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Defending Personal Injury Claims

We are able to help clients who have had claims brought against them for personal injuries and may have issues with the validity or adequacy of their insurance.

Usually claims can be defended by a client’s public liability, employer liability or other relevant insurance and, whilst George Ide does not act directly for insurance companies, there may be circumstances in which insurers are unable or unwilling to help and this can arise in some of the following situations:

A client has no insurance cover
Where the client has an excess on their insurance policy and the value of the claim is likely to fall under the excess figure
Where a client has an indemnity limit and the value of the claim exceeds that limit
Where insurance has been denied due to, for example, a breach of the insurance contract such as late notification or other material breach
Particularly in construction site claims where a client has the wrong kind of insurance and there is a dispute as to the employment status of a contractor
Rare cases where an insurer has gone into liquidation

We have assisted clients who have had claims against them in the following circumstances:

Road traffic collisions, including claims against cyclists
Accidents on construction sites
Accidents in the workplace
Occupier Liability claims
Trips and slips on client property

We would be happy to talk to anyone who may have concerns about any claims made against them in any of these or similar circumstances.

George Ide LLP. We're on your side

Contact our personal injury team

To find out more about our expert personal injury team and for further information about all aspects of our comprehensive personal injury service, contact one of our specialists directly using the contact details below.

Paul Fretwell | Partner

Head of Personal Injury

01243 812405 paul.fretwell@georgeide.co.uk

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Paul Lewis | Partner

01243 812408 paul.lewis@georgeide.co.uk

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Rachel Strange - Personal Injury Specialist

Rachel Strange | Associate Solicitor

Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence

01243 786 668 rachel.strange@georgeide.co.uk

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Aneta King | Solicitor

Personal Injury

01243 812418 aneta.king@georgeide.co.uk

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Ria Tallack | Paralegal

Personal Injury

01243 812447 ria.tallack@georgeide.co.uk

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Catherine Gidda | Assistant to the Personal Injury Department

Personal Injury

01243 786 668 catherine.gidda@georgeide.co.uk

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Client Testimonials

“In an age of ever larger firms of solicitors, George Ide LLP stands out as a beacon of truly personal service against the backdrop of warm and welcoming staff. Not only does Paul Fretwell possess real expertise in high value personal injury claims, he brings charm and real commitment to everything he does. No Claimant could be other than impressed by his willingness to go that extra yard in their cause. The legal industry would be a better place if there were more like both the firm and Paul Fretwell.”

Will Waldron QC

Paul Fretwell

I have received the final settlement cheque and I am happy with this. Thanks again for your services. You’ve been excellent in every way. I would recommend you to anyone. Thanks.

Fazal Mahmood Chishty

Paul Lewis

How can I just say thank you, if I say it a hundred times it wouldn’t be enough. What you have achieved is unbelievable, I never imagined the compensation would amount to anything like that, if you recall, I once asked you if I might get another £27.000 making a grand total of £100.000, than I truly thought I could possibly get between £150.000 and £200.000 and I’d have been happy, so you can imagine how shocked and thrilled I was when the figure was doubled.

When I left your offices I was almost in tears, it didn’t feel right saying goodbye, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend, which I feel you’ve been. I don’t know how I’d have got through the last couple of years without your input, I didn’t even know I was entitled to compensation until you told me, which also means no rehab either. I can’t begin to imagine the mess I’d be in now.

I will be eternally grateful Paul for all you have done.

Best wishes

Sue

Paul Fretwell

I contacted George Ide LLP by recommendation when my husband was involved in a severe accident as a pedestrian almost 4 years ago. In the very early days Paul Fretwell visited us at home and was an immense support through what turned out to be a very difficult case. Paul immediately knew my husband’s injuries were life-changing and throughout he dealt with it in the most holistic way possible, including instructing the best counsel and experts, to ensure the most positive outcome for us.
Paul takes a practical and pragmatic, but supportive approach. For the duration of our claim he was unfailingly responsive, always communicating legal detail clearly and concisely, which was important given my husband’s cognitive restrictions and fatigue issues. We would absolutely recommend Paul and George Ide LLP to anyone dealing with the legal aftermath of a severe accident.

