If you run your own business or work for yourself in Lancashire, an injury does not just affect your health. It can mean turning work away, paying someone to cover for you, or watching contracts go to competitors while you recover. A personal injury claim is often what keeps your business afloat during that time.
So when the solicitor firm handling that claim suddenly closes, the worry is twofold: what happens to your case, and what happens to the money your business is relying on? The good news is that your claim can usually continue, and you have the right to choose the solicitor who takes it forward.
Why business owners’ claims need extra care
For an employee, lost earnings can often be shown with a few payslips. For a sole trader, company director or partner, it is rarely that simple. Your claim may include:
- Lost profits while you were unable to work
- The cost of replacement staff or subcontractors brought in to cover for you
- Lost contracts or customers that went elsewhere
- Future loss of earnings if your injury limits what you can do long term
- Care, travel and treatment costs alongside compensation for the injury itself
Proving these losses depends on detailed evidence such as accounts, tax returns, invoices, bank statements and sometimes a report from a forensic accountant. If your previous firm has closed, it is worth checking that this evidence has been gathered properly and that nothing has been missed.
What happens when a solicitor firm closes?
Some firms close in an orderly way, passing their files to another practice. Others are closed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) through an intervention. In that case, an intervention agent is appointed to secure client files and money, but it does not continue running your claim.
Either way, your claim will need a new solicitor. You may receive a letter saying your file has been transferred elsewhere. That does not necessarily mean you have to stay there. You can generally choose a different firm, subject to any existing funding or contractual arrangements.
Don’t let deadlines slip while you’re running a business
Business owners are busy people, and it is easy for a letter about a closed solicitor to sit unopened on the desk. Please don’t let it. Most personal injury claims must be started within three years, and any court timetable continues to run regardless of what has happened to your solicitor.
If your claim was close to settling, or if court proceedings had already been issued, acting quickly is even more important.
Your wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney
A closed firm may also have held your will, a Lasting Power of Attorney or other important documents. For business owners, these matter a great deal. An LPA can allow someone you trust to keep your business affairs running if you are ever unable to.
When the SRA closes a firm, original wills and deeds are usually moved to the SRA’s archive. If you are not sure where yours are, it is worth finding out. It may also be a good time to review whether they still reflect your business and family circumstances. We prepare wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney face to face at our Preston office.
A local firm for Lancashire business owners
Marley Solicitors is based at 287 Station Road, Bamber Bridge, Preston. We act for clients across Preston, Blackburn, Blackpool, Chorley, Leyland, Lancaster, Burnley and the wider county, and you are welcome to see us in person.
We understand that as a business owner, your time is valuable. If we take on your claim, you will deal with one named member of our team, supervised by a solicitor, from start to finish. No call centres and no being passed around.
If your previous solicitor has closed, we can:
- Find out who holds your file and request it if we agree to act.
- Check for urgent deadlines.
- Review the evidence of your business losses and identify any gaps.
- Explain your existing funding agreement in plain terms.
- Tell you honestly whether we can take your claim on.
Where we can act, we work on a no win, no fee basis, with any success fee set out in writing before you sign.
What to do next
- Locate your file. Check recent letters or emails for the name of the firm or intervention agent now holding it.
- Pull together your business records. Accounts, tax returns and invoices from before and after your injury will help a new solicitor.
- Note any deadlines. Court dates and limitation periods still apply.
- Check your wills and LPAs. Find out where your originals are held.
- Get advice before signing anything new.
Speak to Marley Solicitors today
If you own a business in Lancashire and your solicitor has closed, call us on 01772 282600 or request a call back. We will look at where your claim stands and talk you through your options, so you can get back to running your business.
Please note: whether a new solicitor can take over your claim depends on the circumstances of your case, any existing agreements and applicable legal requirements. This blog provides general information and is not a substitute for individual legal advice.