I was involved in a RTA in 2008. The other driver (and his insurers) are on record that liability is not an issue. I suffered a severe whiplash injury and unfortunately the symptoms are still ongoing. I had an MRI recently which confirmed that the ongoing symptoms are due to soft tissue injuries only.
I delayed the application to PIAB because the symptoms were still ongoing. The other party's insurers were anxious to settle the case, and made a fairly paltry offer. I declined it. They then came back with a final offer, which I still wasn't happy with, and sought the advice of a solicitor. What I wanted was a one-off consultation for advice on how I should proceed and what the claim might be worth.. This solicitor was recommended to me by my family. He is solicitor for my grandfather and my aunts. This solicitor has known my grandfather all his life and my grandfather assured me that the solicitor "would look after me." Unfortunately, totally through by own lack of assertiveness, I got steamrolled into taking on his services for the purpose of settling the claim.
He has arranged for me to see the local consultant rheumatologist and he has filled out the PIAB application form for me. He has sent a few letters to myself, the consultant and the other party's insurers. The insurance company are happy to trade medical reports etc. with him and have been co-operative.
On Friday I got a letter from him proposing his fee. €2,500 plus VAT plus €250 for postal costs. Up to now he has been very vague on how much his services were going to cost me. He simply told me that if the case is settled through PIAB that I would have to pay my own legal costs, but not if the case goes to court. I can't see how the case will go to court though - it is straightforward. I do think at our first meeting he mentioned "a couple of hundred euro" if the case wasn't going to court i.e. settled quickly.
While I understand this fee is well within normal range for this kind of work, I am aghast as I believe the value of the claim itself will be relatively small and therefore this €3,000 odd euro is a very substantial "cut" for the solicitor.
Any thoughts? Can I negotiate with him on price?
I delayed the application to PIAB because the symptoms were still ongoing. The other party's insurers were anxious to settle the case, and made a fairly paltry offer. I declined it. They then came back with a final offer, which I still wasn't happy with, and sought the advice of a solicitor. What I wanted was a one-off consultation for advice on how I should proceed and what the claim might be worth.. This solicitor was recommended to me by my family. He is solicitor for my grandfather and my aunts. This solicitor has known my grandfather all his life and my grandfather assured me that the solicitor "would look after me." Unfortunately, totally through by own lack of assertiveness, I got steamrolled into taking on his services for the purpose of settling the claim.
He has arranged for me to see the local consultant rheumatologist and he has filled out the PIAB application form for me. He has sent a few letters to myself, the consultant and the other party's insurers. The insurance company are happy to trade medical reports etc. with him and have been co-operative.
On Friday I got a letter from him proposing his fee. €2,500 plus VAT plus €250 for postal costs. Up to now he has been very vague on how much his services were going to cost me. He simply told me that if the case is settled through PIAB that I would have to pay my own legal costs, but not if the case goes to court. I can't see how the case will go to court though - it is straightforward. I do think at our first meeting he mentioned "a couple of hundred euro" if the case wasn't going to court i.e. settled quickly.
While I understand this fee is well within normal range for this kind of work, I am aghast as I believe the value of the claim itself will be relatively small and therefore this €3,000 odd euro is a very substantial "cut" for the solicitor.
Any thoughts? Can I negotiate with him on price?