Martin & Lynne Gowers

Paul Fretwell

Hi Paul. Thank you for your email and all your help over the past 2 years you’ve been fantastic and I would highly recommend you to anyone, I will of course let you no when I revive the funds and couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Kind regards,

Sam Halliwell

Paul Lewis

From the moment I contacted you the service has been amazing. You responded to my first enquiry over a bank holiday weekend and followed it up in detail on the Tuesday. That personal touch emphasised that the service was above and beyond, and has continued to be so ever since. That call literally saved my life in more ways than I can mention.

Rusty Brown

Paul Fretwell

Jasmine has told me that she has now settled and that she can move on with her life.

I would just like to write a brief note of genuine heartfelt thanks from all of us involved. Your company was recommended by a good family friend who works in the BH1 postcode area, at a time when most of us were either in shock or at a loss about how to proceed.

From our very first communication, and the day of your visit to Jasmine’s Mum’s house, you have been thoroughly professional whilst being incredibly caring. You personally, no doubt with the assistance of your team, have allowed Jasmine the opportunity to recover at her own speed, with the assistance of the full spectrum of the medical world, to a point where I honestly believe that she is in a better state mentally and confidence-wise than she was even before the accident.

I would have no hesitation in recommending your Company to anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves in a similar situation.

It is common for people who are expert in their field to state that “I was only doing my job” – well, in this case, I am very glad that it was you who handled Jasmine’s case.

With many Kind Regards

John & Paula Gerken

Paul Fretwell

I don’t have enough words to describe how helpful, professional and supportive you have been, at a very stressful time for me. I feel really lucky to have had you as my solicitor. Your service was superb; it just could not have been better.

Paul Fretwell

I just wanted to say thank you again for all your efforts on my behalf, your resilience has been outstanding! Thanks to you, and the funds you secured, the process with Dorset has started already, and my new limb should be in my possession on October 4th (within a fortnight!) with the Echelon VT foot. This foot has a greater ankle bend which should help with the hill walking. I am also in much greater comfort in travelling in more testing conditions (when weather is wet especially), with the recent replacement of the 4wd car. This car will be especially useful when we intend to holiday in France with our friends during the winter months. Obviously my thanks are also extended to Lizzy and Karen for their efforts also! With very best wishes and thanks for your ongoing support,

Rusty Brown

Paul Fretwell

Dear Mr Lewis. First of all I would like to say a huge thank you to you and your team about the hard work, time and money which you spent to deal with my claim. I agree with you that the settlement is reasonable enough and I know that you’ve did your best to get it.

Plamen Krastev

Paul Lewis

I would like to say a huge thank you to Paul (with the fantastic assistance of Karen and Lizzy especially) for the support and kindness throughout my claim as well as the superb outcome that he obtained for me.

I am in no doubt that I would never have achieved the result without the dedication, experience and can do attitude of Paul and the team. Their caring attitude, sensitivity and professionalism shined throughout the entire process. Despite the other side initially denying liability, Paul fought tirelessly on my behalf, to ensure they provided what they should do, thus allowing me to get back to as near a normal life as quickly and safely as possible. Right from the first point of contact (and I first met Paul from my hospital bed), the service was outstanding and second to none, the communication was excellent, and I was never in doubt as to what was happening, and why. I truly believe my subsequent recovery is down to the fact that I was guided so well by Paul and his team, and him obtaining the opinions of the experts he did.

The support was amazing, as was the end result, which has ensured I am able to continue to press on with my every day life without worry of what lies ahead, despite the disability I now have. I really cannot recommend Paul and is team enough, I would suggest to anyone that is in need of a personal injury solicitor to give Paul a call, it really would make all the difference.

Rusty Brown.

Paul Fretwell

Both Michael and I are very grateful for your good wishes and for the continued support that both you and all your colleagues at George Ide have given us through this process.
If, for any reason, we find ourselves in need of legal advice we would most definitely make your company our first choice and would also have every confidence in recommending you to others.
Wishing you every continued success in the future. Kindest Regards

Jan and Michael Gosling

Paul Lewis