How to fund a compensation claim

Clients are often worried about making a claim because of what it might cost. Concerns about the cost should not put you off seeking advice about your claim in the first place.  When you contact us we will give you straightforward advice about how your claim could be funded and answer any questions.

There are a number of ways to fund your claim.  The basic principle is that if you win your case, the Defendant will pay you compensation and cover the majority of your legal costs.   If you lose, we will make sure that you have an appropriate funding arrangement in place to cover your costs, (except if you fund your case privately). 

Lots of people have legal expenses insurance that will fund a claim.  This will usually be included in a household buildings or contents policy and provides an amount of money that will cover the legal costs whether you win or lose.  If you send us copies we can look into whether your policies cover this for you.

Many cases are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) often referred to as a “no win, no fee” agreement.  Under a CFA, if your case is unsuccessful you will not have to pay any of our legal fees.  You can also take out insurance cover to fund additional expenses, such as the cost of obtaining medical records and reports from medical experts.   If your case is successful you have to pay a proportion of the insurance premium from your compensation. If you lose, there is nothing to pay.   If the case is successful everyone bringing a claim under a CFA also has to make a contribution to their legal costs. We will keep you advised as the case progresses and can assure you that there will be no hidden costs. 

Legal Aid (also referred to as “public funding”) is available but only for children who have suffered a neurological injury caused during pregnancy, childbirth or within the first eight weeks of their life.  We are one of only a small number of firms accredited to carry out work under a certificate of public funding. For children who are eligible, this is the best way to fund your claim. 

If you cannot fund your claim through any of the above options, your only option is to fund it privately. However, we would usually agree to carry out the initial investigation for a fixed fee and if you win your case, you will recover the money you have paid from the Defendant.