as the kinds of symptoms whiplash manifests.

Whiplash compensation claims against AXA car insurance guide

The next part of this guide looks at some key facts related to the claims process itself. We look at whether a claimant should accept an initial or pre-medical settlement from AXA. We also cover split liability claims and knock-for-knock claims.

The final part of this guide pertains to financial aspects of the claim. We have listed some of the most common kinds of damages that claimants are awarded. We have also provided a table that details the range of compensation you could be able to claim for several different injuries. Finally, we go over how a No Win, No Fee solicitor can offer you a way to have your claim processed at reduced financial risk.

If you have any questions about the claims process, your own claim, or anything else related to whiplash claims, please talk to one of our claims advisors on the phone number at the top of the page. They will be happy to provide you with all the assistance you need to get your claim underway.

What Is Whiplash About?

Whiplash is what is termed a nonspecific injury. What this means is that the symptoms are generalised, and no root cause can be diagnosed. Instead, it is general damage to the neck muscles and ligaments. that combine to produce the symptoms of whiplash. These symptoms can include:

  • Headaches ranging in severity from trivial to chronic.
  • Having difficulty moving the head or general stiffness of the neck and shoulders.
  • Pain in the neck that can range in severity from slight to severe.
  • Muscles spasms in the shoulders or arms, as well as pins and needles or general numbness.

Two or more of these symptoms combined can be deemed to be a whiplash injury if the cause is viable. For example, if a patient has just been involved in a car accident and their neck was subjected to significant trauma, whiplash would be expected. However, if the patient has not suffered recent neck trauma, the diagnosing doctor might seek an alternative diagnosis.

Whiplash is a very difficult medical condition to treat, due to its nonspecific nature. Generally, whiplash treatment consists of prescribing painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication. The NHS has published detailed information about whiplash and its causes, symptoms and treatment.

Should I Make An Injury Claim Through My Own Insurance?

In general, it is not possible for you to make an AXA accident claim for an injury, such as whiplash, which you were the cause of. Most vehicle insurers specifically deny claims for self-inflicted injuries. Of course, you can claim against an AXA insurance policy held by a third party that caused an accident.

However, there is one situation whereby a claimant will claim against their own insurance provider. This happens when a knock-for-knock claim is in play. We will cover this in its own section below.

What Might An Insurance Provider Not Want You To Know?

It is in the best commercial interest of every insurance firm to pay the least compensation possible for every personal injury claim. There are some tricks that insurance companies use to try and get claimants to settle for less and we will cover these in later sections. You need to know that in order to maximise the amount of compensation you get, you should keep the following in mind:

  • Generally, people who accept an early settlement offer receive less compensation.
  • Using your own accident and injury solicitor can increase the level of compensation you receive.
  • Legal advice will help you to decide whether accepting a pre-medical settlement is a good choice in your case.

Our claims team is available 24/7 to provide you with free legal advice related to your whiplash claim. Whether you have general questions about the claims process or specific questions about your own case, they can help you.

What Is A Split Liability Agreement?

A split liability agreement describes a situation whereby both parties involved in the accident share the blame. There are two possible scenarios here. In the first scenario, one party will have caused the accident, but the other party will have contributed to it in some way. For example, a driver pulls out of a side road into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist. The motorcyclist is late reacting to the hazard as they were looking for something in their tank bag and were not paying due care and attention. There is no doubt the driver of the car caused the accident by pulling out without looking. However, the motorcyclist might have avoided the accident had they not been distracted. In cases such as this, the two legal teams representing the defendant (the car driver) and the claimant (the motorcyclist) would agree on a reduced level of liability, and any compensation won would reflect this reduction.

In the second scenario, both parties involved in the accident will be equally to blame. This results in what is termed a knock-for-knock claim. Each party will claim against their own insurance for the harm they have suffered. This will, of course, have a negative effect on no claims bonuses and could increase the cost of vehicle insurance.

If you are unsure about who might be liable in your own claim, we can help. Talk to one of our claim advisors and they will evaluate your claim for you.

Should I Accept The First AXA Whiplash Claim Offer?

When you make an AXA whiplash claim, one of the first things that AXA will likely do is offer you a rapid settlement. This is often done automatically once AXA has admitted liability. Commercially, it makes sense for AXA to try and pay the least compensation possible. An early settlement is offered to try and tempt people into taking a quick settlement. Before you accept an early offer, consider the following:

  • You are not under any pressure to accept the offer. You might find that you can get more compensation if you use an accident and injury solicitor to pursue the claim in court.
  • You have plenty of time to reach a decision. In general, the time limit for making a claim is three years from the date of the accident.
  • It doesn’t make sense to accept any offer of compensation before you know the extent of your injuries and whether you will make a full recovery.
  • AXA may ask you to sign a document at this stage. Don’t do this. Have a solicitor check over exactly what you are signing first.
  • AXA may have offered you free legal help. You don’t have to accept this help and you are free to appoint your own solicitor if you wish.

If you have received an offer of a settlement before the claim has been actioned, you may like to talk it over with our claims team to help you decide whether you should accept it or not.

Should I Accept An Offer Before I Have Seen A Doctor?

As we covered in the above section, every insurance firm attempts to minimise the amount of compensation that they have to pay claimants. One way to do this is to offer what is known as a pre-medical settlement. At this stage, you will not have undergone a medical examination by an impartial doctor, and you will not be in possession of critical information such as:

  • How bad your injuries are.
  • How long it will take you to recover.
  • Whether you will have to pay for any private healthcare.
  • Whether there is a possibility that you could be left with some form of long-term or permanent disability.

Without this information, a solicitor will not be able to value your claim accurately and tell you whether the pre-med settlement being offered is too low. Additionally, a pre-med settlement is not going to include certain types of damages, including:

  • Lost income because you took time off work.
  • Lowered income in the future because your capability to work will be negatively affected.
  • Private medical costs, such as physiotherapy.
  • Care costs such as hiring a nurse to help you out at home.

If you have been offered a pre-medical settlement by AXA, you might like to talk it over with our claims team. One of our advisors will help you to evaluate the settlement offer and help you decide whether it is a good idea to accept it or not.

Calculating Whiplash Injury Claims Against AXA Insurance

You may have tried using a personal injury claims calculator to get a rough idea of how much you could be able to claim in compensation. You might also like to look your injury up in this table below. The figures contained within have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, a legal publication used by solicitors and the courts to value claims. 

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Type of Injury Severity Compensation Range Details
Neck Injury Minor (iii) Up to £2,300 This compensation range is for soft tissue damage with full recovery within 3 months.
Neck Injury Minor (ii) £2,300 to £4,080 This compensation range is for soft tissue damage with full recovery within 1 year.
Neck Injury Moderate (i) £23,460 to £36,120 This compensation range is for fractures or dislocations that might need spinal fusion.
Neck Injury Severe (iii) £42,680 to £52,540 This compensation range is for dislocations, fractures and severe soft tissue damage which leads to severe conditions, extensive treatment and significant disability of a permanent nature.
Shoulder Injury Minor (i)-(iii) £2,300 to £7,410 This compensation range is for painful soft tissue damage to the shoulder where full recovery is made within in less than two years.
Shoulder Injury Moderate (c) £7,410 to £11,980 This compensation range is for soft tissue damage which takes over 2-years to recover from and also injuries like frozen shoulder.
Shoulder Injury Serious (b) £11,980 to £18,020 This compensation range is for shoulder dislocations or brachial plexus damage which results in movement loss with pain in the shoulder, neck and elbow.
Shoulder Injury Severe (a) £18,020 to £45,070 This compensation range is for brachial plexus damage which leads to significant disabilities.

If you would like to get a much more accurate estimate of the value of your claim, we can arrange for a solicitor to do this for you. Please call our claims team to proceed.

