No win no fees explained

What does “No Win, No Fee” mean?

Many personal injury solicitors operate on the basis of “No Foal, No Fee” – this is where the solicitor takes on a case on the basis that if the case is not successful, the client won’t have to pay any fees.

This means that the usual costs associated with civil lawsuits, including professional legal services fees, will be absorbed by the solicitor firm where a case is unsuccessful.

In cases where the claim is successful, these fees are usually partly or fully recoverable from the defendant(s) when settlement is agreed.

The purpose of No Win, No Fee is to offer a helping hand to clients who may not be in the position financially to bring forward a personal injury claim.

This system allows more people to engage with the legal process by giving them the freedom to make a claim without having to face the financial burden of paying a lump sum upfront.

Most personal injury law firms in Ireland operate on this basis, but many will set out a list of conditions to the agreement that will be explained to the client before the claim is pursued.

The most common condition that many firms operate with is that the client may still be liable to pay ‘outlays’. Outlays usually include certain costs associated with civil cases lawsuits – such as the cost of obtaining medical reports and records, stamp duty and the PIAB application fee – and can sometimes include covering the defendant(s)’ legal costs where they disprove the claim.

These conditions would be written down in a contract and explained to the client prior to pursuing the claim, so that they may make the informed decision whether to hire a solicitor that operates on a no win no fee basis.

Choosing a personal injury solicitor

Personal injury claims are commonplace in the Irish legal system, and so if you have been involved in an accident or suffered an injury at the hands of another person, it is important to choose a solicitor that you trust to represent you fairly in your claim.

When choosing the right solicitor, it is recommended that you carry out your own research to ensure you find the best fit for you – factors to keep in mind are:

1) Is the firm ethical

have they explained to you fully the terms and conditions of taking a claim with them? Do they follow the Regulations and Standards set out by the Law Society of Ireland?

2) Is the firm experienced

Do they have positive outcomes from similar cases taken on? Are their solicitors experts in specific fields?

3) Do you feel welcomed

Make sure that during your initial consultation, you feel you can trust the firm to take on your case and be sure to represent you fairly to the best of their ability.

You should contact a trusted and experienced personal injury solicitor at the earliest available opportunity to prevent your claim from being statute barred.

It is extremely important to choose practising solicitors who are members of the Law Society’s injury accreditation scheme and clinical negligence accreditation scheme, and those who abide by the Law Society of Ireland’s Regulations.

We at Coleman Legal understand that pursuing these types of legal action can be distressing, and we deal with each case on a personal, one-to-one basis with expertise, compassion and empathy.

Our personal injury solicitors represent clients in a variety of personal injury claims: road traffic accidents, workplace injury, serious injury, medical negligence, and public liability claims. We have the knowledge and experience to handle these claims to ensure that our clients receive fair compensation.

Coleman Legal LLP

Solicitors
84 Talbot Street, Dublin 1
D01 YX60
DX 112002

Contact Details:
Free Phone: (1800)844104
Fax: (01) 5312727
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.colemanlegalpartners.ie
Online Enquiry Form: Apply