Accident Claim Call. Should I/Shouldn't I?

[Free Falling Foxes]

Had one of these the other day, totally out the blue. I've not even been in an accident though I suggested to him I had. I listened to him for a while and then I suggested I should get a fortune in compensation because I had been completely decapitated. I added if it wasn't for a passing first aider and a shed load of plasters,I wouldn't be here to tell the tale.

He hung up on me!

[Free Falling Foxes]

I don't put my number in online forms unless I absolutely have to.

I started getting accident management company calls and PPI calls about 20 minutes after I registered my phone in the App for Cineworld.

Blummin Cineworld.

Blummin Foxestalk! Since replying to this thread I'm getting ads from claim companies!

[DB11]

I'm pretty sure all you've done by holding a conversation with them is confirming your number is a genuine one and getting added to every single cold callers database. Hope you get used to all those calls that are going to start coming your way

[Vardinhio]

Probably shouldn't do this, it's called insurance fraud.

[cambridgefox]

Does my head in this and PPI,it was a load of bollocks that the banks didn't explain or add it on without the customers knowing ,well the 5 branches I was in which gives you a good indication ,I had many good news stories on this issue re claims.People just want something for nothing and these companies are only really interested in making themselves money or they wouldn't do it.

Yeah I know there are people who were generally out of pocket through injuries but I bet that percentage is very very small.

[Wymsey]

Keep getting one particular one about cheap Insurance Renewal (as current car insurance rate is quite sky high for my age), after having about my 4/5th 'bump' in 5 years.

[cambridgefox]

Keep getting one particular one about cheap Insurance Renewal (as current car insurance rate is quite sky high for my age), after having about my 4/5th 'bump' in 5 years.

you don't run the dodgems at the fair Wymsey?

[Wymsey]

No, haven't got a safety certificate.

[separator]

Theres always fun to be had winding these cold callers up, recently had one that hung up on me after saying I was wasting his time... what a cheek!!

[Rincewind]

I heard one audio of one that had the table turned on them. The receiver said they had called a premium number and  was being charged  at X per minute.

I always think of the perfect response after hanging up on them. Once or twice I have said can you hold on a second and just left the phone off the hook and carried on with what I was doing. Afyer a minute or so the may realise that I was not coming back.

These sort of jobs are common now. I could not do it as it requires you to trick people but that is the way you are expected to earn your money. I assume there are targets for bonuses.

Don't know whether to feel sorry for the callers or not. They are just doing a job and may be under pressure from line management.

[Captain...]

As others have said if it has caused you no discomfort and you are not deserving of compensation don't do it.

...but if you are looking for compensation don't go with them, a) cold callers are scum, b) they will take some of your compo if you win, there are companies out there that won't c) they have lied to you about your liability for fees should you lose, you are 100% responsible for the defendants legal fees and all the court fees if you unsuccessfully sue someone.

Now you may be able to claim that the person you are suing spent an excessive amount, ie hiring a £1,000 per hour lawyer for the small claims court, but all reasonable fees and expenses incurred on both sides are on you if you lose.

If you go to a reputable claims firm you would get better advice on how valid your claim and likelihood of success, you would keep a higher percentage of your compensation and you, hopefully, won't be lied to or coerced into lying yourself.

What that company that called you has done is illegal and you should report them to a legal trading standards, do you have any concrete proof they were coaching you and asking you to lie? Or was it all in a phone call?

[Sir Fynwy]

As others have said if it has caused you no discomfort and you are not deserving of compensation don't do it.

...but if you are looking for compensation don't go with them, a) cold callers are scum, b) they will take some of your compo if you win, there are companies out there that won't c) they have lied to you about your liability for fees should you lose, you are 100% responsible for the defendants legal fees and all the court fees if you unsuccessfully sue someone.

Now you may be able to claim that the person you are suing spent an excessive amount, ie hiring a £1,000 per hour lawyer for the small claims court, but all reasonable fees and expenses incurred on both sides are on you if you lose.

If you go to a reputable claims firm you would get better advice on how valid your claim and likelihood of success, you would keep a higher percentage of your compensation and you, hopefully, won't be lied to or coerced into lying yourself.

What that company that called you has done is illegal and you should report them to a legal trading standards, do you have any concrete proof they were coaching you and asking you to lie? Or was it all in a phone call?

Also if you have a real claim you probably have insurance that will take up the claim and cover costs.

[RoboFox]

This is a great story of a guy who had enough of these companies, and began invoicing them for his time, pretty successfully.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20068927

[Guest Mickyblueeyes]

Conditional fee arrangements are pretty contentious at the moment regarding the legal profession.

These companies who call are not solicitors and have little or no legal training. There job is simply to source potential work and refer this on to a pane of solicitors for a sizeable fee.

