Choosing a solicitor can be a difficult task, particularly if you want to instruct them to handle your personal injury claim. You need to be confident that they understand the nature of the injuries you’ve suffered, but also that they can properly represent you throughout the course of the legal process.

We’ve created a helpful guide to outline the key things you need to think about before making a final decision:

1. How much personal injury experience does the solicitor have?
Some solicitors split their time across different types of work. Ideally your chosen solicitor will spend all of their time dealing with personal injury matters, and should be happy to talk about other claims he or she has dealt with that are similar to yours.

2. Is the solicitor a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)?
APIL is a professional body for personal injury lawyers. Members are required to abide by a consumer charter and stringent code of conduct which requires all members to commit to acting in the best interests of their clients at all times.

3. What are the options for funding my claim?
There are various ways of funding a personal injury case, and in the vast majority of cases, you will not need to pay a penny (certainly this is the case if you instruct Farleys). The options available may include a ‘no-win, no-fee’ arrangement, or funding via an existing or new insurance policy. Your solicitor should clearly explain the different types of funding that exist and discuss which of these are available and most appropriate for your circumstances.

4. Will the solicitor deal with my case from start to finish?
Injury cases are, by their nature, personal and your solicitor will need to review your medical notes, and read expert reports on your prognosis. For this reason, most clients prefer the same person to handle their claim from start to finish.

Further, some claims can be very complicated. This means it’s important that your solicitor has a detailed understanding of the circumstances of your particular case, and can therefore be prepared for, and ready to handle, any potential issues that could arise.

5. Will the solicitor keep in touch and be available if I have any questions?
It’s not unreasonable to expect your solicitor to keep in regular contact with you during the course of your personal injury claim. At the very least they should contact you with updates on a regular basis.

You should be able to reach your solicitor if you have any queries, and if they are ill or on holiday, there should be another solicitor available with delegated authority to discuss your claim with you.

If you think you may have grounds to bring a personal injury claim, please feel free to contact us to arrange a free of charge, no-obligation discussion about your circumstances.

Our team of expert personal injury lawyers have a vast knowledge of a whole range of different types of claim, running from road traffic accidents, slips and trips, accidents at work, through to catastrophic brain injuries and injuries suffered whilst on holiday. If you choose to instruct Farleys, you’ll be allocated an expert solicitor who will manage your claim from start to finish. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.