Personal Injury Specialist Solicitors

Non-fault accidents- your own insurance should not be affected

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Boyd Rice Solicitors has an experienced team of road traffic accident Solicitors who will always strive to ensure that you;

– Are not out of pocket following your accident;
– Receive a replacement vehicle;
– Obtain compensation for your injuries;
– Have the benefit of medical treatment;
– Recover any loss of earnings.

We have noticed an increasing number of clients have approached us on the basis that they feel a sense of injustice that have been asked to pay their insurance excess or, that their premium has increased, following an accident that is not their fault.

This can be avoided by contacting us immediately after your accident has occurred on 02891 817715. If you are involved in an accident over the weekend we can still help, simply email claims@boydricesolicitors.com providing a contact telephone number and we will come back to you right away.

When you contact us first we will provide you with immediate advice in respect of what to do next. We can ensure that your insurance is not affected at all by your accident and arrange for your vehicle to be assessed and subsequently repaired.

Early advice is key.

Accident at work claim solicitor

Accident at Work claim settles for £5,000

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Boyd Rice Solicitors were instructed to act on behalf of Mr M in relation to a claim for damage arising out of an accident at his place of work.

Our client at the time of the incident was working in a meat factory. He sustained a laceration to this nostril region with a knife during the process of slicing a section of beef. Immediately after his injury his right eye and the right side of his nose become swollen. He sought medical advice at the A&E Department of the Ulster Hospital, where he was referred for a CT scan. The wound was sutured, and our client has been left with a visible scar on his nose.

The employer’s insurer did not accept liability. As a result, Court proceeding were issued based on the fact that by failing to provide adequate training, our clients employer could not have ensured his safety at work. Our client’s case settled at £5,000 plus costs.

Following the successful conclusion of his claim our client commented as follows;

“Neil handled my case promptly and got me the result that I was due. I would highly recommend Boyd Rice and Neil to anyone having problems with their employer who thinks that they can walk over their workers with no repercussions!”

If you have been injured at work and would like advice, please contact us on 02891 817715, or by email claims@boydricesolicitors.com and let us explain how we can help you.

Passenger on a bus that crashed? Follow this guide

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Many of us use public transport travel to work, access local supermarkets or visit relatives. Our injury claims’ team have successfully recovered compensation for clients who have sustained injuries whilst travelling as passengers on public transport.

If you have been injured following an accident on a bus we would suggest that you take the following steps;

  1. Retain a copy of the bus ticket. If you used a smart pass keep it and record its unique identification number;
  2. Ask for the name of the bus driver, take note of the bus route and where you were sitting on the bus;
  3. Exchange contact details with other passengers;
  4. If Police attend the scene take a note of the Police incident number;
  5. Take photographs if possible of the bus and any other vehicles involved. Take note of the other vehicle’s registration number;
  6. Seek medical attention for your injuries;
  7. Contact Boyd Rice Solicitors.

We have just provided advice to the family of one of the passengers on the bus that was involved in an accident with a traffic on the Belfast Road, Newtownards at Bradshaws Brae on 16th July 2018. If you were also travelling on this bus and have sustained injuries please give us a call.We wish all involved the very best with their recovery.

Please contact one of the injury claims team on 02891 817715, or by email  claims@boydricesolicitors.com and let us explain how we can help you.

We offer a free initial consultation where we will confidentially discuss the circumstances of your accident and will assess how we can assist you in the best way possible. We use leading experts to investigate accidents and our team of medical practitioners are extremely experienced.

 

Personal Injury Specialist Solicitors

Adjustment disorder claim settles for £6,500

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Boyd Rice Solicitors were instructed to act on behalf of Mr W in relation to his injury claim. Our client instructed that he was stationary in his vehicle waiting for traffic to pass to enable him to turn safely onto Ridgeway street, Belfast when his vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle.

The Police attended the scene and our client discussed the incident with them and provided a statement.

Our client developed pain in his left wrist immediately after the incident. The following day he developed pain across his neck, shoulders and upper back. He sought medical advice a few days after the injury and received painkillers from his GP. He arranged private physiotherapy which he paid for himself. The accident had a significant psychological impact on our client and we arranged for an assessment to be carried out by a Consultant Psychiatrist who diagnosed him as suffering from an adjustment disorder with anxiety symptoms.Broadly speaking an adjustment disorder is diagnosed when an individual is unable to cope or adjust following a particularly stressful situation or significant life event.