Other Compensation An AXA Personal Injury Claim Might Include

When a personal injury solicitor is successful in a claim, the claimant will be offered a settlement package that will be made up of two heads of claim: general damages and special damages. Here’s a bit more about each one:

  • General damages – paid to compensate for physical and psychological harm, specifically for:
    • Suffering and pain – at the time of the accident and whilst receiving triage.
    • Stress and trauma – of the initial accident and subsequent emergency care.
    • Psychological harm – such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
    • Long and painful recovery – if the patient will have to undergo painful medical treatment for some time before they have recovered fully.
    • Long-term or permanent disability – if the patient will never recover fully and will have to live with a disability.
  • Special damages – paid to compensate you for financial and other losses, such as:
    • Loss of current income – if you had to take time away for work and lost out on your wages/salary.
    • Lowered future earnings – if your injuries will leave you with a reduced capacity for work, or even unable to work at all.
    • Private medical costs – if you had to pay for treatment that wasn’t available for free on the NHS.
    • Costs of care – if you needed a nurse at home to care for you, or you had to hire carers to assist with day to day upkeep of your home.
    • Travel costs – to reimburse you for out of pocket expenses paid out for travelling to have your injuries treated, or to deal with any aspect of the claim itself.

If you would like to know the kinds of damages that may apply in your own claim, we can be of assistance. Call our claims team and speak to an advisor, they will evaluate your claim for you, and try to give you an indication of the kinds of damage you may be able to claim for.

No Win, No Fee AXA Car Insurance Whiplash Claim

It is possible to make AXA injury claims by using the services of a No Win, No Fee solicitor. This kind of fee arrangement is more correctly termed a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under a CFA, the solicitor enters into a contract with the claimant to provide legal services without any prior payment or payment of any fees during the claim. And if the case does not succeed, the claimant will not have to pay any of the costs the solicitor has incurred in pursuing the case. If the case comes to a successful conclusion, the solicitor may seek a small contribution toward their fees. This contribution is known as a success fee and forms a percentage of the compensation awarded. Don’t worry, success fees are legally capped and will be agreed with you before the claim begins.

When you first contact the solicitor and they begin working on your claim for you, then you won’t be charged any kind of new claims fee for the work to begin. You also will not be charged any ongoing legal fees while the claim is being processed. Some claims, especially complex ones, can take months to resolve. You won’t have to pay no matter how long it takes to process the claim.

As you can see, the financial risks involved in making a claim are almost entirely mitigated under a CFA. If you would like further information on how a CFA works, please talk to a member of our claims team. They will answer any questions you have.

Contact Our Experts Today To Make An AXA Car Insurance Whiplash Claim

Contact the Legal Expert claims team on 0800 073 8804, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They’ll discuss your circumstances with you, evaluate your claim, and if it has favourable prospects of success, will refer you to one of our specialist solicitors who’ll get to work right away. We look forward to hearing from you!

Claims Guides And References On Making An AXA Car Insurance Whiplash Claim

You may find these links to external sites have some useful information that is relevant to your claim:

NHS Inform Exercises For Neck Problems

UK Government Information On Whiplash Claims Reform

National Institute For Health And Care Excellence Information About Whiplash

You can also read over these addition guides we have published on this site:

Written by Wheeler

Edited by Billing

Direct Line Insurance Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation For Whiplash

How To Make Whiplash Claims Against Direct Line Insurance

It’s fairly common for somebody involved in a road traffic accident to suffer whiplash injuries. If the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence then it is only right that a compensation claim is considered. In this guide, we’re going to explain how to make whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance if that’s who the other driver holds a policy with. Also, we’ll explain what you can claim for, how much compensation you could be entitled to and how No Win, No Fee personal injury claims work.

Whiplash compensation claims against Direct Line insurance guide

Here at Legal Expert, we have a team of advisors who could help you begin a Direct Line insurance claim by offering a no-obligation assessment and free legal advice. Furthermore, if your case is strong enough, our personal injury solicitors could help you claim on a No Win, No Fee basis. If you’d like to discuss your options regarding a Direct Line whiplash compensation claim right away, please call 0800 073 8804.

Alternatively, to find out more about how to claim for whiplash through insurance companies, please continue reading.

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A Guide To Whiplash Claims Against Direct Line

When claiming for whiplash, you have several options available to you. The claim could be made using your own policy, or, as we’ll explain in this guide, you could make whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance (and other insurers too) if the accident wasn’t your fault.

In this guide, we’re mainly talking about whiplash sustained in car accidents, but you could also make a personal injury claim if you’ve suffered whiplash due to an assault, an accident in a contact sport, an accident at work or a fall.

To be eligible to make a claim, you’ll need to be able to show that:

  • You were involved in an accident;
  • Which was caused by another road user’s negligence;
  • And caused you to suffer whiplash (and possibly other injuries).

Also, you’ll need to ensure you’re claiming within the personal injury claims time limit. In general, this is 3-years from the date of the accident. Alternatively, the date can start from the date your injuries were diagnosed by a doctor. Later in this guide, we’ll explain exactly how No Win, No Fee agreements work and when a personal injury lawyer might offer one.

If you think that you could make a Direct Line car accident claim, why not call our team of advisors today? There’s no pressure or obligation to proceed and we’re happy to provide free advice about your options.

What Occurs During A Whiplash Injury?

As mentioned earlier, whiplash injuries can be caused by any number of different accidents. Essentially it occurs when a collision (either high or low speed) forces the head to move suddenly. Information from the NHS suggests that symptoms of whiplash aren’t always immediately present and can take several hours to become obvious. That might be because adrenaline masks the symptoms in the immediate aftermath of an accident.

Some of the more common symptoms of whiplash include:

  • Mild to severe headaches.
  • Neck pain.
  • Head or neck stiffness which may make it difficult to move or turn the head.
  • Muscle spasms and pain in the upper arms and shoulders.

Advice offered by the NHS suggests that you shouldn’t wear a neck brace because they don’t help with whiplash symptoms. Also, you might be tempted to rest your neck. In fact, the NHS says this won’t help and it might be better to try and carry on with everyday tasks. This might be painful but should help your recovery. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used as pain relief.

When thinking about whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance, we’d recommend you visit your GP (or local accident and emergency) if you suspect you’re suffering from whiplash. They are best placed to assess the severity of your injuries and provide the correct treatment. Furthermore, medical records from a doctor can be used as evidence in your claim as they could help prove how you suffered.

Should I Claim Against My Own Car Insurance?

Wherever possible, we’d recommend that if another driver is responsible for the road traffic accident which caused your whiplash injuries, you should claim against their insurance policy. Whiplash claims against Direct Line car insurance should mean that your own policy isn’t affected. For instance, your no claims bonus won’t be lost, your premium shouldn’t be affected and furthermore, you won’t have to pay a policy excess.

As you’ll see in the next section, and in our own experience, it’s better to claim against somebody else’s policy using a personal injury solicitor. Our solicitors have decades of experience handling road traffic accidents claims. Their experience means they’ve got specialist knowledge of how the process works and will strive to ensure you get as much compensation as possible.

If you’re not sure how to claim or which policy to claim against, please call and we’ll discuss your options once we understand what’s happened in your case.

Whiplash Auto Insurance Claim Insights

The Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates insurance providers in the UK, carried out research which concluded that you can receive higher compensation payments if:

  • You use somebody to help you with a claim, such as a solicitor, and;
  • You reject the first settlement amount offered by an insurer.

This is probably because any insurance company is acting in its own interests, not the claimants. They want to settle for as little as possible. Since they know what a typical whiplash injury costs them, they could try to offer you less in the hope that you settle quickly.

However, when you hire a personal injury solicitor to help you claim, they’ll be able to help you obtain medical evidence to try and justify a higher payment. This is important because compensation is paid to help with your recovery which means, if you accept a low settlement amount, you might find yourself out of pocket if the injuries persist longer than expected.

If you have been offered a car insurance whiplash compensation settlement offer and are not sure if it’s fair or not, please call and check with an advisor before accepting it.

Could I Claim Against Direct Line If I Was Partially At Fault?

If you were partially to blame for the accident which caused your injuries, whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance and other providers can be settled in a couple of different ways:

  • Split liability claims: You might agree that although the other driver caused the accident, you could’ve been partly to blame. Therefore, you might agree that you were 25% to blame and they were 75%. If that’s the case, you can still claim against their insurance policy. The claim will be handled in the normal way and when a settlement amount is agreed, you’ll receive 75% of the total compensation.
  • Knock-for-knock claims: When both parties agree that they were at fault, the insurance companies might agree to settle on a knock-for-knock basis. This means the companies will pay compensation to their own client. While this is good for the insurance companies as they’ll reduce their own legal fees, it’s not so good for you. While you will receive compensation, you might suffer in the future because your no claims bonus and insurance premiums might be affected. Also, you’ll probably have to pay the policy excess in knock-for-knock claims.

