“From start to finish, JK Lawyers were very helpful and informative and questions and concerns were answered. 5-stars!”
The Accident
Our client was involved in a road traffic accident when a drunk driver collided with their vehicle.
The collision caused injuries to their neck, shoulder and back, as well as permanent damage to their hearing. What began as a road accident claim also needs to account for the client’s long-term needs.
Our client submitted their claim just over two weeks after the accident, allowing us to begin pursuing compensation at an early stage.
The Injuries
Our client suffered whiplash affecting their neck, shoulder and back, alongside tinnitus and hearing loss.
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when there is no external source. Often described as ringing in the ears, it can also take the form of buzzing, humming or hissing. It can affect one or both ears and, for some people, interfere with sleep and concentration.
In our client’s case, the tinnitus was permanent. We arranged for an ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon who diagnosed permanent hearing loss and confirmed that the client would need hearing aids for the rest of their life, together with ongoing maintenance.
This medical evidence was central to the claim. The compensation needed to reflect both the injuries caused by the collision and the future costs associated with lasting hearing damage.
The Claim
The defendant’s insurers admitted liability approximately one month after the claim was submitted. This established responsibility for the accident, but the value of the claim still needed to be resolved.
We obtained specialist medical evidence to establish the extent of our client’s injuries and their future hearing needs. This helped us present a claim that included the lifetime cost of hearing aids and maintenance.
When the insurers delayed responding to the evidence, we issued court proceedings to move the case forward. This prompted settlement negotiations and ultimately enabled us to resolve the claim without a trial.
Choosing your own personal injury solicitor
After a road accident, you do not have to ask your own motor insurer to handle your personal injury claim. You can approach a specialist solicitor directly. You should still report the accident to your insurer as required by your policy, and any legal expenses cover may have conditions about which solicitor it will fund.
Specialist representation can help ensure that a claim reflects the full extent of an injury, including future needs that might otherwise be overlooked. Where someone has permanent hearing damage, the ongoing cost of hearing aids and maintenance can be an important part of the valuation.
A thorough assessment may help secure a better settlement, although the outcome will always depend on the evidence and circumstances of the case.
The Outcome
We secured an out-of-court settlement of £40,000, covering our client’s injuries and lifetime hearing aid costs.
The settlement recognised that the consequences of the accident extended beyond the initial injuries. It also provided compensation towards the hearing support our client would need in the years ahead.
Our client shared the following feedback:
“I had a good experience with JK Lawyers from start to finish; they were very helpful and informative, and questions and concerns were answered. The solicitor we had was Matt. I feel he did a great job with our case and would like to say thank you. I would recommend him to other people to assist them with anything they might need a solicitor for.”