Compensation Culture? Not in the North West: Nearly 70% of people admit to being 'clueless' about how to make a claim.

US-style compensation culture is far from alive and kicking in the North West of England, according to Cheshire’s biggest law firm.

SAS Daniels LLP, which operates www.accidentcompensationspecialists.co.uk, says research suggests 68% of accident victims with a valid claim for compensation would know either “not very much”, or “nothing at all” about how to make a compensation claim for personal injury, while 61% believe they couldn’t afford a claim.

But only 55% would know how or where to go to make a claim for death or injury caused to innocent members of the public as they have gone about their daily business on our roads, in the workplace, or in schools and hospitals. There were 710,000 such accidents in the UK in the past year.

“In investigating this area, we combined our own anecdotal research with that of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) of which we are members, and the bottom line is that only 31% of people would go to a non-law firm based compensation company, while 51% would go directly to a personal injury lawyer,” said Nicola Winslett, Partner, SAS Daniels LLP.

“But 74% of people said they would take their employer to court if they suffered personal injury at work which they felt to be the employer’s fault.”

Accident compensation claims enquiries to www.accidentcompensationspecialists.co.uk go directly to SAS Daniels LLP solicitors’ offices in Stockport, Macclesfield, Congleton, Bramhall or Chester without involving a broker or mediator.

“Anecdotally, and in our experience, a common reason for not making a claim is that somebody ‘didn’t want to make a fuss’, but, alarmingly, many were frightened of some sort of backlash from employers or people who had inflicted criminal injuries.

“Some of those we spoke to had the perception that they would have to find considerable fees up front, and so decided to soldier on with physical, mental or emotional injury to contend with.

“In the vast majority of cases it is the responsible party’s insurance companies who pay compensation, and as costs are paid on top of compensation there is never a charge to the claimant providing they fully co-operate with us throughout the claims process.

“If an employer dismissed an employee who was making a claim against them, then that might give raise to a further possible claim against that employer.

“If the claim is a result of a criminal injury, then the person who inflicted the injuries need never know the victim is making a claim. If you have been the victim of an unprovoked criminal assault, you may be entitled to compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICA).”

Claims can be made up to three years after an accident, while the courts do have discretion to extend that period. Claims can also be made for injuries suffered abroad.

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Further information:

Iain Macauley or Megan Codling

07788 978800 / 07795 848586

im@pressrelations.co.uk / mc@pressrelations.co.uk / www.sasdaniels.co.uk / www.accidentcompensationspecialists.co.uk

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Further information: Iain Macauley or Megan Codling 07788 978800 / 07795 848586 im@pressrelations.co.uk / mc@pressrelations.co.uk / www.sasdaniels.co.uk