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HOW TO CHOOSE A SOLICITOR
three firms before you make a decision, in order to compare the costs
that will be deducted from your damages. The amount of legal fees
that you may be asked to pay could be a six figure sum on such a
serious injury case and you need to make sure that you are getting the
best possible deal.

If a solicitor asks for money on account, ask why this is necessary. It is
unusual to be asked to pay money on account of costs for your solicitors.
Generally, solicitors will wait until the case is concluded and you have
received your damages before raising any bill.

Is your solicitor able to pay for your disbursement costs as the case
proceeds? These are the costs that your solicitor incurs in preparing your
case by instructing experts to prepare reports and also paying court fees.
These can be substantial and your solicitor ought to have some
arrangement in place in order to fund these for you.

Is your solicitor able to obtain funding for your rehabilitation and
immediate needs? Enabling access to rehabilitation services is critical for
you and your family. In a case where there is no dispute in respect of
liability, your solicitor should ask for an interim payment to help fund your
rehabilitation and immediate needs.

Choosing a Case Manager
Part of getting you the right help early on after your accident may involve
your solicitor locating an appropriate Case Manager to co-ordinate your
privately-funded care regime. Within this guide is an alphabetical list of
case management firms and individuals, approved by SIA, who are
experienced in the rehabilitation needs of SCI people. It is important you get
along with your case manager, so get involved in making the choice by
meeting two or three of the firms listed here.

Resolving problems
If you encounter problems with your solicitor, do not be afraid to raise
them. The solicitor may be unaware of your frustrations.
Changing your solicitor
You will spend many years working with your solicitor and sometimes that
relationship may fail. It is important that you maintain your faith in your
solicitor and if there is a breakdown of trust then you can seek to change
your solicitor. This is a fairly straightforward process and much easier than
people think. You should simply get your newly chosen solicitor to deal
with this for you.

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