No win no fee solicitors

Will I be taxed on my compensation if I win a no win no fee case?

You won't pay any tax on your personal injury compensation - no matter the circumstances of your case. Your personal injury payout is completely tax-exempt, regardless of whether you settle in or out of court and how you receive your payment. You also won't be taxed on the interest you earn on your compensation between opening and settling your claim.

If you choose to invest your compensation after your claim has been completed, you might be required to pay tax on the interest you earn. Take a look at our page on compensation and tax for more information.

What happens when I make a claim?

First, you won't be alone. Over the years we've lent a helping hand to over two million people who've been hurt in accidents which were not their fault.

Contact us first for independent, friendly and free advice. We'll let you know whether you may be eligible to make a no win no fee compensation claim. If you are and decide to pursue it, we'll pair you with one of our specialist no win no fee lawyers. We're usually able to do this on the same call if you choose.

Your lawyer will check the details of your claim and let you know immediately if they can handle it. They'll also talk you through the funding options. These will include the no win no fee terms and how much you'll pay from your compensation if the claim succeeds.

Once they've begun your claim, they'll gather all the evidence so they can build the strongest case for you. This will include an independent medical assessment.

When they've got all the evidence, they'll submit your claim to the other side (the defendant). This is the person or organisation that you believe is to blame for your injury. If they accept liability, the solicitor will negotiate and then agree the compensation payment with the other side's insurers.

How is compensation defined?

• General damages is the amount paid for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (that's the impact on your ability to do things). 
• Special damages covers any financial losses you may have experienced as a direct result of your injury. It includes things like lost earnings, paid-for treatment, care or travel expenses.

If the other side denies liability or cannot agree on a compensation figure, your solicitor will then issue court proceedings. They will keep negotiating with the other side: out of court settlements are reached in the vast majority of claims. 

Don't worry if your claim does go to a hearing in front of a judge. Your solicitor will take care of everything for you.

How much could I get from my no win no fee claim?

Until your solicitor has started negotiating on your behalf, they won't be able to give you an exact figure of the no win no fee compensation you could be entitled to. Our no win no fee compensation calculator can give you an estimate of the amount you could receive.

You can also find estimated payouts for all types of personal injury claim in the 16th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines. Below we've included some examples.

How long might my claim take?

That depends on the circumstances of your claim, the severity of your injury and whether or not the other side admits, disputes or denies liability. Your solicitor will be able to give you a time estimate based on the unique circumstances of your claim. A useful yardstick is the more complex the claim, the longer it will take to settle. For instance, a complex claim for medical negligence could take a couple of years or more to conclude.

If your solicitor wins your claim, you'll pay them an agreed amount from your compensation. If the claim fails, you pay nothing to anyone.

What are the time limits for making a no win no fee claim?

With a few exceptions, adults have three years from the date of the injury to make a personal injury compensation claim. The exceptions are: 

• For claims involving things like occupational illness or medical negligence, the three-year limit applies from the date when the symptoms were first noticed. 
• For children aged under 18 years when the accident happened, you can make a claim for them any time up to their 18th birthday. After they reach 18, the time limit expires three years later on their 21st birthday. 
• There are no time limits for making a claim if the injury victim lacks the mental capacity to do it themselves. This could be as a direct result of the injury they've suffered or a pre-existing medical condition.

Are there other ways to fund my claim?

The overwhelming majority of accident compensation claims are funded using a no win no fee agreement. There are variations, however, such as:  

• Your Trades Union: some membership packages include legal protection insurance. Talk to your union rep if you're a member - they'll be able to check for you. If you have cover, your solicitor will then check that the policy offers the right protection for a no win no fee compensation claim (not all do). If it does, your solicitor will use it instead. And if your claim is successful, there won't be a premium to pay at the end - so you'll keep more of your compensation. For more information, visit the TUC web page. 
• Legal Aid: if the claim is for a serious neurological birth injury suffered by an infant during pregnancy or within eight weeks of birth, then Legal Aid may pay legal fees and costs.
• Your own legal protection insurance: these policies often come bundled with home and/or motor insurance - or as a benefit with a credit card. It's worth checking whether you or a member of your household has such a policy. 

If you do have one, tell your solicitor and give them the insurer's name and policy number. They'll then check to see if it has the right protection for a no win no fee compensation claim. Not all do - but if it does, your solicitor will use it. If your compensation claim wins, there won't be an insurance premium to pay at the end. That means your settlement will be that little bit bigger.

Can I get sacked by my employer for making a claim against them?

The UK sees millions of workplace-related illnesses and injuries every year. If you've suffered a work-related illness or injury that wasn't your fault, making a no win no fee claim against your employer can seem like a frightening prospect. But this isn't something to be scared of: there are laws in place to protect you.

You're absolutely within your rights to make a claim against your employer. And regardless of whether you win or lose, your employer cannot sack you for taking them to court. It's also illegal for your employer to discriminate against you in the workplace during or after your claim. If they do, you can make another claim against them for unfair treatment/dismissal.

Why make a no win no fee claim with us?

We know it can sometimes be hard to know who to talk to about your compensation claim. You may worry about getting a sympathetic hearing. Or feel anxious that contacting somebody will mean you're pressured or rushed into starting a claim.

When you contact us, you do so in your own way, in your own time. Whether that's by calling, requesting a call back or chatting to us online, we'll never pressure you into starting a claim. And we'll never share your data without your permission.

We're simply here to listen to you and offer free and impartial advice. We have more than years_since years' experience lending a helping hand to people hurt in accidents that weren't their fault.

Starting your no win no fee claim with us also means:

• Free, impartial and jargon-free advice before you decide to claim.
• No stress over picking the right no win no fee accident solicitor, we do that for you. We hold all of our solicitors to high standards of service.
• No upfront or unexpected costs and nothing to pay if your claim is unsuccessful.
• No risk of paying the other side's costs.

If you're undecided or are simply looking for some advice, then contact us. We can talk through your situation and any concerns you might have in a free, friendly and confidential environment. Call us on to speak to one of our specialist personal injury advisors today.

Can I change solicitors during a claim if I'm unhappy with the service?

If you have reasonable grounds for doing so, then yes you can. Our advice would always be to raise any concerns you may have with your solicitor first. If you can't resolve things to your satisfaction, then seek a second opinion from another law firm.

We carefully monitor the service standards of all the solicitors we work with to help ensure this doesn't happen.

Are there exceptions to making a no win no fee claim?

There are rare cases where our solicitors will be unable to handle a claim on a no win no fee basis.

If we're unable to start your claim using no win no fee, your solicitor will make this clear before you begin anything. You can then make an informed decision whether you want to continue with your claim.

Don't worry about any upfront costs in such cases. We'll make you aware of any fees you could be liable for before you commit to beginning your case.