No matter who you are, no matter how and where you live: you should remember that you do have rights, and these rights are meant to protect you. If you do not know what your rights are, you cannot know if they are being respected, protected and made real. It is important to be aware of them, because you can use your rights in many situations. Sometimes, your rights can get you out of some really big trouble and if you don’t know them, you cannot fight for them. Now, most people understand their rights but sometimes, people do act unfairly and you have to stand up for yourself to make sure you are treated with the respect you deserve.
Have you travelled by plane recently? Have you faced a problem due to flight delays with more than three hours? And did you know that in this case you can claim compensation for a flight delay? The answer is: Yes, you can! And this is only one example of how you are totally entitled to be compensated in situations where you have experienced any kind of losses, damages or injuries that were not your fault. On this website, you will learn not only what compensation actually means but also what it can bring you.
The very basic meaning of compensation is something monetary given or received as an equivalent for any kind of service, debt, loss, offence, suffering, or lack. Being compensated means to be rewarded for services. Compensation is the money paid to someone in exchange for something he or she has lost or damaged as well as for any problem caused by someone else. In this sense, if your flight has been delayed or even cancelled, you do have the right to be compensated for the loss of money, time and trust you put into the service.
Probably, the majority of people know the very basic rights that they have and for some of them, it is enough to make ends meet. But if you want to get beyond the basic, the first step is to know exactly when, how and where you should stand up and fight for what is yours.
In many cases, in order to protect themselves, people prefer to prepare contracts. An actual contract is the easiest way through which two parties clarify all terms, conditions and obligations towards each other. They set out mutual rights, responsibilities, and other rules, regarding employment, tenancy, sales, and any other type of relationship and scope of work. They typically allow both parties to plan, or at least they should do so. It is always important to have the right contract in place for any transaction. We all rely on contracts and good faith performance by those with whom we contract.
However, no matter how good the relationship between the parties or the preparation of the paperwork is, sometimes you simply cannot stop the other party from breaching the contract. If one party fails to do what it said it would, the other party may be entitled to compensation. In that case, when a party breaks its promise, also known as breach of contract, the damage done to the other party can be really extensive. The function of the law is to enable rights to be vindicated and to provide remedies when duties have been breached. The party who suffers by such breach is entitled to receive from the party who has broken the contract compensation for any loss or damage caused to him thereby, which naturally arose in the usual course of things from the breach, or which the parties knew, when they made the contract, to be likely to result from the breach of it. The general rule is that the point of the compensation in these cases is to place the claimant in the same position as if the contract had been performed.
There are, however, other cases, when without having a contractual relationship with a party, you still have the right to make a compensation claim. If you have suffered a personal injury or have developed any kind of illness that was someone else’s fault but not yours, you may be able to make a personal injury compensation claim for damages. If you have been unfortunate enough to be injured in a road traffic accident, an accident at work or as the result, of medical negligence, you may be able to secure damages. You can also claim a personal injury compensation for illness and disease, including those sustained because of an industrial disease or exposure to chemicals that seriously harm your health and your life in general. This is where you take legal action against this party for a negligent or wrongful act or omission which has caused you injury, loss or any kind of damage. You aim to receive compensation for loss and damage you have suffered because of those injuries. For example, imagine that you, unfortunately, have suffered an injury at your workplace because of some specific situation and conditions you have no fault in, and you sue your employer for your work injury to recover the damages done. Another example would be where you sue a driver of a vehicle for causing you an injury in a motor vehicle accident.
Compensations can be also sought for:
Depending on the circumstances, the compensation award can cover pain and suffering, loss of earnings, medical costs, as well as loss of amenity (where an injury prevents you from pursuing an activity that you once enjoyed). And all of the above is just a brief overview of what you might be entitled to.If you suffer a personal injury through no fault of your own but that has been caused by another liable party, you are of course entitled to compensation.
For certain personal injury claims – such as those for severe injuries, malpractice, or any toxic exposure – you will probably prefer to consult a compensation lawyer before taking any actions. Sometimes, the skills that an experienced lawyer could have, or at least the threat to an insurance company that such a lawyer may present, are actually worth the money, in case you will have to pay a lawyer to represent you. A reason for you to need a lawyer can be the complex legal rules involved in your particular claim, or because the severity of your injuries might cause your compensation to vary greatly from the norm. There are cases when regardless of the nature of your injury or the amount of your medical bills and lost income, you wish to hire a lawyer because an insurance company or government agency simply refuses to make any fair settlement offer at all. In these cases, what the lawyer can get you minus the fee charged to get it would be still better than nothing for you.
It can be hard fighting for your rights but it needs to be done, and if you are ever confused or scared, there are people who can help. Personal injury lawyers are civil litigators who represent clients – commonly referred to as plaintiffs – alleging any psychological or physical injury as a result of negligence or careless acts or simply caused by another party (e. g., company, entity, government agency or organization).
From road accidents and work-related injuries through to falls in public spaces and poor medical treatment, there are many examples of situations where a compensation claim is on the table and where compensation lawyers will be there to guide and help you through the process.
A reputable personal injury solicitor will initiate and negotiate the outcome of the claim on your behalf – often even without the case going to court or your risking substantial legal fees in making a claim. They do understand that the compensation process itself can be a stressful one for everyone concerned, so their work is to focus on being an advocate for each client, ensuring that they get the best result in accordance with current claims laws.
Injuries because of accidents or negligence affect people in many ways – physically, mentally and emotionally. In some serious cases, they can even affect your ability to go to work, earn an income, and therefore you might not be able to take make ends meet in the long term. The devastating impact of personal injuries can be even worse when you were not at fault, and both the financial and emotional damage can be hard to recover from. That is why personal injury and compensation laws are important and help protect people from the negative consequences of being injured when they are not at fault. If you believe that you may claim for personal injury compensation, then you can use the help of experienced personal injury compensation lawyers.