If you’re struggling to work out whether you should accept part of the blame for your accident, please call a member of our team. We’ll assess what happened and provide expert advice.

Should I Accept The First Offer From Direct Line?

There are times when an insurer might contact you directly following when they’ve been told about your accident. This is because they might want to make you a settlement offer. However, the first offer might not always be the one you should accept.

If you receive a call from the Direct Line claims number, here are some things we think you should consider:

  • The amount they offer will probably be less than you’d be awarded by a court or if a personal injury solicitor was acting on your behalf.
  • There’s no pressure to accept the offer because you could have up to 3-years from the date of the accident to settle.
  • Ensure you’ve been assessed medically before accepting an offer. Without an assessment, you won’t know how your injuries are going to affect you both in the short and long-term.
  • You don’t have to use a solicitor appointed by an insurer; you are free to choose your own.
  • Check that you fully understand any paperwork you’re asked to sign.
  • There’s no obligation to accept any offer you receive.
  • Remember that if you accept an offer, it will be a final offer. There’s no option to go back and ask for more compensation in the future. That’s true even if your symptoms get worse over time.

What Are Pre-Medical Settlement Offers?

As with the previous section, during whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance, you might be contacted and offered a pre-medical settlement offer. We’d strongly recommend you do not accept these.

A pre-medical offer is made by an insurer without any medical evidence of what injuries you’ve suffered. That means you, and the insurer, don’t know the extent of your injuries yet. It might be tempting to accept a quick cash offer, but the chances are that the compensation won’t be enough.

So why would an insurer make this type of offer? Well, in short, it’s to save them money. They’ll know from their own claims data the typical amount of compensation paid out for whiplash injuries. Therefore, if they can settle early, they’ll reduce how much they pay and save on legal fees too.

A major problem with accepting a pre-medical offer is that you don’t know how your injuries will affect you. They might only be short-term but what if the injuries persist and cause you problems for years to come? As any settlement offer is final, you won’t be able to receive any more compensation which means you could suffer physically as well as financially.

If, however, you turn down a pre-medical offer and use one of our solicitors to help you claim, you’ll receive a medical assessment from an independent doctor. Using the report from the medical assessment, your solicitor will be able to ask for the correct amount of compensation and justify it with medical evidence.

Calculating Compensation Settlements Made Against Direct Line

To help you understand the types of compensation paid out in whiplash auto insurance claims, we’ve provided the personal injury claims calculator table below. While it’s impossible to say what amount of compensation you’ll receive, as every claim is different, it gives an idea of some amounts paid for certain injuries. These figures have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, a legal publication used by solicitors and the courts to value claims. 

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Type of Injury Severity Compensation Range Details
Neck Injury Minor (iii) Up to £2,300 This compensation range is for soft tissue damage with full recovery within 3 months.
Neck Injury Minor (ii) £2,300 to £4,080 This compensation range is for soft tissue damage with full recovery within 1 year.
Neck Injury Moderate (i) £23,460 to £36,120 This compensation range is for fractures or dislocations that might need spinal fusion.
Neck Injury Severe (iii) £42,680 to £52,540 This compensation range is for dislocations, fractures and severe soft tissue damage which leads to severe conditions, extensive treatment and significant disability of a permanent nature.
Shoulder Injury Minor (i)-(iii) £2,300 to £7,410 This compensation range is for painful soft tissue damage to the shoulder where full recovery is made within in less than two years.
Shoulder Injury Moderate (c) £7,410 to £11,980 This compensation range is for soft tissue damage which takes over 2-years to recover from and also injuries like frozen shoulder.
Shoulder Injury Serious (b) £11,980 to £18,020 This compensation range is for shoulder dislocations or brachial plexus damage which results in movement loss with pain in the shoulder, neck and elbow.
Shoulder Injury Severe (a) £18,020 to £45,070 This compensation range is for brachial plexus damage which leads to significant disabilities.

As you’ll notice, every injury has a severity associated with it. This means that a minor injury is awarded less compensation than a severe injury. Therefore, your solicitor needs to demonstrate, with evidence, the exact nature of your injuries. This will help ensure you receive the right level of compensation for the suffering caused by your accident.

Once our advisors have assessed your claim, a solicitor could let you know about how much compensation you could be entitled to. The figures above are for one part of your claim. To find out what else could be included, please see the next section.

Other Damages You May Be Compensated For

A compensation package can be made of two heads of claim: general damages and special damages. General damages are awarded for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity inflicted by the injuries. The valuations of general damages have been outlined in the table above. Special damages are awarded to compensate you for any financial losses or expenses that may have been incurred, or perhaps will be incurred in the future. Here are some examples of the types of damages you can claim for: 

  • Medical Costs – You might think that because the NHS provides free treatment, there won’t be any medical costs to claim. However, the cost of prescriptions and over the counter medicines can soon build up.
  • Travel Costs – If you make trips to and from the doctor or a hospital, you could claim back fuel costs and parking costs as part of your claim. Also, if your injuries prevent you from driving, you could claim for any alternate travel arrangements you pay for.
  • Care Costs – In some cases where professional care is required to help you recover, the cost of the carer could be included in the claim.
  • Loss of Earnings – Should you need time off work because you need to visit a doctor or to recover if you lose any income it could be included in your claim. Furthermore, in cases which affect you in the long-term, you could include future lost income too.
  • Damaged Property – When items such as clothing, spectacles, phones or jewellery are damaged in an accident, you could ask for the cost of replacing them. In some cases, you could ask for the costs of repairing the item too.

To help your solicitor claim for special damages you should try to keep hold of receipts, parking tickets or bank statements which show the expenditure. Also, we recommend that you keep a diary of your spending because it can be quite tricky to remember every last detail when your solicitor goes through your claim with you.

Finally, if you are unsure whether you’ll be able to claim an expense back, please check with your solicitor before committing to it. They should be able to advise you and explain whether it can be claimed back or not.

No Win, No Fee Claims Against Direct Line Insurance

When a No Win, No Fee solicitor takes on a case, they’ll provide you with a Conditional Fee Agreement or CFA. This is the contract between you and the solicitor. Before they do that, though, they’ll have to check if your case is strong enough as they risk not being paid if the claim does not succeed.

When you are both happy to continue, you’ll sign the CFA. It will explain that you do not have to pay any fees upfront or during the claim and that if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any of the fees your solicitor has incurred in pursuing your case.

In the event your claim is successful, your solicitor may ask for a small contribution toward their fees. This is known as a success fee and would be deducted from the compensation awarded at the end of the claim. Don’t worry, success fees are legally capped and will be agreed with you before the claim begins. 

Our solicitors can handle whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance on a No Win, No Fee basis. This way, you have financial peace of mind and confidence to pursue justice. To find out if you’re eligible to claim on this basis, please get in touch.

Talk To Us Today

Hopefully, you now know all you need to about making whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance. If you are ready to begin a claim using Legal Expert, then you can contact us by:

  • Telephone: Call our team of friendly professional advisors today on 0800 073 8804.
  • Live Chat: Speak online to an advisor from any page throughout this website.
  • Email: Send details of your claim to info@legalexpert.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.
  • Online: Submit your claim using our online claim form and we’ll call back at a convenient time.

You can contact us 24-hours a day and 7-days a week. Our advisors are friendly and experts in making claims so they won’t waste your time with irrelevant questions.

When you get in touch, we’ll start by offering a free assessment of your claim. We’ll look at what happened and also what evidence you have to support the claim. There’s no obligation or pressure on you to proceed but if we believe your claim is strong enough, we could introduce you to one of our No Win, No Fee personal injury solicitors.

Claims Guides And Resources

Finally, now you’ve reached the end of this guide about whiplash claims against Direct Line insurance, we’ve decided to provide some further links, guides and resources which we hope you’ll find helpful. 

Whiplash Injuries – This helpful guide from the NHS covers whiplash injuries, treatment and advises on when you should see a medical professional.

Claims Process For Whiplash – A government consultation about how whiplash claims are processed and handled.

Health And Safety Executive – The HSE provide resources for employers to help prevent accidents at work so that injuries to employees are avoided.

Road Traffic Accident Claims – A more in-depth look at when you could claim compensation for injuries sustained during a road traffic accident.

Claims For Assault Injuries – Whiplash can be caused by crimes such as assault. Therefore, you may find this guide useful.

