By Mashum Mollah
At first, the concept of “no win no fee” seems rather shady – for almost everyone. I bet that’s even the reason why you’re here today. I’m guessing you rang a law firm and they offered to take your accident case on a “no win no fee” basis. Of course, just the mention of the phrase is enough to rile you up and take their offer but one thing keeps bugging you at the back of your mind.
What’s the catch?
Yes, what is the catch indeed? Or should we say, is there even a catch? It’s normal to be doubtful in situations like these. After all, we live in a world where businessmen will even charge you for breathing if they could. I absolutely get where you’re coming from which is why today, I have decided to touch on this matter. Together, let’s find out the truth behind no win, no fee solicitors.
Why Is There A No Win No Fee Option in The First Place?
Accidents happen all the time. Someone can slip over nothing in a public road and get a nasty injury or an employee can get into an unfortunate accident while at work. Danger lurks everywhere. It targets no one yet affects everyone. It’s something anyone can get involved with at a moment’s notice.
And because accidents are too common, many governing bodies have decided to throw in the towel. They simply cannot grant each and every personal injury claim. They have to weigh a variety of accident-related factors before they can fully decide who deserves legal aid and who doesn’t. The same goes for insurance companies, especially when the case involves an “aggravator” or “instigator.”
This is where solicitor’s come in. Solicitors are basically lawyers or legal professionals who can back up your accident case (read more). They handle everything – from start to finish – and most of them offer their services on a no win no fee basis when the suit is strong and the case is good.
Question is, will you really not pay for anything when your case fails?
At the very least, you won’t have to pay YOUR attorney’s fees but you may have to pay the other party’s legal costs. So filing a case isn’t really without risk. But then again, taking things to court will always involve risk and money. The only benefit you can get out of the no win no fee deal is that you don’t have to worry about twice the costs.
You’re probably wondering how this is at all possible. Of course, solicitors have got to earn their keep so how on earth can they manage to gamble their services? After all, we’re not talking about a lesser pay here. We’re talking about ZERO pay. So, how is this possible exactly?
The Catch:
While we can confidently say that no win no fee deals are really legitimate, it also has a catch. But it’s not the kind of catch you are expecting. Here’s how solicitors generally afford to offer their services on a no win no fee basis:
1. Solicitors Only Take The Best Cases:
If you have a pretty weak case, you can bet that no solicitor will approach you, let alone advice you to push through with your claim. When solicitors clearly see your claim failing, they will advise you not to commit to the case – for both of your sakes. Even with the no win no fee agreement (as mentioned above), you are still subject to paying the defendant’s legal costs should you lose in court. This makes it not only a problem for the solicitor (who will not be paid anything due to the case’s failure) but for you as well.
2. Solicitors Have A “Higher Than Normal” Success Fee:
An employment law specialist offering no win no fee manage to make ends meet by charging a higher success fee. So in exchange for the assurance of not having to pay anything should your claim be denied, no win no fee solicitors will get a substantial success fee when your case wins. This success fee can be as much as twice or thrice the amount you’d normally pay a conventionally hired lawyer.
Then again, it all depends on the firm or lawyer you contract with. Some firms offer more practical success fee terms, depending on the case you bring to the table. It is actually not too hard to find a competent yet fair-priced solicitor nowadays. Many firms and agencies offer no win any fee agreements with a manageable success fee; you just have to know where to look.
For starters, why not browse around the internet? You’ll see that many firms have already set up an online office and are ready to answer your inquiries in real time.
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