Compensation query

wwwigz

Hi - I wonder if anyone can help? I dont know much about this area.

I had the end of my finger bitten off by a dog in July 2012 and the compensation company I took up with recently contacted me to ask for my authorsation for insurance on the case. Along in one of the letters was a cheque for £1,000 - without much of a mention of it in the letter.

I emailed them stating that I was reluctant to cash the cheque and this was their response:

"
The cheque for £1,000 is simply a payment received from the Defendant’s insurers that they have voluntarily made given that they have accepted full responsibility for your accident and we are currently in the process of obtaining medical evidence. You can bank this payment as it is not in full and final settlement and all that will happen is that this amount will be deducted from the eventual settlement figure once we have had you medically examined and are in a position to assess the likely value of your case."


Will me accepting the cheque (there is also a confirmation form to return) affect the final total, even if they say it won't?

I will add that I am awaiting an appointment from a plastic surgeon at the moment.


Should I cash the cheque?

[Deleted User]

looks like you can

wwwigz

Thanks for the response.

Yeah, but they're bound to say that, maybe Im being too cautious but accepting this now might affect the final settlement.

Richie-from-the-Boro

wwwigz wrote: »

Hi - I wonder if anyone can help? I dont know much about this area.

I had the end of my finger bitten off by a dog in July 2012 and the compensation company I took up with recently contacted me to ask for my authorsation for insurance on the case. Along in one of the letters was a cheque for £1,000 - without much of a mention of it in the letter.

I emailed them stating that I was reluctant to cash the cheque and this was their response:

"
The cheque for £1,000 is simply a payment received from the Defendant’s insurers that they have voluntarily made given that they have accepted full responsibility for your accident and we are currently in the process of obtaining medical evidence. You can bank this payment as it is not in full and final settlement and all that will happen is that this amount will be deducted from the eventual settlement figure once we have had you medically examined and are in a position to assess the likely value of your case."


Will me accepting the cheque (there is also a confirmation form to return) affect the final total, even if they say it won't?

I will add that I am awaiting an appointment from a plastic surgeon at the moment.


Should I cash the cheque?

Its an issue of trust between you and your claim company. They appear to have given you adequate assurance. Interim payments are generally only available to those who have a good solid case for compensation, those who had a poor case or no case at all wouldn't be offered any interim by an insurance company - would they ?.

tracy0770

hi i had same happen to me when i had accident, cash it in it based on trust you will not loose, just takes a while for all to sort out hospital, doctors then they make you an offer, i never accepted 1st offer did the second 1,