Accident At Work Injury Claims – This up to date article explains when you could claim for injuries caused by an accident at work.

Other Guides You Can Read

Thanks for reading our guide about whiplash claims against Direct Line. If you need any further information or advice, please call and speak with a member of our team.

 

Written by Hambridge

Edited by Billing

Newcastle | Personal Injury Solicitors | No Win No Fee

By Stephen Dallas. Last Updated 23rd May 2023. Welcome to our guide on Newcastle personal injury solicitors. Have you had an accident or injury in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area? If so, this handy guide contains everything that you need to know in order to make a successful claim in this area. We will show you why you do not need to use personal injury solicitors based in Newcastle or your local area, the different types of accidents and injuries you could claim compensation for, what a No Win No Fee claim is, and how our expert team could help you.

Whether you live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne or anywhere else in Great Britain, our nationwide panel of solicitors could help you to claim compensation. We can organise for you to have a local medical assessment and make the process of claiming compensation as carefree as possible.

Newcastle Personal Injury Solicitors

Newcastle Personal Injury Solicitors

Legal Expert’s Research Into Personal Injury Claims Against The North of Tyne Combined Authority

Research led by Legal Expert has uncovered that personal injury claims cost the North of Tyne Combined Authority a total of £266,669.31 in the past year.

The combined number of claims submitted to Newcastle City Council, Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Council was 321 from April 2022 to April 2023.

North Tyneside Council paid out the most personal injury compensation (£163,667.60), followed by Newcastle City Council (£96,589.71) and Northumberland County Council (£6,412). 

Pothole accidents were a significant problem for all councils, as were slip, trips and falls. 

Causes for personal injury claims submitted against Newcastle City Council included tripping accidents on kerbs, paving stones and manhole covers. 

Northumberland County Council also had claims submitted against them for problems with uneven flags.

Handling, lifting and carrying accidents were among some of the reasons for claims against North Tyneside Council.

Any local authority within the North of Tune Combined Authority has a duty of care to maintain any premises, spaces or highways they control and ensure they are reasonably safe for employees and visitors.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by council negligence, get in touch for free advice from our friendly advisors. They could also connect you with our experienced personal injury solicitors.

An Overview Of Personal Injury Claims

A personal injury claim is a type of legal action that people can take in order to seek compensation for an accident or injury which was caused by someone else. These types of claims can be made to claim for both pain and suffering which has been caused by the actions of another party.

The injury might have happened in an accident at work, or whilst on the road. You may be have been the victim of medical negligence, or suffered food poisoning in a restaurant. However you were hurt, if someone else was to blame, you can claim compensation for the harm caused to you.

The claim itself is the legal act of establishing that the defendant is liable for your accident, that they caused the accident and your injuries.

Claims should usually be started within in a three year period which could begin at the date of your injury, or at the date that you find out that the injury was connected to or caused by an accident. Any personal injury solicitors for Newcastle you hire will take you through what a personal injury claim is, and how they can help you.

How To Make A Personal Injury Claim In The UK

If you have experienced any kind of physical or psychological injury and you want to make a personal injury claim, you will need to know the basics of making a claim and how you can fund your claim through a No Win No Fee service.

In most instances, your claim can be settled far before it reaches the courts. However, it is still important for you to have a solicitor to handle the claims process. You will need to be able to clearly show your solicitor, and thus the opposing solicitor or a court, that the defendant did act is such a way as to cause you harm, to be able to claim.

If you do have the basis for a claim, it is highly likely that you will be able to make a claim funded through a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that no money needs to change hands until the successful resolution of the claim.

How much compensation you could receive will be based on how severe your injury (physical or psychological) was, as well as other losses and expenses that you have incurred.

Does My Injury Qualify For A Claim?

Despite suffering an injury, you are not automatically able to claim compensation from someone else. On some occasions, accidents do not have a person at fault to make a claim against. However, in most instances, there may be a personal injury case to be answered.

The most common circumstances which lead to an injury and which are eligible for you to make a claim with a personal injury solicitor are;

  • Medical negligence.
  • Accidents and injuries in the workplace due to employer negligence.
  • Poorly maintained roads or footpaths.
  • A defective item.
  • Contaminated or spoiled foods.
  • Poor or dangerous driving.

In order for you to successfully claim compensation with Newcastle personal injury solicitors, you will need to show that someone else did cause the accident and that they did owe you a duty of care. In general, your claim will be brought against either an individual, company, local authority or other organisation, in short, the person or body responsible.

Checklist To Finding A Good Solicitor

Making a personal injury claim is important as you only have a single chance to claim which you could potentially be owed. As such, it is vital to have the right legal team supporting you. A key part of this is making sure that you choose Newcastle personal injury solicitors or a solicitor from somewhere else that you can rely on. So, what is the best way to do so?

  1. Talk to people you know and ask them to recommend solicitors or law firms that they have experience in using.
  2. Don’t limit yourself to using Newcastle personal injury solicitors.
  3. Look at whether solicitors have recent and successful experience in handling claims which are similar to your own.
  4. Make sure that they are accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to be sure of the quality of their service.
  5. Make an initial enquiry. Talking to a solicitor or their representatives is a great way to get a good or bad feeling about a company.

Next, we will look at two of these recommendations in a little more detail.

Read Reviews Of A Solicitor Written By Customers

Reading online (or offline) reviews of a personal injury lawyer, solicitor, law firm, or claims management company will allow you to see how they have helped people in the recent past. Were people generally happy with the service received? Do the settlements (if public) look good for the injury sustained?

Reading reviews can be a highly effective way to learn more about a solicitor, provided that you cast a critical eye over the reviews and see if they seem genuine or not. You can read reviews of Legal Expert here.

Does My Solicitor Or Lawyer Need To Be Local?

As with so many modern professional services, you do not need to use a solicitor, lawyer, or law firm close to your area. In the bulk of claims, you will not need to meet a solicitor face-to-face. For most claimants we help, the only part of the entire process which may need to be carried out personally and in your area is having your injuries examined by a doctor.

This exam is needed to provide supporting medical evidence and will be carried out by one of our nationwide panel of medical experts. These are based across Great Britain and we have several experts in the Newcastle area.

The solicitor working on your cases will find the best available expert in your area for your medical exam and organise the appointment when convenient for you

Common Personal Injury Claims Our Team Conducts

Personal injury claims allow a claimant to be compensated if someone else’s actions have caused them harm in some way. There are numerous different circumstances and situations in which they can occur, however, some are more common than others. In the following sections, we will look at some of the most common reasons for which someone could need to make a personal injury claim.

A Guide To Serious Injury Claims

These can be some of the most complex and lengthy forms of personal injury cases. This is because a very serious injury could come with or have been caused by very complex and complicated circumstances.

There is not a strict legal definition of what will constitute a serious injury. In general, it might be considered to be one that has had a very serious impact on the person’s life, such as their suffering a catastrophic injury leading to paralysis.

Being able to make a successful claim for this type of injury could help to relieve any financial burden, such as no longer being able to work, which may have been caused by the injury.

Our panel of solicitors from across the country have helped people to claim compensation for their serious and devastating injuries. For further information, you can read our guide to serious injury claims.

Medical And Hospital Negligence Claims

Negligence on the part of any person involved in your healthcare, whether hospital negligence, lack of care by a GP, or medical errors by other members of staff, could have a very serious impact on your health. In the most grave of instances, this could even be fatal, such as a radiographer or other specialist failing to sport the early telltale signs of a condition such as cancer.

Due to the need to prove that a medical professional was at fault, and the fact that this could have a detrimental effect on their career, even ending a doctors ability to practice, the bar for evidence is quite high and such claims can take longer to pursue.

Our personal injury solicitors for Newcastle can help you to get the compensation you deserve. Whether you need to make a hospital negligence claim, or to seek damages for errors made by a dentist, view our guide to clinical negligence claims in Newcastle here.

How To Make An Accident At Work Claim

In Newcastle alone, there are hundreds of instances of accidents in the workplace that lead to recorded injuries. There may be many more instances of accidents occurring which do not cause injury.

Whilst some occupations or industries such as farming, construction, or the armed forces might be more at risk of employees suffering an accident in the workplace, they can happen in any working environment if appropriate health and safety measures have not been taken.

In this guide, you can find out more about how to claim compensation for an accident in the workplace.

