Win solicitors want £6000 from me. Do I have to pay?

Original post by Nikki.19

I was in a crash with my boyfriend a few years back, at the time win solicitors. They told me I had a claim, took statements and done all the things they do. I had a whiplash claim. It’s been 3 years and they have been saying all along we will win we will win as the other party went into the back of our car when we were stationary in a car park. The other party said we were not injured because she was travelling so slow. However she wasn’t and she left the scene and we took pictures and got her number plate as she left. She’s twisted the story as best as she can. We were going to trail and 1 day before the trail our solicitor said we should back down as we will loose and the judge will find fundamental dishonesty about the injuries. I know for sure I was injured which is of course in my medical record. So we took her advice and backed down as she said we would face imprisonment which scared us. Now we get a letter for £6000 each to pay for all the legal fees! Even though the company said we had a claim, had statements from the start and still said we have a claim for 4 years until 1 day before the trail and then told us we should back down immediately before the trail.

I don’t have £6000……. Even if I did. Surly I don’t actually have to pay this???

Did you read the contract you signed? What did it say?

Reply 2

Nikki.19

OP

4

Original post by IWMTom

Did you read the contract you signed? What did it say?

It was about 300 pages long but they assured me no win no fee

Reply 3

Original post by Nikki.19

It was about 300 pages long but they assured me no win no fee

There's probably an exclusion that says if you pull out during the process then you're liable for all costs up to that point...

Don't sign contracts without reading them.

Reply 4

StriderHort

Yeah that sounds weird as hell?

Why on Gods Green Earth did you just skip to 'So we took her advice...'? You didn't query this advice? at all? even the bits that make no sense? They didn't give you an explanation? The way you describe it you've basically said 'oh, ok then' and walked away without an argument.

Reply 5

PhoenixFortune

Original post by Nikki.19

It was about 300 pages long but they assured me no win no fee

So you signed a document you didn't read, and then without question followed the advice of the solicitor (who presumably knew that they could then charge you if you followed their advice)?

Well of course it's no win no fee. The solicitor told you to withdraw before it even got before a judge, therefore diverting the win/no win situation so that they could get money out of you. If you had gone to court and lost, the solicitor wouldn't see a penny (if was truly no win no fee).

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 6

Surnia

Sounds like you got £££ in your eyes and didn't do proper research. How did you choose this solicitor? Why didn't you read the contract? Why didn't you ask questions about the whole process?

"No win no fee" doesn't mean you get the services of a solicitor for free if the case doesn't make if to court, unless you were told it was pro bono. They've spent time on this case, they may have consulted other experts, so the fact that they've said it's for legal fees yes, you need to pay.

The only thing you could do if you're not happy with the way the case was handled, as in the late withdrawal from court, is to report it to the Legal Ombudsman, but you'd need to provide lots of evidence in writing.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 7

Zarek

Universities Forum Helper

Depends what you signed. Also shows the risks of claims greed. You might need another solicitor to fight this solicitor

Reply 8

mnot

Oh dear, sounds like you’ve been scammed.

I suspect if you could prove the lawyer has ill advised you so they can line their own pockets you could probably get them disbarred but I also suspect they are some back street firm who have mastered this scam.

I really don’t know what you could do, perhaps consult a more reputable lawyer.

Reply 9

Original post by mnot

Oh dear, sounds like you’ve been scammed.

I suspect if you could prove the lawyer has ill advised you so they can line their own pockets you could probably get them disbarred but I also suspect they are some back street firm who have mastered this scam.

I really don’t know what you could do, perhaps consult a more reputable lawyer.

Winn's is a pretty reputable firm in the North East...

https://www.winnsolicitors.com/

Reply 10

Surnia

Original post by IWMTom

Winn's is a pretty reputable firm in the North East...

https://www.winnsolicitors.com/

Or it's exactly as the OP spelt it and it's Win Solicitors in Batley?

Reply 11

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Surnia

Or it's exactly as the OP spelt it and it's Win Solicitors in Batley?

Doesn't help that it didn't appear until the second page of Google.... :laugh:

Reply 12

Stumpy1001

19

Original post by Nikki.19

I was in a crash with my boyfriend a few years back, at the time win solicitors. They told me I had a claim, took statements and done all the things they do. I had a whiplash claim. It’s been 3 years and they have been saying all along we will win we will win as the other party went into the back of our car when we were stationary in a car park. The other party said we were not injured because she was travelling so slow. However she wasn’t and she left the scene and we took pictures and got her number plate as she left. She’s twisted the story as best as she can. We were going to trail and 1 day before the trail our solicitor said we should back down as we will loose and the judge will find fundamental dishonesty about the injuries. I know for sure I was injured which is of course in my medical record. So we took her advice and backed down as she said we would face imprisonment which scared us. Now we get a letter for £6000 each to pay for all the legal fees! Even though the company said we had a claim, had statements from the start and still said we have a claim for 4 years until 1 day before the trail and then told us we should back down immediately before the trail.

I don’t have £6000……. Even if I did. Surly I don’t actually have to pay this???

Good life lesson here . RTFC . Read the ****ing contract.

Reply 13

Admit-One