Free Personal Injury Consultation: What Happens and What It Costs

Yes, the first conversation is free. If you have been hurt in an accident and are wondering whether it is worth making a claim, a free personal injury consultation with Nayyar Solicitors gives you a clear answer without a bill and without any obligation to go further. We offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute chat to new clients, by phone, by video call or in person.

Plenty of people put that call off. They worry about the cost, about being pushed into something they did not ask for, or about wasting a solicitor's time over an injury that does not feel serious enough. Meanwhile the bills and the worry carry on, and the time limit for making a claim keeps running.

This guide explains what a free consultation covers, how it differs from a No Win, No Fee agreement, what to have ready and what happens afterwards. If you would rather talk it through now, call our personal injury team on 0333 123 1331.

What is a free personal injury consultation?

A free personal injury consultation is an initial conversation with a solicitor about what happened to you, held at no cost and with no commitment. It is your chance to find out whether you may have a claim, what making one would involve and what it could mean for you financially, before you decide whether to instruct anyone.

It is not a sales call, and you do not need to have made up your mind. Some people ring with a single question, such as whether they are still in time. Others arrive with a folder of hospital letters. Both are welcome. We handle claims arising from accidents at work, cycling, pedestrian and motorbike accidents and public liability incidents such as slips and trips in shops and public places, as well as criminal injury claims, fatal accident claims and catastrophic injuries.

Is a free consultation really free, or is there a catch?

The consultation itself is free. We do not ask for card details, we do not send a bill for the initial advice, and you are under no obligation to instruct us afterwards.

What deserves a proper explanation is what comes next. If we can take on your case, we can offer a No Win, No Fee agreement, known in legal terms as a conditional fee agreement. Under it, you pay our legal fees only if your claim succeeds. That is a separate step from the free consultation, and the two are easy to confuse, so here is how they compare.

It is worth knowing that No Win, No Fee does not always mean no costs at all. The Solicitors Regulation Authority explains that clients may still be responsible for disbursements, which are costs paid out on your behalf such as expert reports, and that a client whose claim fails could in some cases be liable for the other side's costs, although providers usually arrange insurance to cover that risk. We will explain how this applies to your case, including any success fee and any costs you could be responsible for, before you decide whether to go ahead.

What happens during your free consultation?

We keep it plain and unhurried. You start by telling us what happened, when and where, in your own words. We ask questions where we need to, and we do not expect you to know the legal terms.

Next we look at whatever you already have, whether that is photographs, hospital letters, messages or simply your own notes. From there we can talk about who may be legally responsible (liability, in legal terms) and what the evidence suggests at this early stage.

We then give you our initial view on the strength of your claim and an early idea of what compensation could cover, such as pain and suffering, lost earnings, treatment costs and care. A precise figure usually has to wait for medical evidence, so we will say so plainly where it is too early to put a number on it.

If there is a claim we can take on, we set out the next steps and the funding options, including No Win, No Fee. If there is not, we tell you that too, and you leave with a clearer picture than you arrived with.

What should you have ready before the call?

You do not need a complete file, and gaps are fine. It helps to have these to hand:

• The date, time and place of the accident.
• Any medical notes or letters from A&E, your GP or the hospital, or simply the names of where you were treated.
• The name and contact details of the other party or your employer, if you know them.
• Photographs, witness names, CCTV details or an accident book entry, if you have them.
• A short list of the top three things you are worried about.

If the accident happened at work, mention whether it was recorded in the accident book. If it happened on the road, the other driver's vehicle registration is very useful.

Can I have a free consultation by phone or video if I am injured?

Yes. Travelling to an office is not always realistic after an injury, so you can speak to us by phone or video call. In some cases we can visit you at home or in hospital if you are not well enough to come to us. If you would prefer to meet face to face, our offices are in Manchester (949 Stockport Road), Stockport (The Tannery, Water Street) and London (2-10 Tavistock Street).

Our lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. You can call 0333 123 1331, email info@nayyarssolicitors.co.uk, message us on WhatsApp or request a callback through our contact page.

How soon should I book a consultation?

As soon as you feel able to. In England and Wales the usual time limit for a personal injury claim is three years, and Citizens Advice explains that court proceedings must be started within three years of you first being aware of the injury. There are exceptions, for example for children, and claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) have their own, usually shorter, deadline.

There is a practical reason not to wait as well. Memories fade, witnesses move away and records are easier to obtain while events are recent, so an early conversation usually leaves you with more options, not fewer.

Who will you be speaking to?

Nayyar Solicitors is led by Director and Principal Solicitor Ayesha Nayyar, who has over 20 years of experience in personal injury and medical negligence law. Adrian Mills is Lead Case Handler in our personal injury department. You will be speaking to people who deal with injury claims every day, so there is no need to explain the basics twice.

Free personal injury consultation FAQs

Book your free personal injury consultation

You do not need to have everything worked out, and you do not need to be sure you have a claim. If you are injured, worried and unsure where you stand, a short conversation is a sensible first step. Call our team on 0333 123 1331 or use the button below, and we will take it from there.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts, so please contact Nayyar Solicitors for advice specific to your situation.