ARE YOU GETTING THE RIGHT LEGAL ADVICE?
While it sounds exhausting after a workplace death in the family, we do know that you need to explore every option available to you, and from our experience the sooner you contact a solicitor the better. They need to get onto the facts about the matter, and let WorkCover and other authorities know that they are acting on your behalf. They will then be there with you through the whole journey - through the Coroner’s Court and Industrial Court, and also should advise you on many other aspects of your life in this ‘new’ situation.
Our choices
Everyone has a right to choose their own lawyer. However, many of us
have used a firm of solicitors called Taylor and Scott. The reasons
we choose them are:
- Firstly that they are absolute experts in this type of law - the firm has recognised experts in compensation law, industrial and employment law.
- Secondly they do their very best for their clients
- And last but not least (from our viewpoint) - they understand and have compassion! One of their lawyers – Ivan Simic – is so compassionate and committed to the plight of families following a work-related death, he’s a member of our Committee, and provides our organisation with help and advice on all sorts of things for free.
So if you’re looking for someone with a wealth of experience and who truly understands your position (rather than a local solicitor who doesn’t have a lot of experience in this type of law) we have found Taylor and Scott to be informative, experts in their field, and compassionate.
To contact Taylor and Scott, follow this link –
www.tayscott.com.au
They have offices in four locations:
|
Sydney |
Lidcombe |
Newcastle |
Wollongong |
Our website has been prepared to provide general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Transmission of information is not intended to create an agent/client relationship between the sender and receiver. Any material obtained on this site should not be relied upon as a substitute for detailed advice.
Lawyers costs (solicitor and own client costs)
The payments you make to your solicitor for their professional
services (professional fees) and disbursements are called “solicitor
and own client costs”
Quote for costs
You should get a quote for costs before instructing any lawyer to
act for you.
Always make sure you ask the lawyer:
- What are costs for consultations (there may be free inquiry only interviews but will not provide legal advice)
- what and when you will have to pay.
The law says that lawyers must provide detailed information in writing about costs to the client prior to the lawyer being engaged (a 'costs agreement'), and further information about extra costs when the lawyer's services have been engaged. No extra charges should be made by them unless you have agreed to it.
A lawyer's bill will be shown in two parts: professional costs and disbursements.
Disbursements are expenses your lawyer has to pay for you, such as court filing fees, title office fees, barrister’s fees or stamp duty.
If there is no cost agreement
In the absence of a costs agreement which specifies a different
basis of calculation, the professional fees of a legal practitioner
are determined by statutory scales of costs. Scales of costs
are regulated by Acts of Parliament or Statutory Rules and their
application is supervised by the Courts.
Alternative methods of costing
The most common alternative methods (if there is no Costs Agreement)
for calculating professional fees are:
Costing based on time
- Fixed rate agreements
- Mixture of scales of costs and either of the above
Again, we strongly recommend that you get very specific information about expected costs and fees before commencing a relationship with any solicitor. They are required to provide this information to you.
