Whether your injury is minor or severe, we understand the importance of getting the sums right. Here’s a quick guide to how we’ll calculate exactly what your claim is worth, and how you can help us do that.
Value of Injuries
All claims will contain a sum that places a value on the injury itself. This value can vary depending on the severity of your injury and how it affects the way that you live. Our compensation calculator will give you a rough guide to the amount you can expect.
However, to ensure that we have understood the full extent of your injury, we will look at your medical records and speak with your GP and any other medic involved in your care. For all but the most minor injuries, we will also have you examined by a medical expert who will write a report on your current condition and your expected rate of improvement.
Getting the right treatment and prognosis from the start is critical for you and your recovery. It also provides the foundation for calculating your claim, allowing us to understand the full impact your injury has had on you physically, emotionally, and financially.
Value of Lost Earnings
After an accident, you may need some time off work. If that is the case, then you are likely to have been paid less while you were off—often just statutory sick pay—that you would have earned but for the injury. Part of your compensation claim will reflect this loss of earnings.
We will ask for confirmation of your absence from your employer, and some of your wage slips for a period of time before your accident so we can work out what you usually earn. We will then compare that with what you earned following the accident and make a claim for the difference.
When you have been permanently unable to return to work through injury, have had to adjust your role to accommodate your symptoms, or think that your career progression has been impacted by your restrictions, we can assist in working out what that means for you financially. This may involve instructing experts to consider your career prospects, and your likely earnings in the future had you not been injured. A permanent change to your earning potential may also impact on your pension, and this is something that we will investigate.
Service-Related Costs
An injury can not only restrict your ability to carry out your job but your ability to take care of yourself and contribute to household chores. If you require assistance with self-care tasks or housework, then you can claim compensation for this. In most cases, the help is provided by relatives and we can calculate how much their help is worth based on a formula. If you required to pay someone to assist with any of these jobs, then we will require proof of payment.
In more serious cases, professional care providers may be required. This is normally on the recommendation of a professional and will require assessment and reports to be prepared to ascertain the level and type of help required and the ongoing cost to you of that. You may also need aids and equipment to help you around the house. We will ensure that your compensation claim makes adequate allowance for all your care needs now and in the future.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
These can be things such as travel costs to visit the hospital; increased household bills because of additional time spent in the house; or the cost of clothing and belongings damaged in the accident. If you have incurred additional expenses solely because you have been injured—tell us, and if we can, we will include it in your claim. You will need to provide proof in the form of receipts, bills, or bank statements.
From your first contact, getting you the best outcome is our focus, and we work hard to make sure we do. Our experience ensures that we work efficiently—listening to you and keeping you informed—and effectively to get you the right compensation for your claim. To get started, contact us today by calling 0800 009 6953 or complete our contact form.