Need a personal injury advocate? Always do it!
Have you personal injury ? And are you dealing with an insurance company? Always engage an advocate . It's in your best interest and costs you nothing!
Personal injury advocate
If you an injury , you're entitled to compensation. But should you take on the liable insurer yourself? Or should you engage a personal injury advocate (read: expert help)?
An advocate is someone who is there solely for you. Someone who is solely on your side, helping you, and advising you. Someone who thinks only of your interests!
He also knows all about personal injury and understands the kind of support you need. This way, he ensures you receive the compensation you're entitled to. "We're passionate about you and we're hard on the case," that's what we stand for.
Why do I need an advocate?
In the event of personal injury, you almost always have to deal with an insurance company. They are responsible for compensating you for your damages. They are your "opposing party.".
Because you know nothing about personal injury, you can't know whether the insurance company is right or wrong. These are important decisions. Your health, your damages, and even your financial future.
What if the insurer doesn't adequately compensate you for your damages? Or what if they want to "buy out" your case, even though that might not be in your best interest?
Then you need an advocate who will ensure your interests are handled fairly. Otherwise, you'll be left empty-handed.
Only with the help of an advocate can you be sure you get what you're entitled to. That you don't miss out on anything. Your advocate will guide you through the entire process of your personal injury claim, from determining fault (liability) to the medical assessment of your injury and the financial settlement.
All you need to do is focus on your recovery and well-being. We 'll help you with the rest. Together, we'll ensure fair and just compensation. And that won't cost you anything. By law, the costs of an advocate must also be reimbursed by the other party, separate and apart from your own personal injury. This is stipulated in Article 6.96 of the Dutch Civil Code.
When is the best time to engage an advocate?
We have already helped many thousands of people before you with their personal injury claims. That is why we know that it is best to engage a personal injury advocate right away. Even if the question of fault (liability) does not seem to be an issue. Because only then can you be certain that you will not face legal or financial surprises, and know that there is someone right from the start who is looking out for your interests alone.
As a personal injury advocate, we can assist with, for example:
You can engage a personal advocate if you and the other party disagree about liability. This is also true if liability isn't an issue. It's always best to engage a personal injury advocate if:
- you as a self-employed person, temporary worker, during your probationary period or on a zero-hours contract, suffer financial damage immediately after an accident because you are no longer able to work
- your salary is not paid in full in the event of incapacity for work
- your injury already incurs medical costs
- you need a lot of help and care
- the recovery from your injury may take a long time
- you are unsure about your recovery and being able to return to work
- the insurance company itself advises to engage an advocate
- the insurer thinks differently about the amount of your compensation than you do
- your (minor) son or daughter suffers injury
- there is a back injury, neck injury, whiplash or neck complaints
- there are bone fractures or head injuries
- there are burns or other injuries that will not heal within a few days or weeks.
What are the costs of an advocate?
In principle, the other party must also reimburse the costs of your legal representative. This is stipulated in the law (Article 6:96 of the Dutch Civil Code). "In principle" because the law stipulates two requirements:
- liability must be acknowledged by the other party and
- the costs of the advocate must be reasonable.
Every representative handles these criteria in their “own way.” We have made a conscious choice in this regard. At the start of their personal injury claim, we promise our clients that our assistance will be completely free of charge .
Why do we do this? It's simple: you already have enough to worry about after an accident. You're already suffering financial losses. Would you also risk having to pay our costs? For example, if liability cannot be (fully) established legally? Or if our costs are too high?
At the start of the process, we'll work with you to assess your liability. If we believe liability is accepted, we'll start working on your behalf and guarantee in writing that our work will not cost you anything.
If, against all expectations, liability cannot be determined, or if the other party does not (fully) reimburse our costs for some other reason, you will not receive an invoice from us. We promise you that!
If liability is accepted, you'll receive 100% compensation for your own personal injury. In addition, our costs will be covered by the other party. How safe and secure can it be?
What should I look for when choosing an advocate?
It's important for you that your advocate is affiliated with the Personal Injury Quality Mark (actually called the Personal Injury Register). The Personal Injury Quality Mark was established to prevent "unsuspecting personal injury victims" from engaging with incompetent or even dishonest legal professionals.
