Claims Advice - What Does No Win No Fee Actually Mean?

It’s fair to say that the term ‘no win no fee’ is a confusing one for many. As the compensation claim industry becomes increasingly vast, with many companies offering to help you recover money for your injuries, it’s often difficult to know where to turn next if you’re looking for professional legal assistance.

A number of firms offer their clients a no win no fee service. Unfortunately, not all of these are really honest about the processes involved, meaning some get hit by hidden charges after being awarded the compensation that they need to help make a difference to their lives.

No win no fee is known in the legal industry as a ‘conditional fee agreement’. These were introduced in the late 90’s, and used more commonly from the early 2000’s, after the government decided to scrap the legal aid system for personal injury victims.

Although no win no fee lawyers have come under criticism by many, there are a number of genuine firms who are dedicated to helping people through the process of making a compensation claim when they have been injured unfairly.

These firms will also be the ones who let you use their services completely free of charge, meaning you pay absolutely nothing up front, or lose anything from your final compensation settlement.

They are able to do this by charging the losing side their legal costs, which is only fair considering they will be the ones that caused your accident and subsequent injuries in the first place.

Even if the event that your claim is not successful, your solicitor will not charge you any costs as they will be covered by an insurance policy known as After the Event (ATE) insurance, that they take are required to take out prior to the commencement of any legal proceeding.

In short, if the case is covered by no win no fee and it ends up in a loss, your solicitor is not entitled to claim a legal fee against either party.

Claims Advice - What Does No Win No Fee Actually Mean?

Pursue a career as a personal injury lawyer

Compensation claims for personal injury are one of the fastest growing areas of legal practice today. We live in a crowded, rushed world where budgets are tight and corners are cut. This means thousands of motoring, work-related and public accidents happen each year through other people’s negligence. If someone is injured through no fault of their own, a compensation claim on a no win no fee basis is often the only course open.


A lot of misinformation has been printed about “no win no fee” personal injury lawyers, but the idea of a solicitor hiding in the bushes, waiting for someone to trip over a loose paving slab so he can dash out with the paperwork to make a compensation claim is a media myth.


Personal injury lawyers are caring and knowledgeable, with an intricate eye to detail. They know the devastating effects a personal injury can have on someone’s life, because they’ve studied the medical, psychological and social aspects of it in detail. They’re also smart, and very good at fighting their clients’ cases in court – the fact they offer compensation claims on a no win no fee basis, where the injured party doesn’t have to pay a penny in fees if the claim is unsuccessful, is proof of this.


Unfortunately, the number of uninsured motorists, illegal work practices and slashed council budgets continues to rise – as do the compensation claims from the injuries that result. If you decide on a career as a no win no fee personal injury lawyer, you’ll never be short of work.

Pursue a career as a personal injury lawyer

Embarrassing accidents on YouTube – watch and take heed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iRsSV8DOHc
Sad but true – most people take great pleasure in other people’s misfortunes. And there are not many misfortunes greater than an embarrassing accident caught on tape. The popularity (and longevity) of shows such as America’s Funniest Home Videos (currently in its 20th season!) is testament to that.
But while we can have a good old giggle at a rogue football or a gasp in horror at someone’s unholy discovery of a slippery surface, there is also a serious side to these embarrassing viral videos.
In order to avoid an injury, having to apply for a compensation claim, potentially racking up quite the legal bill (and not to mention, endangering those around you), take heed from these viral videos and play it safe, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings.

Embarrassing accidents on YouTube – watch and take heed

No win no fee vs contingency fee

Whenever you make a claim for compensation here in the UK you need to be clear about whether you are making a genuine no win no fee claim, or whether you are agreeing to a contingency fee.

It is important, because the difference will become very apparent when you come to receive your compensation cheque at the end of the claim.

A no win no fee compensation claim means that you don’t pay a penny to your solicitor if you don’t win the case. It also means that your personal injury lawyer claims their fees back from the person who is responsible for the accident that caused your injuries in the first place. Usually of course this means claiming the money back from their insurance company, rather than the guilty party direct.

A contingency fee is different however. As with a no win no fee case, you don’t pay anything up front. Where contingency is different from a no win no fee is that under a contingency agreement, your personal injury lawyer will take a percentage of the compensation claim that you earn. This means that you will not get 100% of the compensation money that is paid out.

Contingency compensation agreements aren’t as common in the UK as they are in the USA, but you still need to be careful that when you make a claim for compensation you are using a no win no fee lawyer and that you will receive 100% of the compensation payout.

No win no fee vs contingency fee