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For more information, please contact our team on 0800 195 6412,email us at enquiries@steplegal.co.uk or pop in to see us for a chat.
Accidents Abroad Claims
Our personal injury lawyers can help you to make an accident abroad claim for compensation to reflect:
- the physical and emotional pain your injury has caused;
- any adverse impact on your quality of life;
- the cost of travelling to and from hospital;
- prescription charges and other out of pocket expenses;
- lost earnings or pension entitlement;
- the cost of mobility aids and other specialist equipment; and
- the cost of providing you with any care you may need.
Where you are claiming compensation for a fatal accident following the death of a loved one, you will usually be able to claim for your bereavement, any medical costs incurred prior to death, funeral expenses and the loss of financial support you might have otherwise received had they not been injured and passed away.
As well as helping you to secure a compensation payment, our experienced holiday accidents personal injury claim experts can also help you to access any medical treatment or rehabilitation services you require once you are back in the UK to aid your recovery.
If you are still abroad and struggling to get help we suggest you contact the British Embassy or visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for advice on the support available to British nationals injured abroad.
Personal Injury Compensation
A package holiday compensation claim may be possible in any case where injury or death has occurred following an accident abroad for which you or your loved one were not to blame. This includes accidents in which you or they:
- contracted food poisoning;
- were exposed to a noxious substance, for example carbon monoxide from faulty air conditioning;
- slipped, tripped or fell while in a hotel or holiday accommodation;
- were injured while taking part in a pre-booked excursion or activity;
- were injured in a car accident, a motorbike accident or while out cycling; or
- were injured as a pedestrian in a road traffic accident.
We can also help with accidents which occurred while you were travelling to and from your holiday, whether by train, boat, aircraft or cruise ship, and with fatal accidents resulting in a death abroad. In limited cases we may also be able to help with an accident injury suffered abroad while you were travelling for work on a trip arranged by your employer or where you have been involved in a road traffic accident in a European country but not while on a package holiday.
In assessing your claim we will consider any accident cover you have under your travel insurance.
Please note that we only handle claims covered by the package holiday rules or where injury has occurred as a result of a road traffic accident in a European country. Where you have been injured abroad in any other circumstances a claim will usually have to be made against the company or person at fault in the country in which you were hurt. Advice from a firm specialising in this type of claim will have to be taken in these cases.
Compensation Amount
The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injury and the impact it has had on your life. Food poisoning from which you quickly recover, but which ruined your holiday, might secure you a payout of a few thousand pounds whereas a serious spinal injury caused by slipping on a wet hotel floor which leads to full or partial paralysis could result in a payout of tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Time limits
Claims against UK based tour operators for injuries which occurred while on a package holiday generally have to be brought within three years from the date of injury, although longer time limits may apply in some circumstances including where the injury occurred while you were under the age of 18 or you are making a claim on behalf of a child or a loved one who has died. An extension may also be possible where you have been unable to claim in the usual three year period because you were prevented from doing so by a mental or physical health condition.
If your injury occurred on a plane or boat travelling between two countries and you want to make a claim against the carrier instead then the time limit will be reduced to two years.
Failing to seek legal advice early can result in you losing the right to make a compensation claim so it is important that you speak to us as soon as possible.
Why choose Step Legal Solicitors?
Our lawyers are international holiday claims specialists who have been handling accidents abroad claims for many years and who have an impressive track record in achieving great results, including for people who have been told by other solicitors that their case is hopeless or who been offered a financial settlement which they think is too low.
Recent successes achieved by our team include securing £5,500 for a lady who fell ill with food poisoning while on an all inclusive holiday to Antalya in Turkey.
Our travel claims services are rated highly by clients and many people who come to us for help do so on the basis of personal recommendation from someone who has already been through the legal process of making a claim with our support. You can read some of the lovely reviews we have received here: client testimonials.
Our knowledge, skills and experience are recognised by The Law Society which has admitted us as members of their Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme. We are also members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers who work tirelessly to promote the rights of accident victims to seek justice for the harm caused by the careless or deliberate acts of others.
Legal fees
It will cost you nothing to find out if you could make a claim as we offer a free initial, no obligation consultation. We can also provide no win, no fee funding for most cases which means that if you decide to go ahead there will be no financial risk as you will not have to pay us anything unless your claim succeeds. Our cost information factsheet explains more.
Location
Our offices are based in Crewe but we cover a much wider area, including the Cheshire towns of Nantwich, Northwich, Sandbach and Macclesfield, together with much of Staffordshire including Stoke-on-Trent. Most meetings take place at our offices but we can arrange a home visit if you are unable to travel.
We have a client carpark, disabled access and a ground floor conference room.
Polish Clients
We undertake a lot of work for the Polish community and are lucky enough to have a Polish paralegal who can help with interpretation where required.
Any questions?
Our lawyers in Crewe will take care of every aspect of your personal injury claim, from helping you to access treatment that may aid your recovery to ensuring any financial settlement payment we negotiate is appropriate given what you have been through.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have, but in the meantime you may find it useful to have a look at our frequently asked questions guide which explains more about the legal process of making a claim.
You can make a personal injury claim whenever you have been physically or psychologically injured in an accident for which someone else was to blame or where an injury has occurred as a result of a criminal act in which you were an innocent bystander.
A claim can also be made for injuries suffered by a close relative where they are unable to claim for themselves, for example due to their age, the severity of their injuries or because they have since passed away.
The type of things you can claim for will vary depending on how your injuries were caused, who you are claiming against and whether your claim is governed by English law or the law of another country, for instance where you have been hurt in an accident abroad.
In most cases a claim can be made for:
In the event of a fatal accident, a claim can usually be made for:
In the event of a criminal act resulting in injury, a claim can usually be made for:
any associated loss of earnings or out of pocket expenses.