Slips And Trips

Whether recorded by the Health and Safety Executive as an accident at work, or by the ROSPA as an accident to the general public, slipping, tripping, or otherwise falling over is one of the most common ways in which people are injured.

Looking at the statistics above, we can see that it is also one of the most common forms of accidents in the workplace across Newcastle-upon-Tyne. They are also one of the most common forms of accidents at work claim which we help people to get compensated for.

Slips, trips and falls can also be a contributing factor when looking at other forms of accident. For example, what is considered to be a manual handling accident could in fact be originally caused by your tripping over. Equally drowning in a swimming pool could in fact have been caused by falling in and not be correctly attributed.

Such injuries can also be caused by public highways and footpaths not being maintained, leading to trips and a twisted ankle or similar injury.

Industrial Disease Claims In The Newcastle Area

Our panel of personal injury solicitors for Newcastle can help people to make claims in Newcastle for industrial diseases. There are many different forms of illness or injury that might be classified as an industrial disease. Some of those which we most commonly help people to claim compensation for include;

Remember, if you need to make a claim for an industrial disease, or to make an accident at work claim, please contact our team to begin your personal injury claim today.

Road And Car Accident Claims In Newcastle-upon-Tyne

As with many parts of the country especially in major city centres, car accidents and other accidents on the road can be quite frequent. Statistics, seen in the table below and taken from the Department for Transport, show that in this area through 2013 there were 859 road traffic accidents. These broke down as;

  • 782 which were slight,
  • 77 which were serious or even fatal.

The following year (2014) this increased to a total of 2014. Local accident hotspots include the junction of the A184 and A167 as well as the crossroads of the A198, and the A186 dual carriageway.

If you have been injured on the road in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, you can find out more about how to claim compensation and why you do not need a Newcastle personal injury solicitor in our dedicated guide.

Total Road Accident Casualties Serious or Fatal Injuries Around Newcastle-upon-Tyne

In this table, we include further statistics for the numbers of people who were either seriously injured or who were killed in accidents on the road in Newcastle. The table separates data by different forms of transportation across each year.

Edit
2014 2015 2016 2017
Pedestrian 31 43 38 43
Cyclist 18 16 17 21
Motorcyclist 10 15 17 14
Car occupant 14 22 28 25
Other 6 8 5 7
Total 79 104 105 110

These statistics show that there has been a slight increase each year in the number of those either seriously injured or killed on the roads in Newcastle.

No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claim Solicitors

The best way to make sure that you know what you will pay and when, and to avoid any hidden fees to make your claim through a company offering a No Win No Fee service. But, what does No Win No Fee mean?

If the solicitor can not win your claim, they will not levy any fees against your case. However, in some instances, there can be other costs, such as those of medical check-ups, a court fee, or other expenses. Some companies may charge for these additional expenses, whilst others may take out an insurance policy to cover such costs.

One thing to note is that because a solicitor may face costs in the event of losing a case, it is highly unlikely that they will take on a claim which they do not think that they can win.

How Much Do No Win No Fee Solicitors Charge?

How much you will have to pay your solicitor, as well as the conditions of doing so will be set out in the contract which you sign with them. There is a legal upper limit which they can charge which is currently set at 25% of the total settlement you are awarded, however, rates may well be lower than this.

The most important thing to note is that you do not have anything to pay if your case is not decided in your favour. The solicitor’s fee, sometimes also called a success fee, is contingent on their securing your settlement. They only get paid if they win your case.

How Do I Start My Claim?

If you have been injured because of an accident which someone else caused you should never suffer in silence.

Remember, in most cases of personal injury claims in Newcastle, the case will be resolved between the two parties without requiring the intervention of the courts.

Your claim needs to be started within three years, so do not delay in doing so. We think the best way to start your claim is to get in touch with a law firm specialising in personal injury claims. You can contact our team via the contact details listed below.

Why Choose Our Services?

Across the country, there are numerous local and national personal injury claims solicitors, lawyers, law firms and claims management companies. So, why choose us?

If you choose to let Legal Expert handle your claim we will use a qualified member of our panel of solicitors. They will work hard to maximise the amount of compensation you are owed. They will also keep you regularly informed of your claim’s progress and can organise things such as local medical examinations for you.

How To Contact Us

If you are ready to get in contact with our team to start your personal injury claim, you can do so by any of the following methods;

  • Call and speak to an advisor on 0800073 8804
  • Email your query to our team at Office@LegalExpert.co.uk
  • Fill in the contact us form on this page.

Whichever way you choose to get in touch with our team, we are ready to start your claim.

Helpful Services In Newcastle And Additional Guides

Directly after your injury, whilst recovering, or during your personal injury case, there are various services in Newcastle which you might need to access. The most common of these at the main city hospital for treatment, police to report incidents, and potential the courts if your case does need to go this far.

We have included details of these below, we well as those of other guides on our site which you may find helpful.

Royal Victoria Infirmary
Queen Victoria Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE1 4LP,
Telephone: 0191 233 6161
Website: www.newcastle-hospitals.org.uk/hospitals/royal-victoria-infirmary.aspx
Open 24 hours

Newcastle City Centre Police Station
Forth Banks,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE1 3PH
Telephone: 0191 214 6555
Website: https://beta.northumbria.police.uk

Newcastle upon Tyne Combined Court Centre
The Law Courts
The Quayside
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE1 3LA
Telephone: 0191 201 2000
Website: https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/newcastle-upon-tyne-combined-court-centre

School Accident Claims
Find out how to claim compensation if your child was injured in Newcastle or any other part of the country in this guide.

Thank you for reading our guide on starting a claim with the help of Newcastle personal injury solicitors.

Greece Hotel Accident Claims Guide – How To Claim Compensation?

Hotel accident claims Greece

Hotel accident claims Greece

Legal Expert are specialist personal injury solicitors who can help with any compensation claim for an injury sustained in a Greek hotel (if it was the fault of the hotel or its staff).

Many people enjoy trips to Greece every year but if you were injured in a hotel in Greece and would like to use us to make your claim then please get in touch by calling 0800 073 8804 today or, if you’d like to know more the please carry on reading this useful hotel accident article.

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A guide to hotel accident claims in Greece

Millions of Brits visit Greece each year with some visiting multiple times a year or treating it as a second home and while many have never had a problem in Greek hotel sometime hotel accident claims in Greece have to be made because of a mistake by hotel staff or management.

This guide covers what you should do in the event of an accident, the types of accidents you can be involved in (as well as some of the more common types of injury), the amounts of compensation you may receive for certain injuries, the time limits for claiming and how you can use Legal Expert to make your claim for you using our no win no fee service.

There is a useful links section right at the end of the guide which includes some more information, should you need it.

Who, when, and how to make a Greek hotel accident claim

All hotels have a professional duty of care to protect their guests, visitors and staff and ensure their safety while on the premises.  This duty of care is on all owners, management and staff and means that firstly risk assessments should be made regularly, procedures written to minimise risk and if any member of staff spots a new risk then they should act on it to prevent somebody from becoming injured.

Furthermore, a package holiday provider has a duty of care for your safety in a hotel that they’ve provided (they should ensure the hotels they sell are safe) so a claim could be made against your holiday provider instead of the hotel.

Greek hotel slip and fall settlements

Hotel slip and trip settlements are common in hotels across the world, not just in Greece and sometimes, if the claimant was to blame (because they were messing around or not being sensible) then the claim wouldn’t be fair but if the hotel has, in some way, caused you to slip or fall then hotel accident claims in Greece are possible.

The types of injuries caused by a slip or fall can include: broken bones, head injuries, soft tissue damage, lacerations & cuts, bruising and spinal injuries all of which should be treated as soon as possible.

A hotel could be to blame when floors or paths are uneven, floors are slippery and no warning signs are in place or when a trip hazard has been obscured because of poor lighting.  In any of these situations you could make a claim against the hotel because they could’ve prevented your accident and subsequent injury.

Greek hotel illness from foods and drinks

Food poisoning can lead to a bug that lasts 24 hours or in extreme circumstances it can lead to life-threatening illnesses that delays your return trip to the UK.  In either case, if the food poisoning was caused by the hotel (or because they didn’t stop the spread of an ongoing outbreak), then you could claim for personal illness, loss of enjoyment of the hotel and any travel costs incurred.

