Both Tony and No Win No Fee offer great advice.
In answer to your question as to whether the offer of Â?1,500.00 is reasonable it is simply impossible to say without having had sight of your medical report. However, the Judicial Studies Board guidlines (10th) edition can provide a starting point for considering the value of your claim. A soft tissue injury to the back which takes 2 years to resolve can mean a settlement up to Â?5,150.00, if the pain persists for up to 5 years then this figure can increase to Â?8,250.00. You will see therefore that the valuation of your claim can vary significantly dependant upon how long it takes for you to recover and as you are still symptomatic it is too early to consider settlement.
If you have any concerns as to the advice that you have been provided by your current representative you are entitled to transfer solicitors at no charge. You may well find that your claim is not actually being handled by a qualified solicitor but rather a claims handler or paralegal will be dealing with your claim (if you are unsure ask them directly as it is an offence to hold yourself out as a solicitor if you are not). This can often mean that the additional aspects of your claim (special damages which includes loss of earnigs etc) which can also substantially effect the value of your claim are not properly considered, e.g. I recently took over a claim from another solicitor who advised the client to accept Â?8,000.00. Following a review of the special damages claim and updating the medical evidence the case subsequently settled for Â?74,000.00.
Best of luck.
