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Personal Injury

We represent accident victims and have recovered compensation measured in millions of pounds.

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Platt & Fishwick Solicitors

We understand how traumatic even the most minor accident can be and that the rules and processes involved in securing proper compensation can seem daunting. Our expertise and emphasis on communication with clients means you will be taken through the process in a straightforward way with the minimum of fuss.

We have many years' experience in pursuing cases using Conditional Fee Agreements (commonly known as "no win no fee" agreements) and were amongst the first solicitors in Wigan to do so following reforms introduced some years ago now. "No win no fee" personal injury claims are the norm these days and the relevant regulations say that the maximum deduction a solicitor may take is 25%. However, this is a maximum deducted and not a fixed or necessarily a standard figure, although some solicitors might proceed on the basis that it is. In some more difficult cases, the maximum deduction might be justified but we are always prepared to consider what might be an appropriate figure in each individual case.

All accident claims are handled by Mark Richardson. Mark has been a personal injury solicitor for over 30 years and has vast experience of pursuing all kinds of claim. He is a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme (Law Society Personal Injury Panel) and is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (being accredited as a Senior Litigator).

We offer a free initial consultation which can be at our Wigan or Standish Office or at home if need be. If you have been injured as a result of an accident, speak with us, even if you are not sure whether you might have a claim.

We are willing to discuss fixed fees for a case, or for one or more of the key stages set out below, depending upon the particular circumstances of the matter.

Contingency Fee ("no win no fee") Agreements

When acting for Claimants, we are prepared to consider acting upon a Contingency Fee ("no win no fee") Agreement, more popularly known as a "no win no fee" agreement. Under such an agreement, we make no charge unless and until we recover compensation, either at a final hearing or by way of a settlement. Our charges are then usually between 25% and a maximum of 33% of compensation recovered (inclusive of VAT). In relation to such agreements:-

• We offer a free initial assessment appointment. At this initial appointment, we can consider other funding options that might be available such as cover under an insurance policy

• We will give you the best possible idea we can at the end of that consultation as to whether we would then be prepared to act on such a basis

• If there is any significant documentation to consider, we may then suggest a fee for assessing the viability of a claim which might vary from £200 in a relatively straightforward matter to £1,000 if documentation is extensive (excluding VAT)

Contingency Fee Agreements are generally not available to clients who are defending a Tribunal claim.

Key Stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:

• Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers, and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)

• Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached

• Preparing claim or response

• Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party

• Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process preparing or considering a schedule of loss

• Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing

• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents

• Taking witness statements, drafting statements, and agreeing their content with witnesses

• Preparing bundle of documents

• Reviewing and advising on the other party's witness statements

• Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list

• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 4-6 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 6-8 months. This will be longer in a complex case as mentioned above. This is just an estimate, and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

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