Frequently asked questions about Action for Blind People's Legal Helpline

Answers to some of your frequently asked questions about Action's Legal Helpline:

How will I pay for my legal case?

There are a range of ways in which your legal case may be 'funded'.

If you are thinking of contacting a solicitor, try to establish whether you can benefit from some form of insurance or access to assistance with your legal costs, before your first meeting or full discussion of your case. For example, you may be a member of a trade or other membership organisation or you might have the benefit of a legal expenses policy linked or attached to your home or contents insurance policy. Always check with any motor policy you might have, to see if there is any legal expenses benefit attached, and have a look at your credit cards to see if there is any benefit available to you as a cardholder.

If you have no form of legal expenses insurance or other access to the services of a specialist solicitor, your solicitor may be able to offer to act for you under a Conditional Fee Agreement, more commonly known as 'No Win, No Fee'. This will depend on the facts of your case. You may also be eligible for legal aid but this will depend on your income and capital.

If you need to be represented in court proceedings, a Public Funding Certificate may be available to you. Our Legal Helpline solicitors will be able to advise you whether you qualify. In any event, it is very important that you make sure you clearly understand the detail of the funding arrangement you enter into with your solicitor and you should not hesitate to raise any questions that you have.

Action for Blind People works with the Legal Helpline law firms to ensure that good deals are available for the running of legal claims for visually impaired people who use the service.

Do I need a specialist lawyer to act for me?

Many firms of solicitors advertise their services and may have departments that act for people who have personal injury, employment, community care or housing problems. In all these areas, however, it is very important that you seek the advice and assistance of a solicitor from a specialist company.

Which companies are involved in the Legal Helpline ?

Action for Blind People is working with three law firms to provide the Action for Blind People Legal Helpline. These are:

• Leigh Day & Co
• Palmer Wade
• Pierce Glynn

These three firms are acknowledged specialists in dealing with cases involving people with disabilities.

How does the Legal Helpline partnership work?

The Action for Blind People Legal Helpline comprises some of the country’s leading law firms who have a national reputation and who specialise in personal injury, clinical negligence, human rights, employment and housing. Most importantly the Helpline partners have great experience working on behalf of visually impaired people and people with other serious disabilities.

With renowned levels of expertise, the Legal Helpline lawyers understand that visually impaired people face difficulties in many areas of life and are committed to ensuring that you receive sympathetic and effective legal advice. Our Legal Helpline partners have a proven track record of obtaining successful outcomes in the areas of employment, housing and human rights law, and high levels of compensation in claims for people with personal injuries, whether as a result of accidents or clinical negligence. We continue to work with them to provide a good quality legal service to people with a sight loss.

Who benefits from the Legal Helpline?

The Legal Helpline law firms maintain contact with Action for Blind People to update them concerning legal issues. In this way the partnership between the Legal Helpline and Action for Blind People is one that is developing to the benefit of Action for Blind People’s client group.

Can I use my own Solicitor?

You are of course totally at liberty to choose another solicitor to advise you in relation to your case, and you can find a suitable one by contacting the Law Society.