Frequently Asked Questions

Your questions answered...

Q. How much is my claim worth?

A. The honest answer to this is that we cannot tell you as there are a large number of factors that go in to determining the value of any personal injury claim. For example, your age, length of suffering, severity of pain, nature of hobbies disrupted amongst other things. With our specialist expertise, we maximise each and every one of our clients' claims so that you know you are recovering fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries and losses.

Q. Will making a claim with Universa Law cost me anything?

A. Absolutely not, you will never be asked for money by Universa Law.*

Q. How do we get paid?

A. We receive our legal fees from the other side or from your legal expense insurers (we will investigate the possibility of such insurance on your behalf).  We will never send you a bill for our work.*

Q. How can I be legally represented without incurring legal costs?

A. Thankfully for our clients, the law allows us to enter in to arrangements that completely protect them from paying solicitors costs. Legal Expenses insurance will cover all costs for you - either the insurance will already form part of a policy you have (we will do all the checking for you) or we can insure you separately. The premium is not payable by you as it is deferred until the end of the claim - if the claim is won, we recover the premium from the other side as part of our legal fees but if the claim is lost, the insurance premium is no longer payable. The perfect solution for our clients.

Q. Is there a time limit for submitting a claim for personal injury?

A. Yes - usually it is 3 years from the date of accident. However, this depends upon your age at the time of the accident the type of accident you had and the date of knowledge of your injury. We will advise you on this.

Q. How long will claims for personal injury take to settle?

A. This depends on a number of factors. If liability is promptly admitted by the insurance company and you make a good recovery from your injuries then the claim may be settled in less than 9 months. However, if the insurance company does not admit liability or you have a prolonged recovery period requiring treatment or rehabilitation, then the claim may take much longer to settle. The important point here is that your claim is unique - the nature of the claim will dictate how long it will take but be assured, it will be processed by us in a timeframe that balances our duties to you to maximise your claim but settling it quickly and efficiently.

Q. Do I have to have report my injuries to my GP or Hospital?

A. Yes - if you have not already done so - please do it now. It is essential that there are documented medical records confirming your attendance at the GP or hospital. If you are not able to attend a medical practitioner then please ask us for advice as it will affect your claim.

Q. Can I be compensated for loss other than personal injury?

A. Yes - there are many items of claim that can be included in your claim as long as they are directly related to your accident and/or injuries. For example, loss of earnings, treatment costs, damaged clothing, damaged vehicle amongst other things. However, if your injuries continue to incur you losses, i.e. you have not returned to work then we can claim future losses on your behalf. The law allows you to be returned to your pre-accident financial position.

Q. Will I have to visit your offices?

A. No - not if you do not want to! Most claims can be processed by us without a personal visit but sometimes it is essential. If it is essential, and you are unable to visit us, we will visit you in your own home or office.

Q. Will I have to go to Court?

A. Most of the claims we process do not require a Court Hearing where our client has to attend. In fact, only about 5% of our cases get that far. We always prepare our cases in a way that maximises our chances of settling the claim, properly and fairly, without the need for a Court to decide the outcome. However, we do still have to take claims to Court where the Insurance Company will either not accept liability or will not offer sufficient compensation to our clients.

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* This does not apply if you provide us with fraudulent, false or misleading instructions or fail to comply with the terms of our Retainer or your Insurance Contract.