John Roper
When asked; "What is a typical day like in the role of a Personal Injury Paralegal?", there is no easy way to answer other than using the cliché buzzwords such as: "varied", "challenging" and "rewarding". Whilst these words are very true and fitting to the role, I do not believe they give a proper insight into what the work entails.
Whilst the work is varied and no two days are the same, there are pieces of work which you shall invariably tackle more than once during the week. Within this blog, I do not intend to set out a typical day in the role, as the very nature of the work means that no day is "typical", however, I shall set out some of the core things I do, to give further insight into the role:
Emails
Whilst I started this blog by saying no day is typical; every day shall include checking and responding to emails and general case management work.
As a Personal Injury Paralegal, it is very important to keep on top of emails and respond to any query that arises, whether that be medical appointment updates, insurer responses, court directions, or a general query from a client. An email can come at any time of day and therefore it is important to regularly check and keep on top of them.
Emails can vary massively in their contents, however common emails which arrive in the inbox of a Personal injury Paralegal may include any of the following:
- A client who missed their physiotherapy session and needs it rebooked;
- A defendant insurer asking for more detail on a liability denial;
- An enquiry from a new client who had a fall at a local supermarket.
Speaking with Clients
A huge part of my role involves direct contact with clients. These conversations can be anything from providing reassurance after an accident, to helping them understand the litigation process or explaining why a case might take longer than expected. No two clients are the same which provides variation and excitement to the work. Being able to build up a relationship with a client (often over a long period) and help them to attain compensation for a particularly dark time in their life is the main reason the work is so rewarding. Speaking directly to clients, building up a relationship and helping them through the legal process, is one of the main reasons I enjoy the job.
You may speak to multiple clients in one day who may include:
- A factory worker recovering from a serious hand injury who wants to know when their interim payment might come through;
- The mother of a teenage client, concerned about delays in their child’s injury claim;
- A local shop assistant who slipped on a wet floor and isn’t sure whether to make a claim as it may upset their employer.
Every client is unique, as is their situation, and therefore the experience with each is enriching and rewarding.
General Case Work
Every client's file shall need various tasks completed to progress the matter and some of this work shall be assigned to me by the solicitor I am assisting. The typical tasks I complete within matters include:
- Drafting a Letter of Claim to serve upon the Defendant informing them that a claim is being brought against them;
- Compiling a Schedule of Loss detailing the various out-of-pocket expenses a client has incurred as a result of their injury;
- Reviewing a medical report from a Medical Expert and summarising it for my supervising solicitor.
Whilst other work is involved in the running of files, I believe the above does show a good cross-section of work that is required on every file.
Deadlines & Court Work
In some Personal Injury matters, a settlement shall not be able to be agreed and therefore Court proceedings may be issued. When Court proceedings are issued, several deadlines shall be imposed to ensure the matter is ready for trial, therefore the following may need to be completed by a specific date:
- Preparing Standard Lists of Disclosure to include all documents which we seek to rely upon at trial, this involves reviewing the various pieces of disclosure, preparing a Court form and filing this with the Court, as well as serving it upon the Defendant;
- Drafting a Client's Witness Statement to put their version of events down succinctly for the Court, this is an opportunity for our client to voice their experiences and the effect their injury has had upon them. This shall typically involve meetings with the client and multiple drafts to ensure they are happy with it;
- Preparing a Hearing Bundle. A Hearing Bundle shall include all relevant documents for use at trial, this means checking everything is in the right order including witness statements, medical reports, photographs and correspondence, the document shall need to be paginated and compliant with relevant rules.
We may well have multiple claims proceeding to trial at any one time which, in turn, bring multiple deadlines, therefore, efficiency, organisation and good time management are essential when proceedings are issued.
Final Thoughts
Above, I have attempted to provide insight into the work involved in being a Personal Injury Paralegal. What I have referenced is by no means exhaustive but does give a good idea of the various things I encounter on any given day.
I hope to have highlighted that being a Paralegal isn’t just about completing forms and documents, although there is plenty of that, the work is also about being there for your client and guiding them through the legal process. I need to be able to adapt, multitask and meet tight deadlines.
I get to help people through tough moments, solve problems and see a case through from start to finish. And for me, that variety — that constant mix of law, empathy, and problem-solving — is exactly why I love what I do.