Bad practice

[Shabba]

I need to find out if i can "get out" of a no win no fee compensation claim.

I had an accident at work last January that involved me being off work for three weeks. My claim is modest (loss of earnings + injury) and was being dealt with to my satisfaction by a local solicitor (i didn't go to those telly ads offering thousands for nothing).

I recieved a letter the other day from another solicitors claiming to have taken over the practice but they have lost records from my local doctor and the hospital that i attended. They have also lost my earnings given by my employee that lead back 3 months before the accident occured. I should also add that the take-over demands i pay an insurance premium of £750 to cover court costs? I was assured that i would pay nothing under the no win no fee contract that i signed with the previous firm.

As the practice i signed to no longer exists, do i have any rights in regard to cancelling said conctract drawn up by them?

I do intend to seek the help from the CAB but if anybody has been through the same i'd appreciate some advice from them.

[Paul]

I would tell them to take a running jump. They are trying to extort money from you, and are clearly incompetant as well - "losing" all your records.

[Shabba]

£75 quid so far. 50 for the hospital and 25 for the local doctors.

I've been reading through my contract and it does state that if i pull out of the agreement then i will have to pay my solicitors costs for services rendered but surely that was only between myself and the solicitors that i went to in the first place?

[cookie_365]

The new firm will be acting as agents for the Law Society on behalf of the partners of the original firm.

Of course they're allowed to bill for the work that was done for you.

If the original firm's papers were so bad that the agents don't have important documents then they may not even show the actual terms you originally agree to when you instructed them (though I doubt it).

Its highly unlikely that they're trying to extort money from you, and the Law Society doesn't usually instruct incompetent firms as agents ;)

Speak to whichever solicitor has taken over your case and explain your situation to them.

Didn't they explain all of this when they first contacted you anyway?

[Shabba]

The practice i was involved with was taken over on December 1st 2005. The first i heard was yesterday morning when i recieved a letter from a FILEX with no other contact details.