Frequently Asked Questions

We are recognised as one of the leading personal injury practices in the country and ranked in the number 1 grouping in the North East by the Legal 500.

Yes, we do. This means that you will receive 100% of your damages with no hidden deductions or charges. If your claim is not successful you will not pay a penny.

At the initial consultation a member of the specialist Personal Injury team will be assigned to your case and he or she will endeavour to provide you with their expert opinion as soon as possible. You will be informed at an early stage whether your claim is likely to be successful. In certain circumstances, further information will be required to assist in assessing your claim. If this is the case, you will be advised as to what information is needed.

We are able to offer both home and hospital appointments outside office hours or on a weekend if it is more convenient to you. In addition, we have offices throughout the North East in Annitsford, Ashington, Denton Burn, Stockton and Sunderland as well as in the city centre of Newcastle. We can also offer appointments at our Stoke office.

Yes we do, we offer expert legal advice on a wide range of accident claims. These can include road traffic accidents, (whether you are the driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist), workplace accidents, as well as slips/trips and falls. We can also advise in child accident claims and accidents of the utmost severity such as amputation, brain/head injury claims.

Yes, we have a team of expert Solicitors who specialise in industrial disease claims. We are able to offer professional assistance on all types of disease claims including asbestos related disease, vibration white finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, noise induced hearing loss, work related upper limb disorder, occupational dermatitis and asthma.

There are time limits for issuing Court proceedings in personal injury claims. Generally, you have to issue proceedings by the 3rd anniversary of the accident. In certain circumstances, a Judge may allow the claim to continue even if it is brought outside 3 years. The best course of action is to seek legal advice sooner rather than later.

Yes, the law imposes time limits within which Court Proceedings must be issued. Proceedings must be issued within 3 years from the date when you became aware or, should in all the circumstances, have been aware that your condition may have arisen due to the negligence of a third party. In the event proceedings are not issued within this period the Court is unlikely to consider your claim on the grounds that it is out of time.
Issues relating to the time limits in relation to Industrial diseases can be very complex. In the event that you believe you may be suffering from an industrial disease you should immediately contact your GP to try to obtain a diagnosis after which you should seek legal advice.

To have a successful claim, we will need you to be medically examined by an expert selected from our panel. He or she will be fully aware of the circumstances of your accident or disease and the background to your claim. In most cases they will require sight of your full medical records which we will obtain on your behalf. We select experts near to your home to avoid any inconvenience to you. Most of our experts are flexible enough to accommodate both evening and weekend appointments.

The level of compensation will depend on the amount of losses and expenses you incur in addition to the nature of the injury you sustain. No claim is ever identical to another and we believe that it is unhelpful to provide general estimates which may not be applicable to your claim.
We will however provide you with such an estimate once we are in receipt of all relevant evidence. Our aim is always to maximise the level of compensation you will ultimately receive.

This can depend on a variety of factors such as whether your symptoms from the injury are continuing or who the claim is being pursued against. At Browell Smith and Co, we endeavour to give you an immediate view in relation to the prospects of success of your claim and the likely length of time it will take to conclude. We always try to bring claims to a conclusion as swiftly as possible but only when we are able to ensure the appropriate level of compensation.

Generally, most cases settle without going all the way to Trial. If however, no proposals in settlement are forthcoming or the offers are unreasonable, then your case may have to be heard in front of a Judge. The Judge will determine whether you are entitled to compensation and if so what level of compensation is appropriate. You will be accompanied by the Solicitor having conduct of your case or a barrister instructed on your behalf.