A personal injury law firm with the Personal Injury Quality Mark meets the highest and strictest expertise requirements, just like the Dutch Bar Association and other personal injury lawyers.
Furthermore, you should be wary of firms and personal injury lawyers that operate on a "no cure, no fee" basis. This almost always means you'll pay more than with a firm that carries the Personal Injury Quality Mark.
If an attorney wants to enter into a comprehensive and complicated agreement with you, you might wonder if you're dealing with the right party. Such agreements are often full of "fine print," and you can never be certain that the attorney's services are completely free of charge.
Can you help me further?
Of course, we can assist you as a personal injury advocate. Want to know more about your personal injury claim? Or are you wondering if you should hire an advocate? Feel free to contact us. It's completely free and without obligation. Together, we'll explore the specifics of your personal injury claim and what's best for you. If we think we can help, we'll let you know right away. You can then decide for yourself what to do with our advice . And if we do help, we'll promise you in writing that our assistance will be completely free of charge.
How can I ask you my question?
How can you ask us your questions? You can do so by phone, WhatsApp, the form, the personal injury test, or by email. Whatever works best for you.
About the author
The information on this page was written by Floris de Bruin, a specialist in liability and personal injury. The content of this page fully complies with the requirements of the National Quality Mark for Personal Injury (NKL).
What customers ask
Is your help really free for me?
Absolutely, our help is truly FREE.
Your counterparty is also obligated to reimburse your legal costs (i.e., our firm's fees). This is stipulated by law (Section 6:96 of the Dutch Civil Code).
At Van der Toorn Personal Injury, you'll receive a written cost guarantee upfront with a clear explanation. This also clearly states what you can expect from us and what we can expect from you.
We guarantee that the liable party will reimburse our costs. If they don't, it's our business risk. You'll never receive a bill from us. We promise!
Still unsure? Just contact us. We'd be happy to explain how our cost guarantee works.
If you'd like to learn more about our FREE personal injury assistance, click here. Clarity is paramount!
When can I claim personal injury damages?
You can claim damages for personal injury if you have suffered an injury (been injured) due to the fault of another person
Personal injury can be caused by, for example:
In addition, you may think of injuries sustained during:
- organized trip
- unsafe product or
- fall at someone else's home, in a shop or on the street
It's best not to wait too long to file a personal injury claim. It's best to do so immediately after the accident.
Even if it is not yet clear at that time what your injury and its financial consequences consist of.
However, someone else must liable and must have taken out liability insurance for this (AVP/AVB/WA).
However, even if you caused the accident yourself, you can sometimes still claim compensation for personal injury. For example, if you SVI (Passenger Injury Insurance) or SVO (Opzittende Inschadende).
Are you unsure whether and when you are entitled to personal injury compensation?
Don't hesitate to contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation. It's free , and you'll know exactly where you stand. Afterward, you can decide for yourself what to do with our advice.
What injuries do you treat?
We can actually help you with all types of personal injury
Van der Toorn Personal Injury can help you with all types of injuries. We specialize in handling "serious personal injuries," such as:
- brain injury (ABI)
- spinal cord injury
- burns
- dystrophy
- bone fractures and
- cosmetic injury.
But of course, we are also very happy to be there for you if someone else has sustained an injury. Such as neck injuries, whiplash, back injuries, bruises, sprains, dog bites, temporary injuries, and you name it.
We cannot help with all types of personal injury
The only thing we cannot help you with is personal injury caused by:
- violence
- medical errors and/or
- situations of abuse.
In that situation, we will of course refer you to a party that is specialized in this.
Always request free, no-obligation advice on personal injury claims
Do you have questions about your personal injury? Or are you unsure if we're the right place for you?
Please do not hesitate to ask us for a complete and free, no-obligation personal injury claim consultation.
When should I contact you?
You don't have to! But it's in your best interest to contact us as soon as possible
Only then can you be certain that there is someone who thinks solely of your interests . Because that is our job: thinking of *your* interests.
But what is: as quickly as possible?
Sometimes an insurance company will contact you very shortly after the accident. They'll ask how you're doing and also ask for all sorts of other information.
You cannot know whether that insurer is asking “too many questions” from a legal perspective. About your health before the accident and which doctors you visited. You would rather avoid that, wouldn't you? So never wait too long to engage a personal injury firm.
