The huge financial benefit for Unite members of using the union's legal scheme
As a Unite Legal Services Scotland panel law firm, Allan McDougall Solicitors has been working for Unite the Union members and their families throughout Scotland for many decades.
We handle personal injury compensation claims for Unite members free of charge and offer members' families a free service for all personal injury claims aside from injuries sustained at work.
There is a huge financial benefit for Unite members using Unite’s legal services scheme. Here’s what that advantage is in practical terms.
How are non-Unite law firms paid for the work they do?
No win, no fee law firms enter into a success fee agreement with their client. A success fee is a one-off payment calculated as a percentage of the damages recovered. This is normally around 20% of the damages, i.e. the client receives just 80% of their compensation. In addition, they recover legal expenses from the opponent at rates fixed by the Law Society of Scotland, or fixed by the court when court action is involved.
How are Unite law firms like us paid for the work we do?
In contrast with no win, no fee firms, Unite’s panel law firms, including Allan McDougall Solicitors, do not charge members a success fee. This means members retain the full 100% of their compensation. Our fees are restricted to the fees we can recover from the opponent, either at rates fixed by the Law Society of Scotland, or fixed by the court when court action is involved.
Real-life examples of cases where members could have lost a huge amount of their compensation
- In a recent workplace accident claim we handled for a Unite member, the initial offer was £6,000. We successfully sued the employer, and the case eventually settled for £43,000. Because the referral was through Unite, the member retained the full amount. Had he signed up with a no win, no fee law firm, a success fee of around £8,000 would have been deducted from his damages, and most likely a legal expenses insurance premium deducted too.
- We also recently acted for a Unite member who had been exposed to asbestos decades ago and had very sadly developed mesothelioma, an extremely fast-growing terminal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. We urgently raised specialist court proceedings while he was still alive. After he passed away, his wife, children and grandchildren had very significant claims. Had the member instructed a no win, no fee law firm, a hefty success fee would have been deducted from his damages, and all his bereaved family members would have lost out on a large percentage of their claims.
- We are also representing a member whose adult daughter and young children were tragically killed in a road accident. The circumstances surrounding the accident were horrendous, and both children have developed significant lifelong psychiatric injuries as a consequence. Under the Unite scheme the children and all other bereaved family members will retain every penny of compensation recovered on their behalf. All the deceased’s siblings are covered by the Unite legal services scheme. Had they consulted lawyers outwith the Unite scheme, each member of the family would have lost around 20% of their damages.
Keep the full 100% of your compensation
The objective of a claim for compensation is to put the wronged person back in the position they would have been had it not been for the wrongful act. If you lose 20% from your damages, your right is not being fulfilled.
When the claim arises from serious accidents, not receiving the full 100% will have a lifelong effect on quality of life. The no win, no fee lawyer’s percentage will be coming out of large sums of damages intended to compensate the person for future loss of earnings, or future care costs, or future treatment costs. Often those same people deeply regret consulting lawyers other than through Unite’s legal scheme when they see the eye-watering sums of money that they are losing from their compensation.
Make sure you receive what you deserve by using Unite Legal Services if you’re ever claiming compensation for an injury or accident.
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Allan McDougall
With you every step of the way.
What our clients say
- Jackie Raitt conducted my personal injury case timeously, professionally and compassionately.
R.D. - My claim was dealt with very quickly by Stephen Irvine and Fiona Fraser from start to finish. Everything was so straightforward and easy to understand. Very happy.
L.H. - Fiona Fraser was always kind, polite and willing to answer any questions I had regarding my claim. I feel she fought for me in order to get the best result. Overall very happy with my experience.
E.A.
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