Have You Been Diagnosed With A Work Related Condition?
Choosing a solicitor is thankfully not something most people need to do very often in their lifetime, but when you need legal advice who do you turn to and most importantly who can you trust to handle your affairs properly, without breaking the bank?
When diagnosed with an asbestos or work related condition, many working people automatically turn to their unions for legal advice. It’s completely understandable: the unions have been there throughout your time at work and you have paid your dues over the years so have earned the right to their help. Your Union or their panel solicitors may have sent you literature about bringing a claim, or they may have dealt with a claim for you or your colleagues in the past. They even promise to help without you having to pay anything, which is a godsend when you are worried that finances might become tight.
But could there be a better option?
While many people have successfully instructed a solicitor through their Union, we find that many others are dissatisfied with their experience. The solicitors appointed by Unions often tend to be based out of Devon and Cornwall, in Cardiff, Bristol or even Manchester, Birmingham or Liverpool. While your appointed lawyer may pop down for an initial interview, they tend to deal with clients and witnesses at arms length. They may want to send you off to see their preferred medical expert hundreds of miles away, when you really don’t feel up to it. Pressure of a larger or more varied work load may mean they have less time to dedicate to your case. Put simply they may not have the time to understand your needs and to prioritise your case which may mean a slower or less favourable outcome.
What you may not know is that, since the demise of Legal Aid, most personal injury claims are now dealt with on a Conditional fee or ‘no win no fee’ basis. This means that in almost all cases you will never be asked to pay legal fees unless your claim is successful, and even then you may only be asked to pay a one off insurance premium from damages recovered. For mesothelioma claims, all costs are paid by the Defendants, whether you instruct a union appointed solicitor, or a local firm you know.
Wolferstans Solicitors are very proud of our local roots and our strong reputation for quality legal work. We have been established in Plymouth for over 200 years and served generations of local families. We care about our clients and always work as hard as we can to get the best possible outcome for you, with the least possible inconvenience. We will always visit you at home if you are unable to come into the office, and we will take the time to understand your needs as well as the needs of those close to you to ensure that we can try to address them. We know that dealing with the diagnosis and treatment is hard enough, without the worry of the legal process, so we will guide and support you through every step of the way. We work closely with local doctors, experts and charities to support you, so you never feel like a number. For a free initial discussion please telephone us on
Wolferstans’ asbestos team support the British Lung Foundation and are hosting a ‘Grape Night In’ wine tasting fundraiser on Friday 6 July 2018 to mark Action Mesothelioma Day 2018 with all proceeds going to the charity. If you would like to attend please contact Dean on