To cut a long story short, with regards to a standard personal injury case a)the accident should not be your fault and b) you must've suffered some form of discomfort. Most cases are fought out of court and settled.

If you are successful the cfa arrangement determines how fees are paid by the other party. However this would also include what's known as a success fee in addition to the standard legal costs. So in essence eating into your settlement by some margin.

If you are Unsuccesful you will pay what is regarded as a "reduced" fee. In all circumstances by entering a cfa you are agreeing to be liable for the fees.

He claim management company who is contacting you is an nuisciance third party who to be honest he law society/government should really be looking to eradicate from the process.

If you truly believe you have a claim I would suggest you meet your own Dr have reports written up and contact a local solicitor and have the process explained to you in more detail - your dr's report and solicitor's explanation will probably put you in a better position to know of your chances then some 18 year old reading from a script.

A better more lay person explanation can be found online particularly out-law.com which provides a decent basic breakdown of the cfa arrangements.

[cambridgefox]

I don't believe this,ive just had a company call me asking if I wanted to claim for being sold an added value account with my bank.

The one that gets me travel insurance and AA cover cheaper than individually. Scrapping the barrel now.

[Great Boos Up]

It's the PC American culture of blame and claim. PPI claim companies claim 30% of the payout and all they do it photocopy a form and post it twice. Now it's miss sold "added benefit" accounts. For car accidents Insurance companies will fight tooth and nail to avert any blame including any dirty legal trick then muster to share the costs even if you are not at fault, but the details are recorded.

(In communist Russia you have to have a working dashcam by law). That's why they get all the funny road footage.

Then your details are sold on to the next company who sells them on to the next forever, and ever and..

 

 

(In communist Russia you have to have a working dashcam by law). That's why they get all the funny road footage.

 

If you feel no guilt in claiming then do so, but never pay anything upfront.

 

Personally I think no one put a gun to my head when I signed pay £10 for AA road cover and free travel insurance through my account.

And I was not injured when someone hit my car when I wasn't even in it.

I would claim against these phishing companies who scroll lists of telephone numbers to harass me. If one is successful then others will follow.

But then how can you sell that claim to the public without cold calls. Claim against your own cold call.

 

"Good morning Sir, would consider I am annoying you and would like to claim against me, but I do get 30% of the win fee"

If these companies are insured against 3rd party claims and that costs less than the 30% of their payment, this COULD HAPPEN. 

[The Quick Brown Fox]

It's the PC American culture of blame and claim. PPI claim companies claim 30% of the payout and all they do it photocopy a form and post it twice. Now it's miss sold "added benefit" accounts. For car accidents Insurance companies will fight tooth and nail to avert any blame including any dirty legal trick then muster to share the costs even if you are not at fault, but the details are recorded.

(In communist Russia you have to have a working dashcam by law). That's why they get all the funny road footage.

Then your details are sold on to the next company who sells them on to the next forever, and ever and..

(In communist Russia you have to have a working dashcam by law). That's why they get all the funny road footage.

If you feel no guilt in claiming then do so, but never pay anything upfront.

Personally I think no one put a gun to my head when I signed pay £10 for AA road cover and free travel insurance through my account.

And I was not injured when someone hit my car when I wasn't even in it.

I would claim against these phishing companies who scroll lists of telephone numbers to harass me. If one is successful then others will follow.

But then how can you sell that claim to the public without cold calls. Claim against your own cold call.

"Good morning Sir, would consider I am annoying you and would like to claim against me, but I do get 30% of the win fee"

If these companies are insured against 3rd party claims and that costs less than the 30% of their payment, this COULD HAPPEN.

I hate to be a stickler but, it's not free travel insurance if you have to pay to get it "free".

[Rincewind]

Buy one and get another one for the same price. 

 

Granville Arkwright- Still Open All Hours.

[Great Boos Up]

I hate to be a stickler but, it's not free travel insurance if you have to pay to get it "free".

Point conceded.

[Benguin]

Was the accident someone else's fault?

Did said person/s exercise all necessary care to prevent the accident?

Neighbour principle: Should the person at fault ought to have known that their negligence would result in your injury?

If you answer yes, no, yes then you have a claim.

But

Was their a loss? And to what extent?

If you missed loads of work, suffered etc etc then you should peruse it as you will likely be entitled to a moderate to large payout which makes it worthwhile.

If the injury didn't really effect you too much the payout might turn out to have been more of an inconvenience when compared with the financial gain.

[Rob1742]

Someone bumped into me, came running out of the car screaming it was my fault etc.

Now they are claiming injuries etc.

Typical of this day and age.

Just pleased that I have not stooped to their level. I have not suffered injuries and won't be claiming any, despite all the calls I received trying to persuade me to claim.

Also, determined to see them in court to fight it out, as I am determined that they get everything they deserve, which is absolutely nothing.

I will not accept 50/50, I am determined they come out with nothing as they are just playing the system.