In the Labour Force’s 2017/18 Survey and the Health & Safety Executive Survey investigating workplace injury, they found the followings on work sites across Great Britain:

• 555,000 self-reported non-fatal injuries
• 71,062 employer-reported non-fatal injuries
• 144 fatal injuries

Despite showing a downward trend compared to the previous years, the figures are still alarming and give credence to the wide-held opinion that many workplaces across the United Kingdom are not doing enough to protect their workers.

In the event that a worker sustains a catastrophic injury as a result of negligence or misconduct with respect to health and safety, the victim should have peace of mind that their medical, therapy and financial loss costs will be taken care of. But in reality, this isn’t always the case. If you’re a victim of a catastrophic injury (an injury which impacts your ability to perform day-to-day tasks) and you have made a claim for compensation to your workplace, you may have experienced one or a combination of the following scenarios:

• The whole process takes very long and you may be waiting years for a resolution to your claim.
• Feeling that you have no power and influence over the decision-making process.
• Needing to rely heavily on your legal representatives, and feeling despair if they don’t fully understand your issues or act in your best interest.

You aren’t alone. Many victims suffering from catastrophic injuries recognise that the system needs to be more flexible with respect to the needs of claimants. While interim payments and settlements are currently in place to mitigate the financial burden of a catastrophic injury claim process, the stress that lawsuits entail is cause for some revision.

In addition, victims who enlist the services of a ‘cowboy’ solicitor – someone without proper knowledge or expertise of a specific discipline or someone who is brash and who rushes you to settle your claims quickly – tend to have a worse experience. This calls for better regulations with respect to who can represent a victim sustained a catastrophic injury.

What does a catastrophic injury mean for me?

There’s no disputing that sustaining a catastrophic injury changes one’s life completely, and the ramifications of this are often irreversible and life-long. Regardless of the nature of your catastrophic injury, it is likely that you will require an intense degree of medical support and therapy in order to regain some sort of quality of life, not to mention the financial impacts that they will have on you and your family.

For victims of catastrophic injuries, adjustment and adaptation are part and parcel of getting back on your feet. This may mean the use of specialised equipment throughout your home, or it may translate to intensive rehabilitation sessions or even 24/7 personal care. Dealing with the aftermath will be stressful for you and your family, so you really shouldn’t be burdened further with legal representation that doesn’t have the right experience to represent you and your interests.

It’s in this capacity that the catastrophic injury solicitors at CCH & Co. can help. As specialists in this field, we understand what you are going through and how a claim can ensure the restoration of the best possible quality of life for yourself and your loved ones. We will work with you every step of the way and won’t rest until you have been awarded a fair compensation settlement that will assist you to appropriately overcome the challenging years ahead.

With a proven track record of achieving success in this domain, and with many years of experience fighting for clients making catastrophic claims, we’re keen to share tips with you on how to choose the best catastrophic claims solicitor to represent you.

How to choose the best catastrophic injury claims solicitor

• First and foremost, the claims process is inherently personal, so trust is critical. At times like this finding an individual whose outlook is aligned with yours is paramount, so researching your local legal firms and discussing your case with them is advisable when it comes to selecting a solicitor.
• It’s common for many practices to offer free first consultations, which you should consider taking up in order to open up a dialogue about the process and learn what needs to be done.
• When you do discuss the possible avenues for your compensation claim, ensure that you find out as much about your solicitor’s experience as you can, and get some examples of previous cases they’ve worked and the outcomes of said cases.
• Look for someone that can explain the processes to you in plain English without unnecessary legal jargon.
• Set up an appointment with them and meet them face-to-face. Typically in such circumstances, they should offer to come to you.

Remember, you should feel confident in leaving all the legal matters to your solicitor, and be at ease with their decision-making and expertise throughout the claim process.

If you’d like to speak to one of our experienced catastrophic injury claims solicitors, call us now on 020 8520 1021 or contact us online via our Contact Form.

If you found this interesting, you might also like:

• When to get a catastrophic injuy solicitor
• Romain Coleman: Here for your personal injury needs
• Making a serious injury claim is easier than you thought

This post is not legal advice and should not replace professional advice tailored to your specific circumstances. It is intended to provide information of general interest about current legal issues.