Funding your Case

Pursuing a claim for compensation through Swift Medical Services ensures that your legal expenses are covered on a NO-WIN NO-FEE basis (conditional fees).

Conditional fees are a very attractive facility for clients with suitable cases. Legal fees are not required to be paid until the case is completed and even then, the system ensures minimal cost to the claimant. If you win your case, you are awarded compensation plus additional costs to cover your legal fees. If your claim is unsuccessful, you are technically responsible for all of your legal fees and those of your opponent. However, under the no-win no-fee system, you have no legal fee to pay. This is because your legal fees are covered by Legal Expense Insurance. If you do not already have this in place before your accident, it will be taken out after the event, when you sign up with Swift.

From 1st April 2000, a loan is provided to pay for this insurance premium. Although the claimant does not have to pay the premium, he will be liable to pay any interest on the loan at the end of the case. However, this is usually only a small amount.

Please note that Swift will still pursue your claim if you already have legal expense insurance.

We are able to recover the cost of the insurance premium at the end of the case as follows: If the case is successful, the cost of the premium can be recovered from the opponent. If the case is unsuccessful, then the insurance policy itself covers the cost of the premium as well as all legal fees.

In return for redeeming payment until the case settles, the solicitor can also claim an additional 'success fee' upon winning the case. This is claimed from the opponent where claims have been submitted after 1st of April 2000. Claims submitted before this date may result in the success fee being deducted from the claimant's compensation. However, this is usually never more than 25% of the damages.

If you do not pursue your claim under a no-win no-fee agreement, if you have not taken out legal expense insurance and do not qualify for legal aid, losing your case can be a daunting prospect.