Posted by No win no fee is a type of agreement between a solicitor and their client. It’s an agreement that says that if you lose your case, the solicitor won’t charge you any fees. However, if you win your case, then they’ll take a percentage of any compensation awarded to you as their payment.
What is no win no fee?
No Win No Fee is a type of agreement between you and your lawyer. This means that if you do not win your case, the lawyer cannot charge you any money at all. It’s often used in personal injury cases because they can be difficult to prove and take a long time to reach a verdict on.
No Win No Fee agreements are usually only available if:
- You’re bringing forward a claim against someone who may have caused an accident or injury through their negligence (eg careless driving); or
- You’ve suffered as result of medical negligence; or
- Something else happened at work which affected your health
Who can get no win no fee legal help?
You must be able to afford a solicitor’s fees. You can only get no win no fee legal help if you have enough money to pay for your solicitor’s costs. In most cases, this means that you must have at least GBP3,000 (about USD3,800) in savings or disposable income per month. If your case is complicated and expensive, it may cost more than this–so make sure that you know exactly how much it will cost before deciding whether or not to proceed with legal action against an employer or insurance company.
If this sounds like an impossible amount of money for you right now but there was a time when earning more meant being able to afford legal assistance without worrying about losing everything else? Then maybe taking out a loan would be worth considering instead!
You must have a valid claim against whoever hurt your family member/friend/partner/colleague etcetera…
How does no win no fee work?
The basic idea behind no win no fee is that the client pays a fee to their solicitor and if they win, they get a percentage of the settlement. If they lose, however – or if there is no settlement – then nothing else happens and neither side has to pay anything.
The exact details of how this works depend on what kind of case you have:
Do I need a solicitor to make a claim using a no win no fee agreement?
You will need a solicitor to make a claim using a no win no fee agreement. The solicitor will be able to advise you on whether or not the case is worth pursuing, and can also help with the paperwork and provide you with the documents needed for your claim.
Are there any restrictions on what type of case can be funded under a no win no fee agreement?
No win no fee agreements are not available in all types of cases. In fact, there are only a few types of cases which can be funded under a no win no fee agreement:
- personal injury claims. These are claims for damages that arise from an accident or injury caused by someone else’s negligence (eg car accidents). They must be brought within three years of the date on which the injury occurred and cannot have been previously settled by any other means or dispute resolution scheme. Personal injury claims must also meet certain criteria set out by legislation in order to qualify as “serious” enough to be eligible for funding under this type of arrangement;
- civil litigation cases relating to divorce, separation and child contact arrangements;
- family law matters such as applications for custody orders or residence orders;
- inheritance disputes where there has been no will left behind by someone who has died intestate (without making provision about how their property should be distributed), among others
Can I still sue if my case turns out to be unsuccessful?
In the event that you lose your case, the other party will be required to pay for your legal fees. However, if they cannot afford to do so, then they may be able to apply for a waiver of those costs.
If they are successful in their claim and win compensation from you as well as any associated costs (such as court fees), then they will have no obligation whatsoever regarding what happens next with regard to payment arrangements or waivers.
How much will it cost me to get legal representation through a no win no fee agreement?
- How much will it cost me to get legal representation through a no win no fee agreement?
No Win No Fee fees are based on the complexity of your case and can vary widely. The solicitor will be able to give you an estimate of what your costs might be if they are able to take on your case, but this figure is not fixed in stone until they have completed their investigation into whether or not they believe there is enough evidence for you to win. If they decide against taking on your case after reviewing all available evidence, then they won’t charge any fees at all!
- How do I know if my claim falls under “complex”?
The law firm should be able to tell you whether or not their expertise in personal injury claims qualifies them as experts in a particular field; if so, this means that any work done by them would likely qualify as “complex” under UK law (and therefore eligible for reduced costs).
No Win No Fee isn’t for everyone.
While no win no fee is a great way to get your case off the ground, it’s not for everyone. If you lose, you will be responsible for paying all court costs and other expenses associated with your case. So if your case doesn’t go well and costs more than what was paid up front with a no win no fee agreement, then it would be in both parties’ best interest to find another solution that works better for everyone involved.
Conclusion
There are many factors to consider when choosing a lawyer for medical negligence, but no win no fee agreements can be a great way to get the legal help you need. If you want more information about how no win no fee works and whether it is right for your case, contact us today.