What Happens if You Lose a No Win No Fee Case?

Taylors Solicitors
Sep 4, 2018 · 2 min read

No win No fee claims are almost everywhere, mostly in types of cases that include workers compensation and road injury claims. This claim is likely to offer a lot of advantages, but is it really risk-free if you lose? Most of the firms that have this deal are risky, since they may still ask for hidden charges that may get you empty-handed.

Beware of Hidden Costs

No win, no fee is something that should speak for itself, if you lose, you don’t have any fees to pay. However, some firms offer this type of deal but have hidden risks included in their agreements, such as a hidden fee. For example, once your case goes to court and you fail, you are expected to pay the side costs and other expenses.

Below are the steps of what can possibly happen to your case if it loses on or before the court :

If the case ends before going to court

Most of those compensation cases together with a no win no fee lawyer are resolved before reaching the court. At this stage, if you lose, the law firm you are into should not ask for a fee from you (that’s why you must read the terms and agreements carefully to avoid hidden costs).

  • The ‘no win, no fee’ agreement means you don’t owe any money for legal fees to your law firm
  • The insurer does not have the power to charge you for their costs as the case is not in court.
  • Most law firms will not pass on their so-called ‘outgoings’ on the case such as expert medical reports they had produced for the case.

If your case is unsuccessful in this stage then your no win no fee lawyer may end their part in this claim or proceed to the court. And this is where the claims have come to higher risks.

If your case ends up in court

Once your case ends up in court and it loses, these are the fees that you may cover :

  • The other side (insurer) can apply to the court for you to be liable for your costs. These fees may be paid by you and not by your law firm, some of these claims may reach up to six-figure amounts.
  • In some cases, it is even possible that your law firm may pass on extra charges they incurred along the way such as medical reports and on occasions even post and printing costs.
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