The amount of compensation you receive will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
Compensation for minor injuries from which a full and relatively speedy recovery can be expected will typically command payments of a few thousand pounds whereas the compensation for more serious life changing or life threatening injuries can result in payments running into hundreds of thousands if not millions of pounds.
Where a claim for compensation is made against the government then the amount of compensation you receive will usually be capped. This will be the case where a claim for injuries arising out of a violent criminal act is made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and for asbestos related mesothelioma claims made under the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payments Scheme where neither the responsible employer nor their insurer can be found.
Yes. Whenever a personal injury claim is made consideration will be given to whether there is anything that can be done to help you recover more fully or more quickly. Where we believe that there are things which could help we will discuss these with the person or organisation we are proposing to sue on your behalf (or, in many cases their insurer) to see whether they would be prepared to pay for these things to give you the best chance of getting your life back on track as soon as possible.
Our request for help has to be considered seriously because under the rules which govern personal injury claims there is an obligation to assess at any early stage, in every case, whether you would be likely to benefit from any further medical treatment, rehabilitative services such as physiotherapy or counselling, mobility aids and specialist equipment or professional support while you attempt a phased return to work. These rules are set out in the Personal Injury Pre-Action Protocol and the Personal Injury Rehabilitation Code.
Generally speaking where we ask for advanced funding we get it, particularly in cases involving serious injury where the party we propose to sue is clearly at fault and acknowledges this.
We can also often secure a voluntary payment to help tide you over financially if you are beginning to struggle with a drop in wages and increased overheads. Alternatively we can seek a compulsory interim payment order from the court which will entitle you to an early payment on account of any compensation you are likely to receive.
Yes. We are always happy to provide a second opinion where you have been told by another lawyer that your case is not strong enough to proceed or where they believe the time limit for bringing a claim has expired and there are no exceptional circumstances justifying an extension.When you come to see us we will assess your case afresh and if we believe a claim is possible we will tell you
The process for making a claim will vary depending on a number of factors, including the type of injury you have suffered, whether the person or organisation we say is to blame admits responsibility and whether the amount of compensation we are trying to claim on your behalf is agreed or disputed.
Broadly speaking, when you ask us to deal with a claim we will:
signpost you to professional advisors who can help you to manage your money and set up a personal injury compensation trust if necessary to preserve your entitlement to claim means tested state or local authority benefits.
Possibly, it depends on whether the person or organisation we say is to blame for your injuries admits they were at fault and agrees to pay an acceptable amount of compensation. If they do then an out of court settlement will be a real possibility. However, in other cases a court hearing will be needed to determine your claim and decide whether or not a compensation award ought to be made.
Where attendance at court is required this should not be a cause for concern as we will be there to support you. We will explain the process, ensure your case is fully prepared and that it is presented in the best possible light to maximise your chances of walking away with a positive result.
In most cases there will be no upfront costs to pay to make a personal injury claim. This is because in the majority of cases we can deal with your claim under a conditional fee arrangement, more commonly known as a ‘no win, no fee’ deal. Full details of how this type of funding arrangement works can be found in our costs information guide, but in essence under such an arrangement we will agree not to charge you for our services if we are not successful in recovering compensation on your behalf and you will agree that if we are successful we can take a small slice of your compensation by way of reward.
Insurance will be arranged to cover any other costs which may arise and which should mean that, unless the claim you have made is fraudulent or bad in some other way, you will not be exposed to any financial risk even if your claim for compensation ultimately fails.
The time it takes to deal with your claim will depend on a number of factors, including whether the person or organisation we are holding responsible for your injuries admits they were at fault and agrees with our assessment of the compensation you are entitled to. The severity of your injuries will also be relevant, particularly where it is not immediately clear what the long term prognosis is and therefore how much ongoing care and financial support you are likely to need.
By way of example, a straightforward claim for compensation for an injury arising out of a road traffic accident, accident at work or accident at a property may take between two to 12 months to resolve where fault is admitted and the amount of compensation sought is relatively low. However, an injury arising out of a slip, trip or fall or dog bite or animal attack which results in serious injury giving rise to a substantial compensation claim may take one to three years to resolve or even longer where the case is particularly complex.
You should not be put off making a claim because of the time it may take to deal with. Once the wheels have been put in motion it is often possible for us to secure a payment on account of any compensation you are likely to receive to ensure that you can cope financially while your claim is being assessed. Immediate financial help can also usually be obtained to pay for things like private medical treatment, physiotherapy, counselling services and mobility aids which can greatly improve your chances of making a good recovery.
Yes. All personal injury claims are subject to time limits and if you fail to claim within the limit that applies to your case then there is a high probability that a claim will not be possible.
The usual time limit for the vast majority of cases is three years from the date on which your injury occurred or the date on which you became aware of the injury where it took some time to become obvious. However, there are some notable exceptions where a different time limit will apply, including:
These time limits are strictly enforced so you should take legal advice as soon as possible.
Yes, if you are on means tested state or local authority benefits and we believe that a personal injury compensation trust would be appropriate, which will generally be the case if you have received a compensation payment of more than £6,000. This is because under the rules governing means tested benefits you and anyone living in your household can only have access to up to £6,000 in capital or savings without your entitlement to those benefits being reduced and must in no circumstances have access to more than £16,000 or your benefits will be stopped.
A personal injury compensation trust is a device that can be used to help prevent your benefit payments being affected by the compensation you have received. It works by transferring your compensation into a trust which is operated by people independent of you who will manage it on your behalf and drip feed you funds as and when needed.
We will tell you where we think a personal injury compensation trust may be appropriate and help you to make arrangements for one to be established. This must be done within 52 weeks of you receiving your final compensation payment or an interim payment as appropriate.
