New Milton Advertiser 22nd Jan 2021

Friday 22nd January 2021 · 23

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5 things you need to knowwhen making a personal injury claim

THERE’S a time limit for making your claim. In the majority of cases, there’s a 3-year window to start legal proceedings for your claim. This may seem like a long time, but when you take into account a lengthy recovery period and rehabil - itation, it’s actually a relatively short amount of time. It may also take you and your family a while to adapt to your new circumstances. The time limit to make your claim could then close, so it’s important to be aware of this fact. 1. Not all personal injury law firms provide the same services It’s vital to find a personal injury solicitor with the relevant expe - rience to handle your claim successfully. Even though they operate in the same field of law, the services offered by personal injury solicitors can be vastly dif - ferent. A good serious personal injury solicitor will provide help which goes way beyond mon - etary compensation. This can include rehabilitation schemes, adaptions in a client’s home, technology solutions, care pack - ages, financial assistance and much more. Take the time to

find the right solicitor for you. Look at the previous experience and past history of success before making your choice. 2. You can change your law firm If you feel that you’ve instructed the wrong firm for whatever reason, you can swap to a firm which would be more appropri - ate for your claim. Things don’t always work out as we wish, and if your claim is not making good progress, you do not need to carry on in that situation. Seek a second opinion and appoint a new law firm which is ded - icated to giving you the help you deserve. The new firm will arrange to have your claim transferred. 3. Personal injury cases take time Personal injury cases can be extremely complex and may take years to reach a settle - ment. This applies to serious injury cases in particular. A good personal injury solicitor will update you at every stage and will be happy to answer any questions you have. It is important that the long term

consequences of your injuries are fully appreciated before your case concludes. If you do not receive the correct level of compensation, you may face difficulties in the future. 4. Few cases end up in court No one looks forward to the prospect of attending court, with the associated stress and pressure that involves. Cases go to court when both sides cannot reach an agreement through negotiation, but your solicitor will be able to tell you the chances of that happening. However, the majority of per - sonal injury cases are settled before they reach court. If your case needs to go to court, your solicitor will support and repre - sent you at all times. At Simpkins & Co, we are expe - rienced in all types of personal injury compensation claims. We hold a Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation, and we are members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). Call us on 01425 275555 or email info@simpkinsand.co.uk. All enquires are strictly confidential.

Divorce proceedings and yourWill

If you have commenced divorce pro- ceedings but not finalised them then your Will is still valid. However, your former spouse is treated as if they “died” on the day the decree absolute is granted by the Court. That means any gift in the Will falls back into the residue for the benefit of the residuary beneficiaries. However, if you had left everything to your former spouse, then the effect is as if you had died intestate and the rules of intestacy decide how your estate is distributed. If you had appointed your former spouse as Executor or Trustee, again it is as if they have died and if they are the sole Executor or Trustee appointed this can cause problems. If there are children under the age of 18 then it is likely you appointed each other and perhaps others to be Guardians of those children and again the divorce prevents your former spouse from being a Guardian under that old Will. They will most likely have parental responsibility already for the children but issues can arise with step children and extended families. It is recommended to make a new will either upon separation or immediately after your divorce, especially if your

spouse or civil partner was a beneficiary or a trustee. What happens if you don’t have a Will? If you die without having written a will you are “intestate”. The intestacy rules state that until divorce your spouse will receive a substantial sum. The amount will depend on whether or not you have children. After divorce the main benefi - ciaries will be your children, but if you don’t have children your assets will pass to your parents. If your parents are already dead your siblings will inherit, then more remote relatives.

If you are concerned about these issues, we can help you explore these issues in a friendly and infor- mal way. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact Heppenstalls Solicitors on 01425 610078 or 01590 689500.

New Year, New Office

2020: a year we shall never forget and as we come to its end we are now looking forward to 2021. New year and new beginning as our Lymington office moves to new premises whilst our New Milton office remains at 82 Station Road, New Milton. Heppenstalls has been in No. 75 High Street in Lymington for over 100 years, but with the death of the premises owner and our former partner Nick Filbee it is now the right time to look for a different future. We are taking a more modern approach now with a lovely new office to work from and we will continue to provide the same consummate professional service we have always offered.

The new, very modern premises will be at 49 South Efford House, Milford Road, Lymington SO41 0JD close to Otter Nurseries. There is ample free parking for staff and clients, with excellent disabled access, having both a permenant ramp and a lift to our bright and airy meeting room. This will be the new home for our Lymington teams and from where we shall continue to provide our residential Conveyancing Services, Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Probate and Trust matters. Our contact details remain the same, so do telephone us on 01590 689500 or email enquiries@heppenstalls.co.uk

New Milton Office 01425 610078 | Lymington Office 01590 689500 enquiries@heppenstalls.co.uk

Conveyencing | Wills | Powers of Attorney | Trusts | Probate | Estate Planning