/ Personal Injury / Get your claim off to the best start

How to get your claim off to the best start

Preparation is key to making a successful personal injury claim. What you do in the early stages of your claim can have a direct impact on how much compensation you will receive.

This article explores some of the things you can do now, that will have a positive impact on your claim as it progresses.

Disclaimer

This guide outlines general topics you should be thinking about if you want to make a personal injury claim in Northern Ireland. But it is not legal advice. If you need legal advice, you should contact a specialist personal solicitor for advice on your specific circumstances.

Want to get your personal injury claim off to the best possible start? A productive first meeting with your solicitor is a great way to get the ball rolling. Here’s how to make sure your first consultation is worthwhile for everyone.

Your first meeting with your personal injury solicitor can be insanely productive. Or it can be a complete waste of time.

Think about the following two clients:

Client A

Client A turns up at the solicitor’s office to start their claim. But they can’t remember dates, times, vehicles, or names.

They have no financial information with them, no photos, nothing.
In response, the solicitor will only be able offer vague advice.

Without solid information, there is little more they can do.

Client A will have to go away and come back when they have gathered more of the vital information needed to start a claim.

Client B

Client B, on the other hand, turns up at the solicitor’s office with:

• all your evidence (topics listed here)

• a full, clear account of what happened, including names of witnesses

• receipts, records and financial documents to prove their losses
photographic ID and a utility bill (every solicitor asks new clients for these).

With this information, the solicitor can immediately advise Client B if they have a potential case.

And if Client B decides to hire that solicitor, they will be ready to get to work on their claim straightaway.

As soon as your solicitor opens your case, they will start writing to people about your claim. This could include the defendant, insurance companies, doctors, etc.

If the information you have given the solicitor isn’t correct, these letters will contain mistakes.

And if inconsistencies in your memory are uncovered at a later date, it will undermine your credibility (which may reduce the amount of compensation you are offered).

That’s why it’s so important to give accurate, consistent instructions – right from the start of your claim

Now, don’t worry if you have already made a mistake. Just let your solicitor know as soon as possible. If they know about it, they can correct it. The sooner, the better.

The details might seem trivial now, but they could be worth thousands of pounds to you at some point in the future.

And finally, don’t be nervous about meeting a solicitor for the first time! If you are a potential new client, they’ll be delighted to see you!

← Questions to ask your personal injury solicitor

No-win-no-fee personal injury claims →

The above article is part of our guide on how to make a personal injury claim in Northern Ireland.

If you are thinking about making a personal injury claim, you should get in touch with a Northern Ireland personal injury solicitor who will help you assess the strength of your case.

If you have any questions, you are very welcome to get in touch.

All the best,

The Team @ Lightlaw

Every effort is made to keep this guide up to date. Although it is not to be regarded as legal advice, we strive to make sure the information is helpful, accurate and practical. If you are a Northern Ireland personal injury solicitor and have spotted an inaccuracy, you can submit a suggested change.

How to get your claim off to the best start

Preparation is key to making a successful personal injury claim. What you do in the early stages of your claim can have a direct impact on how much compensation you will receive.This article explores some of the things you can do now, that will have a positive impact on your claim as it progresses.

Disclaimer

How to get your claim off to the best start

Want to get your personal injury claim off to the best possible start? A productive first meeting with your solicitor is a great way to get the ball rolling. Here’s how to make sure your first consultation is worthwhile for everyone.