NO WIN NO FEE COMPENSATION

What is a No Win No Fee Claim?

Solicitors in the United Kingdom use a no win no fee claim scheme more formally called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which was introduced in 1998. The purpose was to enable the government to end its funding for Legal Aid for personal injury claims. Under a no win no fee claim scheme the claimant pays nothing upfront or during the legal proceedings. The claimant can only be charged for legal fees and expenses if their case is won and the claimant is awarded compensation. If the case is lost the claimant cannot be charged for the lawyer’s time. In almost all cases however where a no win no fees claim is won the defendant or more usually their insurers are also obliged to pay the claimants legal costs including expenses. The CFA regulations do specify certain instances when it is acceptable for a solicitor to deduct certain legal charges from the compensation award. However, few solicitors take advantage of that clause, opting instead to leave their client's compensation intact and pay out in full with no deductions.

The main exception to the scheme outlined above relates to claims made relating hit and run accidents being handled by the Motor Insurer Bureau (MIB) whose purpose is to compensate the victims of uninsured drivers. If the driver responsible for the accident cannot be located then the MIB will make a compensatory award however that award does not cover the claimant’s legal charges which are deducted from the amount of the final award made by the MIB.

Before the Event Insurance

Unforeseen and unfortunate accidents can arise and any person may find themselves in need of legal expenses insurance. To prepare for this contingency, an individual can purchase a special insurance policy known as "Before the Event" (BTE) insurance. A BTE insurance policy covers the legal costs incurred while bringing a claim. The policy also covers the defendant's legal fees if the claim is lost. Most BTE policies of insurance are sold as an ‘add on’ to general motor insurance by most motor insurers. If a potential claimant has the benefit of a Before the Event policy of insurance then they will not need to enter into a Conditional Fee Agreement with a solicitor as their legal costs are already covered in advance of the accident.

Free Legal Consultation

If you are considering a no win no fee claim for a personal injury, contact us today. One of friendly, experienced solicitors can provide you with free legal advice about your case. Simply telephone us on our helpline - the consultation is confidential and free of charge.

No Win No Fee Compensation Claims

Our solicitors provide free legal advice about no win no fee compensation claims. In order to make a personal injury compensation claim the accident must have occurred within the last three years. Many solicitors offer a no win no fee claim service which minimises the individual’s financial risk however the scheme offered by this firm goes much further and can be summed up as 'win or lose no charge - compensation paid in full'. If you use our claims service there is no financial risk whatsoever and you are paid 100% of your compensation with no deductions.