Last updated 25th February 2025. If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault or suffered because of medical negligence you might want to think about claiming compensation for your suffering. However, the thought of losing money on solicitor’s fees coupled with the fact that legal aid is no longer available in many areas of the law might put you off claiming. However, one option that might help is a No Win No Fee service. But are they as good as they seem? Well, here ay Legal Expert all claims that we take on we do so under No Win No Fee agreements. These can also be known as Conditional Fee Agreements and be used to fund personal injury solicitors. As we progress through this guide, we’ll look at how No Win No Fee works, what you can claim for and how much compensation might be paid.
Do No Win No Fee Solicitors Scams Happen?
Legal Expert has a team of specialist solicitors who can help with all sorts of claims. In fact, they’ve been helping clients claim for over 3-decades. Our service includes a no-obligation telephone assessment of your case in which an advisor will offer free legal advice. If the claim appears suitable, it could be passed to a solicitor. If they are happy to represent you, they’ll work on a No Win No Fee basis for you.
To discuss beginning a claim today, please get in touch on 0800 073 8804. Alternatively, to learn more about the No Win No Fee claims service, please continue reading.
Select A Section
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- A Guide On How To Avoid No Win No Fee Scams
- What Are No Win No Fee Claims?
- What Was The Jackson Review?
- Could You Have To Pay Hidden Fees?
- Could After The Event Insurance Help You Avoid A Scam?
- How To Avoid Any Unreasonable Costs
- How To Avoid No Win No Fee Scams With A Solicitor
- No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claims Calculator
- How To Use A No Win No Fee Agreement
- Speak To An Expert
- Essential References
A Guide On How To Avoid No Win No Fee Scams
In this guide, we are going to look at how No Win No Fee services work. While No Win No Fee scams are rare, such services can vary widely so it is important that you check the contents of any agreement before signing it. As we progress, we’ll explain what these agreements might cover, what hidden fees might be included, whether insurance is required and what you can do to avoid unreasonable costs.
No Win No Fee services might be offered for medical negligence claims, accident at work claims, personal injury claims and road traffic accident claims. They are a great way of making the claims process less stressful. We’ll provide further information on how they work later on.
However, before taking legal action, you should consider the applicable time limits. Mostly, personal injury claims must be started within 3-years of the date you were injured. Alternatively, the limitation period might begin at a later date if your injuries weren’t diagnosed right away. Or you were not aware that your injuries were caused by negligence. One exception to these rules is where a child is involved. In these cases, a parent (or responsible adult) can claim on the child’s behalf at any point before the child turns 18-years old.
If you have any questions about our No Win No Fee services, please call our team. We’ll answer any questions and review your case for free. If you have the grounds to claim, we’ll ask one of our solicitors to review your case in more detail.
What Are No Win No Fee Claims?
A No Win No Fee service offered by a solicitor is where a claimant instructs a solicitor to represent them but where no upfront fees or hourly rates are charged. Typically, before a solicitor accepts to work for you on a No Win No Fee basis, your solicitor will want to check that:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care; and
- They breached that duty through a negligent action; and
- You suffered as a direct result of that negligence.
Solicitors offer No Win No Fee services because other funding options, like legal aid, are no longer available. These services are to be welcomed as they allow claimants to seek representation no matter their financial situation as they avoid paying solicitor’s fees in unsuccessful cases.
Instead of paying for the solicitor’s work up front, a success fee is deducted from any compensation you are awarded. This type of service puts a lot of the financial risk onto the law firm so they will only provide No Win No Fee services where the claim has a reasonable chance of success.
Success fees are only payable in the event your claim is won and that you are paid compensation. The Ministry of Justice restricts them to no more than 25% of your settlement. Generally, most No Win No Fee solicitors charge the full 25%.
Could You Have To Pay Hidden Fees?
As with any contract or legal agreement, it is vital that you verify what is and isn’t included before signing it. No Win No Fee agreements are no different.
Some agreements only cover the cost of your solicitor’s fees. They might not cover the cost of hiring medical experts or barristers. Additionally, the cost of the defendant’s solicitors if the case loses might not be covered.
If you hire another solicitor to act for you, when one was originally appointed and the case is successful, you might have to pay a success fee to both solicitors.
Furthermore, your No Win No Fee agreement might include additional costs if:
- You settle out of court against your solicitor’s recommendations.
- Your solicitor advises you to accept an offer but you refuse.
- You don’t cooperate fully with your solicitor.
Again, it is vitally important that you read the details of your agreement in full before signing it. If you don’t, and it includes hidden fees, you could end up with a bill that you were not expecting.
Could After The Event Insurance Help You Avoid A Scam?
After The Event insurance (ATE) is usually used to cover the defendant’s legal fees if your claim is unsuccessful. It can also cover your solicitor’s disbursements during your case such as the cost of medical reports, barristers fees and court costs. This cost of the insurance cannot be recovered by the defendant if they lose the case.
Your solicitor is highly likely to ask you to take out ATE insurance before they agree to work for you. However, it is not compulsory.
Something that is important to consider is the cost and level of cover offered by your ATE insurance policy. As with other insurance, the insurer may consider the likelihood that they’ll need to payout.
How To Avoid Any Unreasonable Costs
It is also important to check your No Win No Fee agreement for further solicitor’s costs. If your claim is lost, the terms of the agreement will mean you won’t have to pay for your solicitor’s work.