Food poisoning is caused when food isn’t stored, prepared, handled, cooked or reheated properly and hygienically and can lead to illnesses like Noro virus, salmonella and E-coli which can all be prevented.

It may also be spread by contact due to poor hygiene which is why some hotels insist on hand sanitisers being available to guests and insisting they are used before entering the restaurant.  If this isn’t the case in your hotel then you could claim against them for any food poisoning as it could be argued that they’ve not done enough to prevent the spread.

Damage to your property, or assaults in a hotel in Greece

One of the worst injuries and subsequent claims to deal with is those involving assaults on claimants in a hotel.   You may think that the person who committed the assault would be to blame and not the hotel which may be true but there are circumstances where you could claim against the hotel such as:

  • If the hotel security failed to protect you from being assaulted. If the hotel has security which failed to step in and prevent your injuries, then you could claim against them.
  • If the assailant was a member of staff. This should never be the case, but it does happen.   Any assault, including those by staff, should be reported to the hotel and possibly the police.
  • If the assault was because the assailant was intoxicated or drunk and the hotel staff failed to stop serving alcohol even though it was obvious, they were becoming dangerous.

Any claim could include the pain, suffering and embarrassment caused by the assault but also any personal property that was damaged during the incident.

Suing a hotel in Greece for bed bug bites

It’s not nice to think that bed bugs can hide anywhere in a bedroom, in the bed, under skirting boards and in carpets, and in most cases Greek hotels are very hygienic and bed bugs can’t thrive but if they do happen to be in your hotel room then you can claim for the pain and itching caused by their bites (bed bugs aren’t dangerous but very irritating).

Furthermore, if the bed bugs get in to your clothes and travel back to the UK with you, then your home can be infested.  The only way to get rid of them is with professional cleaning services which, if the infestation can be linked to the hotel, can be claimed back as part of your compensation.

Can I sue for an elevator accident in Greece?

You may consider that an accident in a hotel lift is unlikely but there have been fatalities in lifts in the past and other serious injuries.

Lifts and elevators are supposed to be maintained professionally to ensure their smooth running but if they haven’t been and you become trapped in one for any length of time or injured by a fall because the lift wasn’t running smoothly then you could seek to be compensated for your injuries.

Greek hotel swimming pool injuries and accidents

There are a number of types of accident that can occur in a pool and it’s surrounding area and not all of them will be the hotel’s fault (or are unavoidable) but when the hotel makes a mistake and it leads to illness or injury then you may want to pursue a complaint against the hotel.  The types of accidents that could be the fault of the hotel or its staff include:

  • Water-borne bacterial infections caused because the hotel haven’t maintained the pool cleaning schedule properly.
  • Slips or trips in areas like the changing room where excessive water is on the floor and hasn’t been cleaned up or no warnings were in place to ensure you take care.
  • Drowning or related injuries where the lifeguards didn’t act, weren’t paying attention or didn’t spot that somebody was in trouble.
  • Burns or scalds in faulty saunas or where guards weren’t in place around the heating element.

Burns in your room or hotel grounds

Burns and scalds in a hotel can lead to hotel accident claims in Greece, if they can be proven to be the hotels fault.  For instance:

  • If a member of staff spills hot food or drink on you then it is clearly their fault. It might not have been deliberate, but it is still something that could’ve been avoided and therefore a compensation claim could be sought.
  • If a shower or bath’s tap water is too hot, without warning or too hot due to a fault with the water heating system.
  • If food or drink is served too hot and there is no warning from staff.

Any of these types of incident could lead to a hotel personal injury claim.  You should seek medical support immediately as burns and scalds can carry on doing damage the longer they are left untreated.

Other accidents suffered in your hotel room

An accident in your hotel room can be caused by things like damaged or old furniture, damaged electrical items or poorly maintained fixtures and fittings like bannister or hand rails.

Any damage that you spot should be reported to the hotel staff immediately and caution should be taken around electrical items if you believe they are not safe.

How to make a successful Greek hotel accident claim

If you have an accident in a hotel room, or anywhere else in a hotel in Greece, there are a number of steps you can take which will make submitting a compensation claim much easier.

The best advice is to contact Legal Expert when you return to the UK while the incident is still fresh in your mind and to avoid missing out on claiming because you’ve bypassed the time limits (see the next section).  The things you can do that will help your claim are:

  • Report the accident to hotel staff or your package holiday rep (if you have one). By doing so a record is created which can be used as evidence to back up your claim and it also gives the hotel or rep the opportunity to put things right or help you while you’re still on site.
  • Ask any witnesses who were in the vacinitiy for their contact details as they can be used to provide witness statements. If they have time it may a good idea to ask them to write statements straight away to prevent anything being forgotten.  Any witness is useful but an independent witness (i.e. not someone you know) does add more substance to your claim.
  • Photograph or video the scene of the accident with your mobile phone and try to capture as much detail as possible. The main thing to include is what you believe to be the cause of the accident such as a damaged floor if that’s what caused you to trip over.
  • Seek medical advice where needed. Obviously, this will get you treatment for the injuries, but it will also mean medical records can be obtained to substantiate the type and severity of your injury.

Essentially, any evidence you can obtain at the time (or soon after) of your accident can be a clear way of proving that the accident took place and that it was the fault of somebody in the hotel.

Time limits for hotel accident claims in Greece

You’ve probably heard that personal injury claims are time-limited in the UK and the same is true in Greece.  Each type of claim has an associated time limit attached to it which must be adhered to.  Hotel accident claims in Greece will be rejected if they fall outside of these time limits:

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Type of personal injury claim Time limit to begin claim
Any accident that happened in a Greek hotel but booked through a UK package holiday 3 years
An independently booked hotel in Greece accident 2 years
On a flight, that you booked yourself, to or from:

– Athens Airport
– Heraklion Airport
– Thessaloniki Airport
– Rhodes airport

 2 years

The timeframe begins from the day the accident occurred, or if you weren’t aware of the injury immediately, the day that you became aware (maybe when a doctor diagnosed a condition) of your injuries.

If you are unsure which of these your injury needs to be claimed under then don’t worry as our experts will guide you through the process when you make contact.

What can we help you to claim damages for after an accident at a hotel in Greece?

It is an important consideration that, when filing your claim, we find out about all of the costs incurred because of your accident in a Greek hotel as, once your claim has been finalised it can’t be added to.

Because of our many years of experience in filing personal injury claims we know what can and can’t be claimed for and ensure that a full package of evidence is gathered before submitting the claim for you.   The elements that can be included are:

  • General damages: These are defined amounts of compensation for specific injuries, based on the severity, that will often make up the bulk of the claim. Our team will ensure that expert witnesses and evidence back up your claim to ensure you get the amount that will fairly recompense you for your injury.
  • Care costs: Often, when an accident happens, the claimant can’t do all of the things they need to do while still recovering. If this is the case and you need somebody to help you then you can claim any costs associated with this care.  Also, if while still abroad, if you need somebody to travel over from the UK to help you return home then their costs for travelling could be added to the claim.
  • Medical treatment: Any costs associated with your treatment, including prescription costs, can be claimed back.
  • Loss of earnings: Sometimes it isn’t possible to return to work straight away following any injury and if that means you lose out financially then you can claim that loss back. Similarly, if you can’t return to the same job at all because your injury prevents you from completing specific tasks, you can claim for future loss of earnings.

Finally, we would always look for compensation for any personal property that was damaged in your accident such as a broken mobile phone, torn clothing or a damaged watch.  This would simply be to cover the cost of repair or replacement of the item.

How much compensation could you claim for an accident at a hotel in Greece?

Every hotel personal injury claim is unique in our experience and will often lead to different severity of injuries and different associated costs, so it is fairly difficult to work out exactly what your claim will be worth up front.   What we can do is provide the table below which shows some common injury types and what they are worth under the general damages section of any claim:

Edit
Type of personal injury claim Time limit to begin claim
Any accident that happened in a Greek hotel but booked through a UK package holiday 3 years
An independently booked hotel in Greece accident 2 years
On a flight, that you booked yourself, to or from:

– Athens Airport
– Heraklion Airport
– Thessaloniki Airport
– Rhodes airport

 2 years

The severity of any injury will often be argued by both sides as it can obviously lead to more or less compensation, so Legal Expert will often use medical experts to ensure that your compensation claim is backed up by solid evidence.