It's also likely that you'll quickly incur significant expenses . Or your incomemay disappear. We'll handle the initial damage payments from the other party. Then you can focus on your recovery.
Would you like to know what's best for you? Don't hesitate to contact us , without obligation
We'll give you clear advice right away . Then you can decide for yourself what to do with it.
If we think we can help you, we will let you know right away.
At the same time, we guarantee that our legal assistance completely free of charge .
To learn more about our FREE personal injury assistance services, click here.
What personal injury compensation amounts am I entitled to?
The personal injury compensation amounts you are entitled to are:
Allowances for additional assistance, such as:
- household help, shopping, taking children to school, etc.
- help in the garden and
- help with the maintenance and painting of your home.
In addition, your personal injury may have consequences for your income, such as:
- income that is not fully paid (self-employed person, temporary worker, zero-hour contract, etc.)
- no more irregular hours allowance
- no longer being able to work overtime
- missed promotions and
- missed pension accrual
Finally, you can consider other equally important personal injury compensation amounts, such as:
- Study delay
- Reintegration costs for guidance to other work
- Costs associated with admission to a hospital or rehabilitation center
- Travel expenses
- Medical expenses
- Non-pecuniary damages
- Economic vulnerability
- Statutory interest
- Furthermore, all costs that you would not have incurred without the accident…
- For example, the wages you did not receive because you could not go to work.
- Gasoline because you had to go to the hospital or the physiotherapist.
- Medicines that were covered by your deductible.
In addition, you are always entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, also known as non-material damages.
This is compensation for "loss of enjoyment of life." Your damages should compensate you for your grief, pain, and anything else that might have made you less happy than before the accident.
Unfortunately, Dutch law is not generous in awarding damages for pain and suffering. Therefore, the amounts awarded in the Netherlands are not considered "fair enough.".
If you'd like to learn more about non-pecuniary damages, click here. If you'd like to learn more about personal injury damages, click here.
Calculating non-pecuniary damages
Calculating non-pecuniary damages:
You are always entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. This is the "non-pecuniary component" of your personal injury compensation.
What is non-pecuniary damages?
Pain and suffering compensation is not in itself a “hard legal term”. It is compensation for damage that cannot be expressed in monetary terms.
So, everything that doesn't fall under additional costs or lost income. It's essentially compensation for your "mental damage.".
How to calculate non-pecuniary damages
People often ask us at the very beginning of their personal injury case how much compensation they are entitled to.
That question is actually impossible to answer. And any personal injury lawyer who claims otherwise is mistaken.
When can you calculate my non-pecuniary damages?
Your compensation for pain and suffering can only be definitively determined at the end of your personal injury case.
Only then will it be known what psychological consequences your injury has had and/or will have for you.
Because it is the psychological consequences that largely determine your compensation for non-pecuniary damages.
Important factors in calculating non-pecuniary damages
Important factors for calculating your non-pecuniary damages include:
- the nature of your injury
- the severity of your injury
- your age
- your gender
- your level of consciousness
- whether you will have permanent scars and where those scars are located
- whether you have physical limitations that affect your quality of life
- how much pain have you suffered and continue to suffer
- how long your recovery period was and
- whether you have recovered at all or whether there is permanent damage.
Indication calculation of non-pecuniary damages:
We cannot predict exactly how much your compensation for non-pecuniary damages will be.
What we can do is give you a general indication of the amount of your compensation for pain and suffering.
If this sounds appealing, contact us today for a free, honest consultation. Afterward, you can decide for yourself what to do with it.
We are happy to help you calculate and claim your compensation for pain and suffering and other personal injury damages, such as your additional costs and lost income.
And if you choose our legal assistance, we guarantee you in writing in advance that our assistance will always FREE .
Calculating non-pecuniary damages? Ask for advice! We're happy to help. Want to know more about calculating non-pecuniary damages? Click here.
Stories from the field
I received excellent help with my personal injury claim and it cost me nothing!
One Sunday, I was hit by a car. A car didn't give me the right of way and hit my right leg. I fell off my bike and immediately knew something was wrong.
The ambulance took me to the hospital. I had to have surgery right away. Pins and plates in my leg, almost a year of rehabilitation, but it never fully recovered.
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