If an insurer has accepted responsibility for your accident, it’s natural to wonder how long it will take before your claim is resolved. This article answers a common question we receive from people dealing directly with insurers: “If the insurance company admits liability and arranges an independent medical report, how long do they get to make a settlement offer?” We explain what usually happens next, what timescales are considered reasonable, and why it’s important to understand what any offer actually includes. Prefer listening? This article is also available as a podcast episode. This question comes up frequently, particularly where insurers have already accepted responsibility but progress feels slow. Assumptions: no solicitor, but a full medical examination has taken place Why it matters: The timescales below only apply in specific circumstances — understanding the assumptions avoids false expectations. In order to answer the question, we have to Continue Reading
"I broke a bone in my foot as a result of a fall on a footpath in the centre of Elgin. I tripped at a point where the path had not been properly finished and there was a lump of concrete sticking up. Peter Brash was excellent in guiding me through the process. Nothing ever seemed to be a bother. He kept me constantly updated via phone calls and face to face meetings. The Council accepted responsibility for the defect in the footpath and my claim for compensation was successful, without the need for a court action. I feel I received an efficient and very professional service. I especially liked the fact that I was able to deal with a local solicitor. Keep up the good work." AS, Hopeman Continue Reading
All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court
From 22 September 2015, Scotland has a new personal injury court available for compensation claims by victims of accidents. Scotland is divided into 6 Sheriffdoms: Tayside, Central and Fife; South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway; North Strathclyde; Lothian and Borders; Grampian, Highland and Islands; and Glasgow and Strathkelvin Within each Sheriffdom, there are several Sheriff Courts. Scotland has 49 such courts, each covering a defined geographical area. A remarkable Sheriff Court The unusual feature of the Sheriff Personal Injury Court is that it sits only in Edinburgh but has jurisdiction extending across the whole of Scotland. So, for example, if you are injured in an accident in Moray, before these changes, your Sheriff Court for a damages action would only have been Elgin Sheriff Court. Now, you can choose between the local Sheriff court and the national all-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court. The increased importance of Sheriff Courts Continue Reading
Financial pressure to return to work too soon after an accident?
If you are off work as the result of an accident, you can easily find yourself under increasing pressure to go back to your job before you are fully fit to do so. Many people are forced into making a claim for personal injury compensation due to financial stresses. Often, this is because their employment does not provide sick pay at full pay or even half pay rates. If you are more or less immediately on Statutory Sick Pay through absence from work after an accident, you will inevitably have worries how you will manage to pay your bills and provide for your family. This wage loss seems especially unfair, if you were injured at work. If you live in Moray or have suffered a personal injury accident in Moray, we can help with advice on a possible personal injury claim. We can take any claim on directly, if that is in your best interests. We will refer you on elsewhere if we think that’s a better option for you. Our priority is to make sure everyone with a valid claim gets fair Continue Reading