Personal Injury Law

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At AQ Archers, our experienced solicitors handle personal injury claims with professionalism and efficiency. We have been assisting clients over 14 years with various injury claims ensuring that each case is managed with care and expertise. Our team has extensive knowledge of the legal processes involved and can represent clients in claims ranging from minor injuries to complex cases, including:

  • Small Claims
  • Fast Track Claims
  • Intermediate Claims (various bands)
  • Multi-Track Claims

Types of Personal Injury Matters We Handle

We currently offer assistance in the following areas:

  • Accidents at Work (Employer Liability).
  • Road Traffic Accidents, including cyclists, motorists, pedestrians, and passengers.

 Legal Fees

Hourly Rates

Our legal fees are charged on an hourly basis:

  • Mr. M. Asghar Khan (Solicitor): £312.00 plus £62.40 VAT.
  • Mr. Raja Khurram (Solicitor): £312.00 plus £62.40 VAT.
  • Other Caseworkers: £139.00–£204.00 plus VAT (£27.80–£40.80), depending on seniority and experience.

For further details, please refer to the Solicitors’ Guideline Hourly Rates – GOV.UK.

 Fixed Fees or Conditional Fee Agreements

If your claim qualifies for a specific fixed-fee arrangement or Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), this will be discussed and agreed with you in advance. The agreed fee, plus expenses, will represent the legal costs payable by you, minus any recovery from your opponent.

 Pay If You Win: Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA)

Under a CFA (commonly known as “No Win, No Fee” agreement), you only pay our legal fees if you win and receive compensation for your claim.

  • Success Fee: 25% of your settlement amount, inclusive of VAT, is deducted from your compensation.
  • If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be required to pay our legal fees.

Key Features of the CFA

  • Covers:
    • Claims against negligent parties.
    • Applications for pre-action or non-party disclosure.
    • Opponent appeals or enforcement of judgments.
    • Negotiations and cost assessments related to your claim.
  • Excludes:
    • Counterclaims against you.
    • Appeals you make against final judgments or orders.

Maximum Fee Deduction

The maximum deduction from your settlement is capped at 25% of:

  1. General damages for pain, suffering, and loss of amenity.
  2. Damages for past pecuniary losses (excluding future pecuniary loss).
    The maximum limit includes VAT and applies to damages net of any amounts recoverable by the Compensation Recovery Unit of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Unsuccessful Claims

If you lose your claim, you will generally benefit from Qualified One-Way Cost Shifting (QOCS), which means you are not usually liable for the opponent’s costs unless:

  1. The proceedings are struck out.
  2. The claim is deemed fundamentally dishonest.
  3. The claim includes financial benefits for someone else.

While you do not pay our charges if you lose, you may still need to cover expenses and disbursements unless you have taken out insurance (see below).

Legal Expense Insurance 

You may already have an LEI through your existing insurance policies (e.g., motor or home insurance) or memberships with certain organizations. LEI provides legal protection and covers costs for bringing or defending claims, particularly Personal Injury claims arising from road traffic accidents, workplace accidents, or other types of injury claims.

Before-the-Event (BTE) Insurance vs After-the-Event (ATE) Insurance: What You Need to Know

When facing legal proceedings, understanding your insurance options is crucial. Two types of legal expenses insurance may come into play: Before-the-Event (BTE) and After-the-Event (ATE) insurance. Each serves a different purpose and can significantly affect how legal costs are managed in certain civil litigation matters and different types of injury claims.

Before-the-Event Insurance (BTE)

BTE insurance is purchased in advance, often as part of a broader insurance policy such as home, car, or business insurance. It is designed to cover legal costs and expenses if a dispute arises in the future.

Key features:

  • Bought before any legal issue has arisen.
  • Often included as an add-on to existing insurance policies.
  • Can cover both legal advice and legal representation.
  • Typically helps with defending or pursuing certain types of claims (e.g. personal injury claims and other civil litigation matters.

Implications:

  • You may already have BTE insurance coverage and not realize it.
  • Using BTE can significantly reduce or eliminate your upfront legal costs; however, it may be the subject of further approval from the BTE insurance provider on whether they will validate the policy.
  • There may be limitations on the types of cases covered or your choice of solicitor.

After-the-Event Insurance (ATE)

ATE insurance is purchased after a legal dispute has arisen, usually once your solicitor believes your case has good prospects of success.

Key features:

  • Covers legal costs if your case is unsuccessful.
  • Often used in “no win, no fee” arrangements, which are funded through Conditional Fee Agreements, i.e., Personal Injury claims and other civil claims such as Housing Disrepair claims. We may discuss in detail whether it would be viable to obtain a policy in your given legal matter based on key factors, such as a high prospect of success and/or the claims being of low value. You may have the benefit of which we will discuss in detail, as it might not be viable to obtain a policy in certain matters due to the high prospect of success and the claims being of low value.
  • You may have the benefit of QOCS (Qualified One-Way Costs Shifting) in claims with a Personal Injury element, which protects you from any adverse legal costs except in a fundamentally dishonest claim, or may offer partial protection in claims involving credit/hire aspect.
  • Typically covers opponent’s legal fees and disbursements (e.g., court fees, expert reports).

Implications:

  • Offers peace of mind, as you won’t have to pay legal costs if your claim fails.
  • Premiums can be high and are usually deferred and contingent on success (i.e., paid only if you win).
  • If successful, the premium may be deducted from your compensation.

Which One Is Right for You?

  • If you’re proactively seeking coverage for potential future disputes, BTE insurance may be suitable.
  • If you’re already involved in a dispute or about to take legal action, ATE insurance may be the better fit.

Before proceeding with any legal matter, it’s important to discuss your options with a qualified solicitor who can advise you on whether BTE or ATE insurance applies to your situation, so you can decide on whether to obtain the legal cover through an ATE Insurance Policy.

Low Prospects of Success

If we assess that your claim has a low likelihood of success, we will be unable to handle your claim on a CFA basis. In such cases, we will advise you on alternative funding arrangements.

 Why Choose AQ Archers?

  • Proven Track Record: Over a decade of experience in personal injury claims.
  • Comprehensive Support: From initial consultation to claim resolution.
  • No Win, No Fee: Pay only if you win, ensuring financial peace of mind.

We will assess your claim and determine whether we can assist you under a Conditional Fee Agreement or other funding arrangements.

Contact Us

If you wish to discuss your personal injury matter or explore your options, please contact us for a free initial consultation:
Call: 020 7791 3223
Email: info@aqarchers.co.uk

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