By making a compensation claim, you could access funds to account for:
- Your pain and suffering
- Loss of earnings
- Counselling and rehabilitative support
- Expenses (such as travel costs to hospital appointments).
The amount of compensation you’re likely to receive will depend on a combination of the above factors and the severity of your injuries. In some cases we could also help you get access to interim compensation payments before your claim settles, which can help cover your ongoing care costs and expenses while we’re working on your case.
If you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one you’ve lost, we could help you secure compensation to make sure you and your family is provided for in the future, and also that you have access to the professional care and support to help you cope.
Read more about the rehabilitation and support we can help you access.
After you’ve contacted us, we’ll set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case and whether you have a legal claim. We’ll discuss what funding options are available to you to pay for your claim, including No Win No Fee agreements*.
We’ll get in touch with those responsible for the accident at an early stage. If they accept responsibility for your injuries, we’ll try to secure interim compensation payments, which can fund private medical care and ongoing expenses and losses while we’re working to finalise your case. Any interim payments will be taken out of your final compensation award.
We will fight to make sure your final settlement not only reflects your current suffering, but also the long term effects of your injuries, on both your physical and psychological health. If you are making a claim on behalf of a loved one you’ve lost, we’ll claim for the financial support you have lost in the past and in the future, as well as taking into account the emotional impact on you and your family, and the cost of ongoing support to help you cope.
We’ll always try and negotiate claims out of court, keeping the claim process as short as we can. However, if your opponent doesn’t accept responsibility or doesn’t agree with the amount of compensation we feel you are entitled to, we’ll pursue court proceedings.
Even when trial dates have been set, most claims are settled before Trial starts. If your claim does need to go to court, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way, presenting your case and talking you through what will happen so you feel as comfortable as possible.
Read more about what happens if your case goes to court.
You’ll normally have three years to make a claim in the UK, no matter who your claim is against. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. These include:
- Fatal claims – to make a claim on behalf of your loved one under English law, you’ll have three years from the date they died to make a claim. If a post-mortem found that the death was caused by an accident or illness, you have three years from the date you were informed.
- Accidents abroad – different and often shorter time limits apply overseas depending on the country’s laws. We suggest you contact us as soon as possible to find out more.
- Under 18s – under English law you can claim on behalf of a child who was under-18 at the
- Time of the accident – No time limits apply in these circumstances until the child turns 18. When the child turns 18 they can make their own claim but the three year time limit will then apply.
- Mental capacity – under English law you can make a claim on behalf of someone who doesn’t have the ability to do so themselves, including when someone has suffered a serious head/brain injury as a result of their accident. In these circumstances, no time limits apply.
- Aviation accidents – see section on Air Accident Claims for more information on time limits.
If you are thinking of making an air, rail or maritime claim, we urge you to contact us as soon as possible to ensure you do not exceed any time limits. Call us today on 0800 056 4110 for a free consultation.
Depending upon the circumstances of your accident, it may be possible to bring a claim against the operating company of the aircraft, train or vessel where the accident happened. In some cases it may be more appropriate to take action against the manufacturers.
While these cases can be complex, we have extensive experience dealing with the complex nature of these cases and have helped victims of many high-profile air, rail and maritime disasters secure compensation and get the answers they need about what went wrong.
If you would like to make an air, rail or maritime injury claim, we urge you to contact us as soon as possible so we can start work on your case.
Call us today on 0808 115 1179 for a free initial consultation to discuss your situation.
We’ve helped many families who’ve lost loved ones in air, rail and maritime accidents, and we understand how traumatic it is. If someone close to you has died, our lawyers can help you with:
- Recovering compensation for their pain and suffering, to account for past and future financial losses caused by their death and to cover funeral expenses.
- Representing you at inquest
- Getting you the answers and apology you deserve from those responsible.
Our lawyers could also help you access a statutory bereavement award, if English law applies, which is separate to a claim for compensation and recognises the fact that your loved one died wrongfully. This is available if you’re the spouse, civil partner or parent (if under 18) of the person who died. We can also help you access the support and care you need to help you cope with your loss. Find out more about coping with bereavement.
Many of our cases are funded with a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that there’s no financial risk* to you when making a compensation claim.
At the start of your case we’ll discuss funding options with you, advising you which we think is most suitable. If you have legal expenses insurance (LEI) or are covered by a trade union policy, these may be best for you. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.
If we think you’re best supported by a No Win No Fee agreement, we’ll explain the process clearly. This may involve setting up an insurance policy that will protect you, at no cost to you. You’ll only have to pay anything when your claim is successful.
Please visit our No Win No Fee page for more information on how it works.
Our dedicated Air, Rail & Maritime teams understands that accidents of this kind can be especially distressing and have life-changing consequences. Our specialist lawyers have significant experience of dealing with the complex nature of these claims and will work hard to get the compensation you and your loved ones deserve.
We’ve worked on many high profile cases and are experienced in dealing with the international element that many air, rail and maritime claims involve. The team is renowned not only for its professionalism and expertise but also its sensitivity when dealing with these complex and often upsetting cases.
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