How Do No Win No Fee Arrangements Work?

Online, November 21, 2009 (Newswire.com) - No win no fee arrangements sound too good to be true. So how do they work? What kinds of cases are they meant for? and how do the lawyers get paid?

Before no win no fee arrangements were introduced, you had to pay your own lawyer's fees if you wanted to sue someone for personal injury. When the case went to court and was contested, the judge would decide who should pay for what. It was overwhelmingly the losing party's responsibility to pay the winner's legal costs, and of course, their own. So people of modest means were terrified of starting law suits in case they lost. And malevolent people who injured others through scant regard for personal safety were getting away without paying compensation, because no one ever took them to court.

No win no fee arrangements had been around in other jurisdictions before they were allowed in the UK. The theory behind them is that claimants with strong cases would get taken on by solicitors who believe that they would win, and would therefore not have to pay the other party's costs.

However, if you are choosing a no win no fee arrangement, be careful. Some firms have been known to add a "success fee" which they deduct from their client's compensation award. This would have been mentioned in the small print when the client originally selected the lawyer. However, such details are easily missed when you are excited about starting your claim.

That's why it's important to choose a trustworthy firm like 100% Compensation. As our name implies, if we secure compensation for a client of ours for personal injury, we make sure that they receive 100% of what is owed to them. Our fees are added separately to the claim against the person who injured you, together with any out of pocket expenses that we have made on your behalf, like medical appointments and hire cars.

The other point to watch out for with fee arrangements is compulsory After The Event Insurance. This is a policy that covers the likelihood of having to pay your opponent's costs in the event that you lose your case. Some firms insist that you take out a policy before they will represent you. Such policies can be expensive. So some firms will offer you a loan at an extortionate interest rate to cover the premium.

100% Compensation does not do any of these tricks. From the moment that you telephone the free helpline for a no obligation assessment to the moment you receive the whole of your compensation cheque, you do not have to pay us a penny. It really is no win no fee. This is because we only take on those cases that we think will succeed. And in the unlikely event that you lose, we take out insurance ourselves so that you are covered.

http://www.100percentcompensation.co.uk/