accident compensation

SeaViewValley

I fell at work and despite them saying I had sprained an ankle, a week later I went to hospital and found I had broken both legs. I was in immense pain. Scroll forward to now and I am still in pain so I thought I would try and get some compensation because I need physio and can't afford any and the NHS just gave me an A4 piece of paper with exercises on. Despite being within the three years, I have now discovered the compensation people don't take on people more than a year after their accident. I just wish I had known sooner because it took much longer than that to build up the courage to contact someone. I have discovered an accident within three years actually means an accident within one year. I wish I had known that as soon as I fell and I wish that information was out there.

elsien

Who are the “they” who told you you’d only sprained an ankle, and who  are you seeking compensation from? 

Have you tried the law Society To see if they can give you details of other solicitors to try? 

MyRealNameToo

SeaViewValley said:

I fell at work and despite them saying I had sprained an ankle, a week later I went to hospital and found I had broken both legs. I was in immense pain. Scroll forward to now and I am still in pain so I thought I would try and get some compensation because I need physio and can't afford any and the NHS just gave me an A4 piece of paper with exercises on. Despite being within the three years, I have now discovered the compensation people don't take on people more than a year after their accident. I just wish I had known sooner because it took much longer than that to build up the courage to contact someone. I have discovered an accident within three years actually means an accident within one year. I wish I had known that as soon as I fell and I wish that information was out there.

Did you have legal expenses on your home insurance at the time? Do you still have it?

The law of limitations is 3 years from the date of the incident however realistically time is required before you issue to prepare the case. The passage of time also damages the ability to gather witness statements, video evidence etc. 

Obviously lawyers are free to choose which cases they take on and dont, the cost of their insurance for "no win, no fee" however is based on their success rate and so there are impacts on them even if indirectly if they take on cases which they subsequently dont win and those risks are higher on older cases. 

I doubt you'd have an issue getting a solicitor on a non-conditional funding agreement but do you have the funds to pay them if you dont win?

There may be some willing to take a punt on a conditional funding basis, it's just a case of shopping around. The success fee is capped though by law so they can't increase it to reflect the risk they are taking. 

SeaViewValley

the limit is three years but the reality seems to be one. I just wish I had known that at the time.The solicitors I have contacted have said they don't take on cases more than a year after a fall, it seems to be a standard thing but, like I said, I thought I had three years to think about it and see if I recovered.

Tabieth

Who told you it was a sprained ankle? Were they medical professionals acting in a professional capacity, or a (non-medical) work colleague? 

And who are “the compensation people”? H who have you contacted about this? How many legal opinions have you sought?

uklaw1

SeaViewValley said:

I fell at work and despite them saying I had sprained an ankle, a week later I went to hospital and found I had broken both legs. I was in immense pain. Scroll forward to now and I am still in pain so I thought I would try and get some compensation because I need physio and can't afford any and the NHS just gave me an A4 piece of paper with exercises on. Despite being within the three years, I have now discovered the compensation people don't take on people more than a year after their accident. I just wish I had known sooner because it took much longer than that to build up the courage to contact someone. I have discovered an accident within three years actually means an accident within one year. I wish I had known that as soon as I fell and I wish that information was out there.

You must get immediate medical attention and make sure about the sprain. You need a medical professional to confirm that. Also you might be eligible for accident at work compensation claim! Also, there are exception for the 3 year time limit. 

Please read this guide - https://www.uklaw.co.uk/accident-at-work-claim/accident-at-work-claim-time-limit/  - You can also calculate your potential claim amount in any online Compensation Calculator!

Tabieth

uklaw1 said:

SeaViewValley said:

I fell at work and despite them saying I had sprained an ankle, a week later I went to hospital and found I had broken both legs. I was in immense pain. Scroll forward to now and I am still in pain so I thought I would try and get some compensation because I need physio and can't afford any and the NHS just gave me an A4 piece of paper with exercises on. Despite being within the three years, I have now discovered the compensation people don't take on people more than a year after their accident. I just wish I had known sooner because it took much longer than that to build up the courage to contact someone. I have discovered an accident within three years actually means an accident within one year. I wish I had known that as soon as I fell and I wish that information was out there.

You must get immediate medical attention and make sure about the sprain. You need a medical professional to confirm that. Also you might be eligible for accident at work compensation claim! Also, there are exception for the 3 year time limit. 

Please read this guide - https://www.uklaw.co.uk/accident-at-work-claim/accident-at-work-claim-time-limit/  - You can also calculate your potential claim amount in any online Compensation Calculator!

This all happened over a year ago, too late for “immediate medical attention”.

elsien

uklaw1 said:

SeaViewValley said:

I fell at work and despite them saying I had sprained an ankle, a week later I went to hospital and found I had broken both legs. I was in immense pain. Scroll forward to now and I am still in pain so I thought I would try and get some compensation because I need physio and can't afford any and the NHS just gave me an A4 piece of paper with exercises on. Despite being within the three years, I have now discovered the compensation people don't take on people more than a year after their accident. I just wish I had known sooner because it took much longer than that to build up the courage to contact someone. I have discovered an accident within three years actually means an accident within one year. I wish I had known that as soon as I fell and I wish that information was out there.

You must get immediate medical attention and make sure about the sprain. You need a medical professional to confirm that. Also you might be eligible for accident at work compensation claim! Also, there are exception for the 3 year time limit. 

Please read this guide - https://www.uklaw.co.uk/accident-at-work-claim/accident-at-work-claim-time-limit/  - You can also calculate your potential claim amount in any online Compensation Calculator!

I think the time for getting the medical attention is long past - I think he says that it was confirmed eventually that they had broken their legs. 

Having said that, some accidents are not due to negligence, they are simply accidents with all the correct safety processes in place, so there may not be a claim - as to the rest it really does depend as to who told them it was a sprained ankle and why it took a week to go to A&E.

LightFlare

Would need way more Information regarding the accident - but bear in mind, sometimes accidents are just that - accidents and wont necessarily attract any compensation at all

Marcon

SeaViewValley said:

I fell at work and despite them saying I had sprained an ankle, a week later I went to hospital and found I had broken both legs. I was in immense pain. Scroll forward to now and I am still in pain so I thought I would try and get some compensation because I need physio and can't afford any and the NHS just gave me an A4 piece of paper with exercises on. Despite being within the three years, I have now discovered the compensation people don't take on people more than a year after their accident. I just wish I had known sooner because it took much longer than that to build up the courage to contact someone. I have discovered an accident within three years actually means an accident within one year. I wish I had known that as soon as I fell and I wish that information was out there.

I'm assuming that you can't afford to pay for legal advice. If that's the case, try https://www.bil.ac.uk/about-us/community/law-clinic/ and go to https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/bilsurveys/bloomsbury-law-clinic-personal-injury-enquiry-form

Savvy_Sue

I do not wish to belittle your experience, but are you using that A4 piece of paper? If you received it some time ago, and have been doing (or attempting) the exercises, you should ask for a further referral to see if more can be done. 

I have several of those pieces of paper, as does DH. They can be extremely useful!