However, if your claim is won, your solicitor’s legal fees will be passed to the defendant to pay. This does not include the success fee that you will cover. If they believe these fees are too high, they could decide to contest them through a court.
Also, if you decide you no longer want to make a claim halfway through the case the agreement may state that you are liable for costs. If you make a claim that is not honest you could also be asked to pay the costs and fees involved.
Again, you should be sure about what you’ll need to pay in this scenario. Your contract should explain all fees and charges clearly. Therefore, you should read it clearly before agreeing to work with your solicitor.
If you would like to discuss how our No Win No Fee service works, why not call our team today? We’ll explain the claims process clearly and let you know your options after reviewing your case.
How To Avoid No Win No Fee Scams With A Solicitor
When you seek damages from somebody, you’ll usually end up dealing with their insurance company. This can be a difficult process that can involve complex legal and medical questions. We believe it’s best to have legal representation to give yourself the best chance of being compensated fairly. Although having a solicitor represent you is not compulsory.
If you do want a solicitor on your side, we’d suggest that you check that they:
- Are registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
- Specialise in personal injury or medical negligence claims.
- Provide a No Win No Fee service.
Our aim is always to reduce the financial risks. If your case is taken on, we’ll appoint a solicitor who will do all they can to try and ensure that you receive the maximum level of compensation possible. If you’d like to know more about us, why not take a look at our recent reviews?
No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claims Calculator
When a personal injury claim is successful, there are two heads of claim that could potentially make up the compensation value – general and special damages.
Under general damages, you’re compensated for the physical and psychological effects of negligence. Some factors that are looked at under this head of claim include:
- Loss of amenity (such as being unable to participate in hobbies).
- The severity of the pain.
- The estimated length of recovery.
When valuing general damages, legal professionals can use your medical evidence and the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them. The JCG is a publication with guideline compensation brackets for a variety of injuries and illnesses.
Guideline Compensation Table
In the table below, we have taken a few injuries and their guideline compensation brackets from the JCG. These are just some examples of injuries that could be suffered following an accident either at work, on the road, or in a public place.
Please bear in mind when viewing this table that the top figure is not from the JCG. Also, none of these figures can be guaranteed for your potential personal injury claim because all claims are unique in circumstance.
| Injury | Severity | Guideline Compensation Brackets |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries and special damages | Serious | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Brain damage | Very severe (a) | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Less severe (d) | £18,700 to £52,550 | |
| Neck | Severe (a) (i) | In the region of £181,020 |
| Moderate (b) (i) | £30,500 to £46,970 | |
| Arm | Severe (a) | £117,360 to £159,770 |
| Less severe (c) | £23,430 to £47,810 | |
| Hips and pelvis | Severe (a) (i) | £95,680 to £159,770 |
| Moderate (b) (i) | £32,450 to £47.810 |
Special Damages
Under special damages, you’re compensated for the financial effects of negligence. Some financial losses that could potentially be suffered following an accident include:
- Loss of earnings if you cannot work while recovering from your injury.
- Professional and domestic care costs.
- Medical expenses, such as prescriptions.
However, you must provide evidence in the form of receipts, invoices, payslips, and bank statements if you wish to receive compensation for special damages.
To learn more about how to avoid No Win No Fee scams and how personal injury compensation is calculated, please contact us today.
How To Use A No Win No Fee Agreement
If you have an eligible personal injury claim, you may be wondering, “How can I avoid a No Win No Fee scam?”. Well, our No Win No Fee solicitors will only accept your case if they believe there is a reasonable chance of winning.
If you are connected with one of our specialist solicitors, they can provide the following services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a specific type of No Win No Fee agreement:
- Collect your evidence for you.
- Send correspondence on your behalf to the defendant.
- Ensure the compensation value is fair.
- Explain any legal jargon.
- Send regular updates on the case.
Additionally, as we’ve already touched on, if you’re offered a CFA, you will not have to pay anything for your solicitor’s services:
- Before the claims process starts.
- Throughout the whole claims process.
- If the claim is unsuccessful.
Instead, if your claim is successful, your solicitor can keep a small percentage of your compensation, which is legally capped. This percentage is called the success fee.
Our No Win No Fee solicitors have proven experience in winning compensation for their clients. So, to see whether you can work with one of our specialist solicitors today, please contact us. Our team can help give you information on avoiding a No Win No Fee scam and advice on what you should do next following an accident.
Speak To An Expert
We hope that we have helped you to understand how solicitors work and how to avoid No Win No Fee scams. If you would like to discuss how our solicitors could help you to claim, you can:
- Call our specialist advisors on 0800 073 8804.
- Ask us to call you back when it’s convenient using this enquiry form.
- Connect to live chat to speak with an online specialist.
Our claims line is available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. We provide no-obligation case reviews as well as advice on your claim options. Remember, our solicitors offer a No Win No Fee service if your claim is accepted to make the process a lot easier and less stressful.
Essential References
In this section of our guide on No Win No Fee scams, we’ve added some useful resources and links to some more of our own guides. Please let us know if you’d like any additional information.
Solicitors Register – You can use this tool to avoid No Win No Fee scams. It allows you to verify that a solicitor or law firm is registered.
Find A Solicitor – Advice from the Law Society on what to expect when using a solicitor.
Litigation Friends – This government article explains how to claim on behalf of a child or adult who can’t claim themselves.
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Written By Hambridge
Edited By Melissa.