Remember that this is only a sample of the injuries it’s possible to sustain so even if your injury is not listed we can still help you to claim against the hotel or package holiday operator.

No win no fee Greek hotel accident claims

The problem with traditional solicitor services is that they often charge clients by the hour regardless of the outcome of the case.  This can mean, that if you lose the case, you’re left with a large legal bill with no compensation in return which we at Legal Expert don’t agree with.

We work on the basis of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA or no win no fee agreement) which our clients tell us puts their minds at rest and prevents them from worrying about shock legal bill at the end of their case.

The CFA means that right from the start you’ll know what percentage of your compensation will be paid to us for our service and adds the security that if you don’t receive any compensation at all then you don’t have to pay anything for our service.

We think this makes our service completely risk-free and means you can access some of the top personal injury solicitors without having to stump up a large fee.

How we can help victims of hotel accidents in Greece

Legal Expert offer a completely risk-free service for all of the clients we take on but more than that we are a very professional and dedicated team of personal injury solicitors who will never baffle clients with legal jargon, speak in plain English and most of all we’re friendly and always try our hardest for you.

We will always keep in touch with you throughout the claim process and if we receive an offer then we’ll let you know the compensation amount and give you our advice on if we think it’s a fair offer that compensates your injuries or not.

In the next section you’ll find our contact details so please do get in touch if you’d like Legal Expert to represent you for your hotel accident claim.

Speak to our team today

We hope, that after reading this guide about hotel accident claims in Greece and now that you know about our risk-free no win no fee service, that you’re ready to get in touch with us to begin your own personal injury claim.   If so, here’s how you can get in touch with us:

  • Telephone: Call us today on 0800 073 8804
  • Email: Send your message to info@legalexpert.co.uk
  • Live Chat: Our team are available directly from the live chat feature on any page of our website.

If you’re ready, then please make contact today and our team will begin with a free consultation to discuss your hotel accident abroad, the impact it’s had on you and the injuries you’ve sustained.

Helpful Links

Package holiday claims – Our useful guide covering accident claims on package holidays, covers all aspects, not just hotel accidents.

Slips, Trips and Falls – a more in-depth article covering the types of injuries sustained in slips and falls.

Hotel Accident Claims – a more in-depth guide to hotel accidents.

Greece travel advice – a guide, by the UK government, on travelling to Greece.

Burns and Scalds – an NHS guide to burns, scalds and treatment.

Hotel Accident Claims In Poland Guide – How To Claim Compensation For a Personal Injury In a Poland Hotel?

Holidays to Poland have become more and more popular with British tourists over recent years and while most people have a great time some are less lucky and end up sustaining an injury in the hotel. If you have had an accident in a Polish hotel which was caused by somebody else’s mistake, then you can call Legal Expert now to begin your claim against the hotel responsible.

If you would like to know more before making your claim, then carry on reading, as this hotel accidents claim guide will provide you with all of the information you will need to make your claim easier.

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A Guide To Hotel Accident Claims In Poland

Millions of Brits visit Poland every year and have a great time, whether they are staying at a mountain lodge hotel or a city hotel, the country has some beautiful sights and some great hotels but accidents in hotels do happen and can lead to long term injuries or illnesses and can ruin your holiday.

Hotel accident claims Poland

Hotel accident claims Poland

A hotel accident claim in Poland can be made if the hotel, or it’s staff, could have done something to prevent your accident. This guide will help you by explaining what to do in the event of an accident, the types of accidents which could have happened to you, claim time limits to start your case in, and more.

The types of accidents that we’ll cover include:  Food poisoning; Slips, Trips and Falls; Injuries caused by damaged furniture; Swimming pool injuries; Bed bug bites and Injuries caused by lifts.

This list isn’t extensive, we know there are other injuries and accidents that can happen and, if your injury isn’t listed then please make contact with us and we’ll begin the claims process with you.

When Can I Make A Claim Against A Hotel In Poland?

The main reason for making a claim against a hotel is when they could have prevented your accident from occurring.  All hotels have a duty of care to protect their guests and to make regular risk assessments and then act upon any risks that have been highlighted.

This could mean, for instance, that a faulty oven is repaired as it isn’t getting hot enough or a railing fixed on a balcony as it has become loose. If these types of problems are highlighted but not acted upon then the hotel has failed in its duty of care. If you are injured because of a defect, you can make a hotel personal injury claim against the hotel (you’d never claim against a member of staff as the company that employs them is liable and has insurance to cover staff mistakes).

The hotel can be claimed against directly or, if you booked your holiday as part of a package holiday, then you can claim against the package holiday tour operator. Package holidays are covered by special regulations which offer British tourists further protection for hotel accident claims in Poland.

Do I Have Grounds To Make A Hotel Accident Claim In Poland?

You are eligible to make hotel accident claim in Poland if the accident was somebody else’s fault. You need to be able to prove that the accident could have been prevented, that a member of the hotel staff had been negligent or health and safety has not been taken seriously and such neglect meant that you suffered an injury due to this.

Guests, visitors and staff can all complete a hotel accident claim if their injury was caused by somebody else.

I Was Hurt Slipping Over At A Hotel In Poland, Can I Claim Compensation?

If you have a slip, trip or fall in a Polish hotel which was caused simply because you failed to look where you were going, not paying attention or messing around then the hotel would not be to blame and you couldn’t make a claim. However if there was something the hotel did, or didn’t do, that caused you to slip and become injured then you definitely could make a claim.

Causes of slips that could lead to compensation for falls include:

  • Uneven or damaged flooring (which can be inside or outside the hotel).
  • Slippery floors that haven’t been highlighted with warning signs.
  • Poor lighting which prevented you from seeing a trip hazard.

All of these are reasons for a fall that you couldn’t control and, as such, could mean you’re eligible to claim.

The types of injuries that can be caused by falls include: Broken bones, spinal injuries, soft tissue damage, head injuries and muscle strains and tears. Some can be resolved by a simple operation (resetting a fractured arm) but others may lead to multiple surgeries and may result in you not ever fully recovering or getting the full use of the limb back to what it was prior to the accident.

Claim Compensation For Polish Hotel Food Poisoning

Food poisoning occurs when food isn’t stored, prepared, cooked or reheated properly and can lead to life-threatening illnesses. The hotel should ensure the highest hygiene standards are upheld in food preparation areas and also in areas where food is served.

As well as the illnesses caused by poor food handling there are also some illnesses, caused by food poisoning, that can spread by contact such as noro virus. The hotel can prevent this by offering hand sanitisers around the hotel and certainly for guests entering restaurants. If this hasn’t happened and you are diagnosed with any food poisoning related illnesses, then you could make a compensation claim as the hotel hasn’t done enough to prevent the spread of illness.

Eligibility To Claim For Bed Bug Injuries

A bed bug compensation claim is not something you’d really expect to be making when you book your hotel, but it can happen if hygiene isn’t of the highest standard in the hotel. Bed bugs aren’t dangerous but can lead to painful bites and cause rashes which you can claim. Bed bugs can be spread easily and can get into your clothing and when you return home, your own house can become contaminated. The cost of removal of the bed bugs from your house could also be claimed as part of your compensation as it can be expensive and difficult without professional services.

I Was Injured In A Lift, Can I Claim Compensation?

A lot of larger hotels would be very difficult to navigate without the use of lifts and carrying luggage up and down stairs would be very difficult but if they go wrong or aren’t maintained properly and you are injured due to a faulty lift then you could make a personal injury claim against the hotel. If you are stuck in a broken-down lift for any amount of time or have an injury in a lift because it has jolted (i.e. not operated in a smooth action) then you could make a claim.

Claim For A Hotel Swimming Pool Accident

Hotel swimming pools, when maintained and supervised properly, are great fun or somewhere to relax and enjoy your stay but can also be a common place for accidents. The types of accidents and illnesses that can occur (and could’ve been prevented) include:

  • Slips and trips in areas where excessive water hasn’t been cleared up or warning signs used such as in the changing room.
  • Illnesses caused by water-borne infections due to lack of cleaning or following the maintenance schedule properly which can lead to food-poisoning type illness.
  • Burns or scalds in saunas where safety controls have not worked properly.

As you can see, swimming pool related hotel accident claims in Poland can be for anywhere around the pool, not just in the pool itself.

