What is a ‘no win no fee’ agreement?
A ‘no win no fee’ (or conditional fee) agreement does exactly what it says. If you win your compensation claim under a no win no fee agreement, your solicitor’s fees are paid by the losing side. However, your claim is unsuccessful, your solicitor doesn’t get paid.
Since legal aid was abolished for personal injury and many medical negligence cases in 2000, no win no fee agreements have allowed many people to win compensation for injuries caused through no fault of their own. Many may have been put off accessing the legal system due to high costs, but through no win no fee agreements, people perhaps on a low income or claiming state benefits can bring a case for compensation.
What sort of cases can ‘no win no fee’ agreements apply to?
We don’t just limit “no win no fee’ agreements to accident compensation and medical negligence. For appropriate cases we also offer:
How does a no win no fee agreement work?
There are a number of types of no win no fee contracts. In its original form, the no win no fee agreement allows a claimant to bring a compensation claim without worrying about paying a solicitor’s fees if they lose their claim. If a case succeeds, the winning solicitor gets paid (plus a “success” payment for taking the risk of receiving no fee) from the losing side.
However, if a settlement orders the losing side to pay only part of case costs, the successful claimant is liable to pay for their solicitor’s remaining fees. The costs involved may include disbursements, or costs incurred by a solicitor in preparing the case. No win no fee agreements can vary from solicitor to solicitor, so make sure you check the terms and conditions of any no win no fee contract before signing.
What does negligence mean?
In law, the term negligence is defined as “a breach of a duty of care which results in damage”. A third party must be at fault for a negligence case to be pursued, so if you were injured whilst, for example, under the influence of alcohol, that may prevent you from making a claim. A no win no fee solicitor will advise as to whether a case is worth pursuing for compensation.
Do I need a solicitor?
By law, a solicitor has the power to issue legal proceedings and start the process of bringing a case against a third party. Therefore, a solicitor should be sought in order to pursue a compensation claim.
In picking a no win no fee solicitor, look carefully at the experience of the firm – are they specialists in dealing with your type of claim – whether it be an accident compensation , contested will or no win no fee dismissal case. With the right experienced solicitor, you can be assured your claim is being thoroughly pursued using all the evidence possible to win your case.
Want to know more about making a No Win No Fee Claim? Contact our experts today
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