Personal injury claim....

[Rainbowinthedark]

First of all, sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place.

 

My problem is with a company my insurance sent me to after being in a car accident in early 2010. I followed their advice and a man came out to my home and took down my version of what happened. I signed the agreements and he went away to type up my statement. A few weeks or more later I was sent a written copy of the statement I'd made. I was asked to read it through, correct and initial any mistakes. Sign and return it. There were a MASSIVE amount of mistakes in the statement, such as place names (despite having spelled them for the assessor) I spent over and hour correcting the statement and sent it back. That was the last I heard....until now.

 

2010 was the worst year of my life, my grandmother and two of my closest friends died within six months of each other and I was also more or less housebound for a few months with a back injury (possibly due to the injury sustained from the car accident) so as you can imagine, chasing up on this claim, which I believed was being processed by competent person who would contact me if I was needed, wasn't on my list of priorities.

 

I opened my mail on arriving home today to find a letter from the solicitors who were supposedly acting on my behalf to make a claim against the driver responsible. They have informed me that I have to pay THEM over a thousand pounds and that they have passed a judgement on me (county court I assume) and will be "commencing enforcement proceedings" if I don't cough up the sum within seven days.

 

I am absolutely furious. I've heard NOTHING from these people since returning my amended statement back in 2010. No letters, no telephone calls, nothing! Yet now, they want money from me. It was all on a "no win, no fee" basis, so I do not understand why I'm being chased for this money. My fiancee seems to think that they are pulling a fast one on me, as their silence for well over a year is suspicious at best.

 

Obviously I can't afford to pay a thousand pounds within the next seven days and frankly, why should I be paying anything when as far as I'm concerned they haven't fulfilled their end of the bargain by taking my injury claim to court and fighting for compensation.

 

Can anyone advise me of my rights against these people? I'm going to try calling them on Monday (hopefully after speaking with Trading Standards) to find out what is going on. I'd love to be able to come back at them by knowing my rights.

 

Thanks for reading. Any advice would be gratefully received!

[Ganymede]

Hi,

 

I think we will need a lot more information on this one. Like accident circs etc.

 

Have you any idea what happened or what stage your claim was at? Did you really not receive anything from them or the Court? Seems odd that they can get a CCJ against you without you knowing. Are you still at the same address?

 

Why did you not contact them for over 18 months to see what they were playing at?

 

Even though it was a CFA you signed you may be liable for some costs if you breach the terms of it. Have to called them since to see what happened?