Old Or Damaged Furniture Causing Accidents And Injuries

Hotels should maintain, repair or replace furniture in rooms on a regular basis but it doesn’t always happen. If you have been injured because a chair broke when you sat in it or a damage railing on a balcony or in a bathroom caused you to lose your balance, then you could be able to claim compensation. It would be worth photographing any defect that you believe caused the accident.

Anything in your hotel room that is damaged, faulty or broken should be reported to hotel staff immediately especially in the case of electrical items which can cause burns or electrical shocks.

What Should You Do If Harmed On Your Hotels Grounds?   

If you’re injured in an accident in a hotel there are a number of things you can do that will make hotel accident claims in Poland easier to process when you return to the UK including:

  • Photograph the scene of the accident and get as much detail in it as possible – especially what you believe was the root cause of the accident.
  • Ask witnesses for their contact details and, if possible, ask them to write down what they saw.
  • Report your accident to the hotel staff and your package holiday rep (if you’re on package holiday). This should be recorded in some sort of logging system so ask for a copy or take the name of the person you reported it to.
  • It goes without saying that you should seek medical treatment. Sometimes injuries don’t present themselves immediately and so, especially in the case of head injuries, you should seek medical advice. In Poland you can get free or reduced cost treatment at public hospitals if you have a EHIC travel card or if you have travel insurance you may be eligible to use a private hospital.
  • Another useful tip is to write down the date and time that the accident happened and, if in a hotel room or restaurant, make a name of the room number or restaurant name as it’s very easy, when you’ve been back in the UK for a few weeks, to completely forget small details like these.

All of these steps will hopefully make claiming for your hotel accident easier when you return to the UK and Legal Expert will contact people like doctors and witnesses to gather as much evidence to support your claim as possible.

Obviously, when you’re on holiday, you should be enjoying yourself and not looking for accidents that could happen but, if the unfortunate does happen, then try to take as many of the steps listed as possible and it could make your claim much easier to process.

I Was Injured At A Hotel In Poland, What Could I Make A Compensation Claim For?

Hotel accident claims in Poland can involve a number of elements and it’s important that personal injury solicitors gather all of the evidence for each element before submitting a claim.   The elements that make up an accident abroad claim are:

  • General Damages: This is the element that deals with the pain and suffering that was inflicted on you because of the accident.  There is defined laws around how much a certain injury is worth, depending on the severity and it is up to your personal injury lawyer to prove this – usually by using medical records or consultants.
  • Medical Expenses: If you’ve had to pay for treatment or prescription medicines because of your injury you can claim these costs back as part of the claim for compensation.
  • Travel Expenses: There are a number of reasons you may claim travel costs when making a Polish accident claims including the cost of returning to the UK earlier or later than planned which meant your return ticket was invalid or if you have to travel to receive medical treatment (either in Poland or when you’re back in the UK).
  • Care Costs: If you’ve had to have somebody to help you because you were unable to do normal things yourself due to your injury then that persons costs can be claimed for. For instance, if somebody had to fly out to Poland to assist your return or if you’ve had to pay somebody to help out at home as you’re unable to complete day to day tasks because of your injury.
  • Personal Property Claim: If anything was damaged at the time of your accident such as clothing, spectacles, watches or mobile phones then the cost of repair or replacement could be added.
  • Loss Of Earnings: If your accident abroad meant you had to take time off from work, or even worse had to change job or stop working altogether then we could look at adding the lost earnings and future lost earnings to any claim.

As you can see all of the elements, except for general damages, are to reimburse you for any costs that you’ve incurred because of your accident. It would be wise to keep any receipts for any items as they will be used as evidence to support your claim.

Hotel Accident Claims Time Limits In Poland

It is the case in most countries, including Poland, that to claim compensation for a hotel injury you must submit it within strict guidelines. This table shows the types of personal injury claims and how long you have to submit them:

Edit
Type of personal injury claim Time limit to begin claim
An accident in a Polish hotel but booked through a UK package holiday 3 years may very
An independently booked hotel in Poland accident 3 years (can vary)
On a flight, that you booked yourself, to or from:

– Warsaw Chopin Airport
– Warsaw Modlin Airport
– Krakow John Paul II International airport

 2 years

All time limits can vary.

The time begins from the moment you had the accident or from the date you became aware of the injury i.e. if a doctor diagnosed an illness or injury further down the line that you weren’t aware of as it didn’t present with obvious symptoms.

If you’re unsure if your hotel claim is within the time limits, then please give us a call and we’ll discuss the dates with you. The best advice would be to begin your claim as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out on any compensation that may be due to you.

Poland Hotel Accident Claims Calculator

There are sites on the Internet that claim to have a hotel accident claims calculator but at Legal Expert we know, from the years of experience in making personal injury claims, that every case is unique and so a calculator is not always very accurate. What we can do is show you the table below which shows what amounts certain types of injuries can be awarded as general damages:

Edit
The type of injury sustained Comments Payout range for type of injuy
Minor injuries Injuries where there is a full recovery within three months. £1,200 to £2,150
Minor injuries Injuries where there is a full recovery within one month. £600 to £1,200
Minor injuries Injuries where there is a full recovery within a week. £100 to £600
Fractures of Cheekbones Serious fractures requiring surgery £8,940 to £13,840
Multiple Fractures of Facial Bones Some facial deformity of a permanent nature. £13,080 to £21,000
Severe Knee Injuries Less severe disability. £22,960 to £38,120
Severe Knee Injuries Leg fracture extending into the knee joint. £45,700 to £61,140
Severe Knee Injuries Serious knee injury where there has been disruption of the joint. £61,140 to £84,360
Wrist Injuries Significant permanent disability, but where some useful movement remains. £21,480 to £34,340
Wrist Injuries Complete loss of function. £41,760 to £52,490
Shoulder Injuries Severe £16,830 to £42,110
Neck Injuries Severe
Associated with incomplete paraplegia or resulting in permanent spastic quadriparesis.		 In the region of £130,060

Remember this is only a guide and every case is different. If you were injured in Poland and your injury isn’t listed, then don’t worry as we’ve only picked a sample of injuries but can help with claims for any accident at a hotel in Poland.

No Win No Fee Hotel Accident Claims In Poland

There are clients who’ve told us how worried they are about the cost of legal fees when using a personal injury solicitor. There are solicitors who charge their clients by the hour, even if they win or lose the case and the client can end up with a huge legal fee with no result but that’s not how Legal Expert work.

We offer a risk-free solution called a conditional fee agreement (or CFA but better known as a no win no fee agreement). We think it is the fairest way to make a personal injury claim as it means if we don’t get you compensation for your injury then you don’t have to pay a penny.

When you register your claim with us, and we agree to take the claim on, we provide you with a copy of the no win no fee CFA document which explains the percentage of your compensation that we’ll charge if we are successful and that if we don’t win anything then you don’t pay anything at all. Once the percentage has been agreed, it won’t change regardless of how long the claim takes to process.

This way there are no surprise fees at the end of your case and you don’t need to spend the whole of the case worrying about the bill if you lose.

How We Can Help Victims Of Hotel Accidents In Poland

Our team, based in the UK, are friendly and professional and work with clients in a clear and concise way but without bombarding them with legal jargon. We have worked with many clients over many years making all sorts of personal injury compensation claims including those who’ve been injured in Poland.

We will keep you informed throughout the process and if an offer of compensation is made by the hotel then we’ll let you know the amount and if we think it is a fair amount for your injuries.

We’re available when you need us and can answer any queries you may have along the way.  Our specialists are available quickly when you need us and contactable in a number of different ways (detailed later on) meaning you can contact us easily.

Begin Your Claim Today

If, after reading this guide about hotel accident claims in Poland, our no win no fee service and our friendly professional team of personal injury solicitors, you’re ready to make a claim with us then there a number of ways to get in touch:

Please get in touch even if you still have any questions and we’ll do all we can to answer them for you.

Helpful Links

Hopefully you’ve read enough about hotel accident claims in Poland to begin your claim, here are some more useful links in case you need further information:

Healthcare in Poland – A guide to getting treatment in Poland from the NHS

Travel guide for Poland – A guide from the British government

Package holiday claims guide – Our guide about accidents on a package holiday, not just in the hotel.

Package holiday regulations 1992 – This is the set of regulations, written by the British government to add extra protection for tourists who book through package holiday providers.

If you have any more questions or queries regarding this claims guide or your own claim, then please get in touch with Legal Expert today.

Edited by Melissa.