An offer to Rider site Forum members

[T.C.]

Admin, if I am out of order with this post, then please feel free to delete, but it is a genuine offer which I hope board members will appreciate

As many of you are probably aware, over the past few years, I have been asked for assistance by a number of people on the forum after they have been involved in an accident.

Until recently, although I could advise on minor crashes and injuries, I have been unable to assist anyone unless they were involved in more serious or catastrophic crashes.

This has now changed as my colleague, Rachel Glover (a very experienced Personal Injury Solicitor) has been in post for some months and is already helping a significant number of people who have been involved in the less serious crashes. We are delighted to be able to handle the less serious injuries as well as the major and more severe injuries.

Serious crashes come under what is called ‘Multi Track’ and cover all cases perceived to have a value of over £25,000. Lower value cases which have a perceived value of up to £25,000 come under what is called ‘Fast Track’ and are usually subject to fixed costs.

Personal Injury cases are typically run by law firms on “no-win no-fee” agreements. These agreements allow clients to walk away from unsuccessful claims without having to pay any legal fees or bills. Lawyers make money from these sorts of arrangements by charging a ‘success fee’ on the successful cases, which is effectively a bonus.

Since the law changed in April 2013, client’s are no longer able to retain 100% of their compensation monies. Now, if the claim is successful, not only are the lawyers entitled to recover their basic costs from the other side (which was always the case) but the bonus or ‘success fee’ that they charge becomes the responsibility of the client…..

Many people have posted on here about the 25% deduction and the fact that they are unhappy with that, despite it being perfectly legal and now an accepted practice for law firms to take this percentage from client’s compensation.

Most law firms take the full 25% which is the maximum deduction allowed by law.

As an offer to members of this forum, we have made a decision that if anyone is unfortunate enough to be involved in a accident, then instead of deducting the full 25%, we will only deduct 12.5%.

In the event of a successful case being run, it means that instead of getting £75 for every £100 awarded, you will get £87.50 of every £100 awarded. I am sure you will agree, that is quite a significant difference.

I would like to point out that this offer is not being offered to every forum, just a select few of which this is one.

If you would like to accept this offer either now or in the future, then simply contact me via a PM here, leave me a contact number, and I will get back to you at the earliest opportunity. You can contact us directly via our hotline (020 3551 8200) or the website at http://www.mwsolicitors.co.uk/injury-and-health/ or send an e-mail to bikes@mwsolicitors.co.uk

[D-Rider]

Well, from this Admin at least, this is excellent news and a very good offer.

Having needed to use the services of your firm in the past, I would certainly give a positive response to anyone wondering whether they were a good firm to go with - and to get a healthy discount under the new rules is good news indeed.

[Willopotomas]

The advice you've given me has been second to none. If I ever find myself in a situation to require such services, then you're number one on my list. Discount applied or not.

[Falcopops]

Top service TC

[Aladinsaneuk]

our thanks

[Nooj]

Very decent of you!

[GregD-UK]

Hi all,

As with most businesses, it's all about the bottom line, making money. I rang your firm, give my details of my claim and given the information you just provided, l was dropped like a hot potato! Not enough money to be made out of my case. Didn't even get a curteous return phone call as promised! Wouldn't go with your kind offer thanks, might not be considered unless it was worth it. Morals and decency don't even come into it....

[T.C.]

Hi all,

As with most businesses, it's all about the bottom line, making money. I rang your firm, give my details of my claim and given the information you just provided, l was dropped like a hot potato! Not enough money to be made out of my case. Didn't even get a curteous return phone call as promised! Wouldn't go with your kind offer thanks, might not be considered unless it was worth it. Morals and decency don't even come into it....

Well firstly I apologise if you feel that you got the brush off. Can I ask how long ago this was?

If it is bike related, 99% come through me, and whilst I cannot comment on your particular situation or claim, if it was what is regarded as a lower value claim (below £25,000) and depending on when it was, at that time we may not have been in a position to handle your claim because fast track claims are handled differently to higher value claims.

That does not excuse the fact that nobody got back to you, and normally when it comes through me, I do the follow ups so that if for any reason the claim cannot be dealt with, I will if needs be explain the reasons why.

If you wish, you are welcome to PM me details in confidence and I can find out why you were not at least afforded the courtesy of a response or explanation. I imagine that some backsides may need kicking which does not happen often, but once is once too often.

[lazarus]

In effect the 25% or 12.5% is a failure charge but levied on the successful cases rather than on the failures. I have always wondered why it is that if a mechanic fails to mend your bike or a builder builds a wall that falls down or BT frails to install a phone they dont get paid. Yet solicitors that fail to win your case still expect to get paid and hansomely at that.

Funny old world

But on the basis that if you cant beat them join them, sometime ago I bought some shares in a company called Juridica. They make money by financing legal claims and a lot of money they make too.

[T.C.]

In effect the 25% or 12.5% is a failure charge but levied on the successful cases rather than on the failures. I have always wondered why it is that if a mechanic fails to mend your bike or a builder builds a wall that falls down or BT frails to install a phone they dont get paid. Yet solicitors that fail to win your case still expect to get paid and hansomely at that.

A solicitor only gets paid if..........

The case is run on a no win no fee agreement (Conditional Fee Agreement)
The case is won

In this situation the success fee can be claimed, but unlike before where it could be up to 100% it is now capped at the 25% but the case still has to be won. Lose the case and the solicitor gets paid nothing other than disbursments (their out of pocket expenses)

If the case is run under legal expenses insurance, then the solicitor will/usually gets paid regardless of the outcome mainly because most LEI firms are now owned by the insurance companies, so there is no incentive to fight the riders corner.

So unless you are referring to LEI instructed firms, then I don't knw how you came to that conclusion that they get paid if they lose.

[D-Rider]

In effect the 25% or 12.5% is a failure charge but levied on the successful cases rather than on the failures. I have always wondered why it is that if a mechanic fails to mend your bike or a builder builds a wall that falls down or BT frails to install a phone they dont get paid. Yet solicitors that fail to win your case still expect to get paid and hansomely at that.

Funny old world

But on the basis that if you cant beat them join them, sometime ago I bought some shares in a company called Juridica. They make money by financing legal claims and a lot of money they make too.

I think your analogy falls down somewhat

The"equivalent" is not that the builder gets paid if your wall falls down - in this analogy, you would only pay him (or her) if your wall stayed up - though it might compensate him or her for the time he's put in to someone else's wall that falls down (or, more likely, some other unexpected costs on a different job that would lead to a loss).

Of course, it's not really equivalent at all - after the building contract is awarded, the builder does the job unopposed by a rival builder.
In the legal world it is an adversarial situation where one firm argues a position against another. One will always loose.
You are paying your firm to represent you. However much you might like it, you are not paying them to win the case - a significant part of which is down to the facts of the case and outside their control. All they can do is present them in the best way possible.


All in all, suggesting legal representation is like the spannering or building trade really doesn't stand scrutiny whatsoever.

..... and I'm not trying to defend the sums of money legal firms make ....