Keep in mind that the most important decision you can make in your compensation claim is the lawyer you choose to represent you. You have one chance to obtain proper compensation; choosing the wrong lawyer may lead to a situation where you could lose everything. One good way to find a lawyer is to ask friends, acquaintances, or other lawyers for referrals, then to arrange meetings with the potential ones so you can choose. You should also consider the fact that lawyers have specialized in specific areas over the years, and very rarely give general advice in multiple areas.
Injury compensation claims can be complex sometimes and the laws are constantly changing, which is why you need to make sure that the lawyer referred to you is up to date with these changes. You may also want someone who knows how insurance companies and claim managers work so you can have a more than satisfactory settlement.
The truth is that money is not able to compensate you for real if you have been through an accident or you suffer from pain or loss. But the courts try to provide a fair measure of financial compensation to the victims. However, there is no universal formula that allows someone to put a price tag on your injury, pain and suffering.
It comes a time when you have to think about whether you want to make a claim for a financial compensation. And this is where solicitors meet you and your needs. They specialize in taking the financial stress out of recovery and can meet the cost of any care you need. The lawyers will discuss with you, when appropriate, in detail the nature of your pain and suffering, mental anguish or emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and last but not least – the lost opportunities. They also make sure that you have identified and provided sufficient evidence and work hard to ensure that you claim the maximum amount possible.You should keep in mind that the total amount of compensation is usually directly proportional to the extent of injury that you, for example, have suffered. This generally means, the more severe your injury is, the higher the amount of compensation you can receive.
As the amount of your potential compensation increases, the range within which that compensation may fall becomes also wider. In that moment it may be worth the expense to hire a lawyer that will handle your case and will make sure that you will receive a compensation at the highest of the range.
The lawyer’s aim is to make sure that you will receive the best possible care, rehabilitation and support in case you have been a victim of any kind of damage caused by another party. However, it is a fact that the majority of those who seek lawyers’ advice have concerns with costs and what the outcome will be. Some people are reluctant to hire a lawyer out of fear of paying the legal fees that sometimes they cannot afford. But almost all personal injury lawyers work on something called a contingency basis, also called a no win, no fee deal. This means that your personal injury lawyer will not get paid any money or legal fees unless you win your case or he/she assists in resolving outside of court. This is also how lawyers stimulate and encourage people to fight for their rights and take what belongs to them by law.
Contingency fee agreements work by allowing the lawyer to collect compensation right out of your settlement or damage award. It is common for the agreement to be structured based on a percentage of the amount of money you receive. For example, the agreement may stipulate that the lawyer gets ten percent if you settle before a lawsuit is filed, fifteen percent if you settle after the lawsuit is filed but during the discovery process, or thirty percent if the case actually goes to trial and damages are awarded by a jury. That option allows you to hire a lawyer that only requires payment when you receive your compensation, hence a no win no fee lawyer.
As the amount of your potential compensation increases, the range within which that compensation may fall becomes also wider. In that moment it may be worth the expense to hire a lawyer that will handle your case and will make sure that you will receive a compensation at the highest of the range.
Anyone know how important prevention and protection are important and you probably hold some form of insurance – car, medical, holiday or a household insurance. The list can be endless. Meanwhile, there are over hundreds of thousands of injuries every year which put many people’s lives on hold simply because they put all of their efforts and try to recover and then return to the life they had before the injury.Besides the option for no-win-no-fee deals, lawyers can be sometimes expensive. As a result, it turns out that many people who would benefit from legal counsel end up getting the short end of the stick because they are afraid of the fee they have to pay which they cannot afford.
The truth is that we are part of an increasingly litigious society where people who are armed with a lawyer usually tend to win over those who do not. Why do you think is that? The reason is that the threat of a legal battle often makes people give up without even understanding how much they could be entitled to in case they decide to “fight”. This is where legal expenses insurances (LEI) come in to play.
Legal insurance is most often compared to the concept of health insurance, where you can be covered for issues that do not exist at the time when you acquire the coverage. You have probably heard from people that legal expenses insurance is one which is most commonly taken out with home or motor insurance. However, it is possible to take out a legal expenses insurance on its own.
Traditionally, legal expenses insurance should be taken out on a before the event basis – like most insurances basically. But there are also cases when, alternatively, legal expenses insurance can be taken out after the event occurs, where financial protection is a real must against the risk of losing a legal action. The main point is to protect you from being liable for the other side’s legal fees. You have to keep in mind that most of the legal expenses insurers cover particular claims or defenses. The norm for the majority of household-related legal expenses insurance policies is to cover the pursuit or defense of legal proceedings arising from their policyholders:
If you ever find yourself in need of help, legal expenses insurance could provide access to legal advice and will cover the legal costs if your case goes to court.
Have you ever heard the saying that the rich get richer, while the poor get poorer? It can be said that the people with more financial goods benefit from good or even top lawyers and their advice, and this is what helps them stay on top. But there is something else – fortunately. Legal expenses insurances usually have low prices, therefore almost anyone can benefit from taking out one. If you are like most of the people, then saving for legal costs is hardly on your priority list. Unless you really do have a savings fund called "just in case I need a lawyer urgently", legal insurance is a great and solid option to make sure you never feel pressured, or get taken advantage of because you were not hundred percent aware of your rights. This provides you with financial protection in case a legal dispute happens and will make you feel more secure and protected.Legal Insurance is that form of protection and advice that you can get for less than $1 a day in many cases. Can you believe that? That is probably less than what you pay for a simple cup of coffee on the way to work every morning! At that price, anyone can afford it.
Now, what you have to decide is if an access to this kind of protection is worth it for you.