Our client instructed us to recover the cost of physiotherapy and loss of overtime earnings together with compensation for his physical and psychiatric injuries.

Court proceedings were issued against the at fault driver as the insurance company did not accept our client’s loss of overtime claim. The case was settled out of Court in Mr W’s favour in the sum of £6,500 plus costs.

Following the successful conclusion of his claim our client commented as follows;

“Neil took all the stress out of the claim by taking the time to explain everything at every stage. He was extremely easy to contact and was quick to respond to any queries that I had throughout the duration of my case.”

If you have been involved in a serious accident it is crucial that you obtain legal advice at the earliest possible opportunity. Please contact us by phone on 02890 387060 or by email claims@boydricesolicitors.com

purchasing a house through co-ownership conveyancing law

How to get a deposit for a first home

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Some hints and tips to inspire first time buyers

Ask any aspiring first time buyer what the biggest hurdle to buying their starter home is and they will tell you it is saving up for the deposit. The average deposit need for a first-time buyer house in Northern Ireland is an eye-watering £30,435. With property prices on the increase it may seem like the dream of owning your first home is moving ever increasingly out of reach. Helpfully we have decided to provide you with some tips that may help make that dream a reality.

Move back in with the parents

Housing rents are far in excess of monthly mortgage repayments right now. Every pound you give to your landlord is a pound less saved towards your deposit. It makes perfect sense then to move back home and put what you would have spent on rent into the bank at the end of each month. The average rent here is £629 per month. Over the course of a year that is a not inconsiderable sum of £7,548. In addition you may be able to save on food, utilities, etc.

The Bank of Mum and Dad

Yes this is only available to the privileged and is unfair on those more disadvantaged but the majority of first time buyers are getting gifts to help with the deposit. Your lender will require your parents to sign a gift waiver, often with independent legal advice. One thing to be wary about, if your parents die within seven years of making the gift to you its value may still be counted towards the inheritance tax liability.

Move somewhere else

If you don’t mind a bit of a commute to work you will find that the property values vary wildly in Northern Ireland, as they say, “location, location, location”. Moving from Belfast into the commuter belt or from one county to another can get you similar properties at a fraction of the cost. This will help knock a big chunk off of your deposit.

Get a Help to Buy ISA

Don’t just save, get the government’s help. If you open up one of these ISAs (available at almost all of the high street banks) the government will boost your savings by 25%. The maximum bonus you can get is £3,000 per saver. So if you and your partner are purchasing together you could conceivable get a bonus of £6,000 between you. There is a lot of small print so make sure you take time to apprise yourself of the terms before getting involved.

Buy with Northern Ireland Co-Ownership Housing

This is a not for profit organisation with the sole purpose of making housing more affordable. In very broad terms you buy between 50% and 90% of the home you want and they buy the remaining share. You pay rent on the share that you do not own. You can then buy more shares in your property as the years go by. What this does is vastly decrease the size of the deposit you need (by up to 50%) so it is not to be sniffed at.

If you would like advice in relation to any issue regarding the purchase of a first home please give us a call on 02891 817715 or contact our property team by email at property@boydricesolicitors.com.

Personal Injury Specialist Solicitors

Office closed 11th to 13th July inclusive

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Our offices will be closed between 11th and 13th July inclusive but you can still reach us if required! If you have been in an accident and require immediate advice please email urgent@boydricesolicitors.com and we will come back to you within one hour.

Car accident claims solicitor

Pedestrian hit by lorry on Stranmillis Road, Belfast

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Boyd Rice Solicitors were instructed to act on behalf of Mr K in relation to his injury claim. Our client was walking in Stranmillis Village, South Belfast when he was hit on the back by the wing mirror of a passing lorry. He was knocked to the ground and became aware of pain in the mid back area and in the left hand at the base of his thumb. He attended the Ulster Hospital where he was diagnosed with a fracture at the base of his left thumb.  He was placed in a cast and required subsequent manipulation of the area around the thumb area.

Court proceedings were issued against the lorry driver. Liability was quickly established in our client’s favour. Following protracted negotiations the case resolved in the sum of £13,000 plus legal costs.

Our client was delighted with the outcome and commented as follows;

“Case handled very smoothly, Neil was a pleasure to deal with. “

If you have been involved in a serious accident it is crucial that you obtain legal advice at the earliest possible opportunity. Please contact us by phone on 02890 387060 or by email claims@boydricesolicitors.com