What can we help you with?

  • What is personal injury?

    Personal injury is the damage you suffer because of physical injuries or psychological problems caused by someone else. This could include occupational accidents, traffic accidents or medical errors.

  • Why choose a personal injury lawyer instead of a legal expert?

    A lawyer has more legal options at their disposal than a legal expert. A lawyer can litigate on your behalf. Lawyers are also required to engage in continuous professional development – legal experts are not. Lawyer are also considered to be reliable discussion partners by insurers.

  • When can my personal injury case be concluded?

    We advise our clients not to conclude their personal injury case until there is a final medical situation. In other words, a situation in which the client’s injuries have fully recovered or where the situation is stable. In order to determine whether or not there is a final medical situation, we always seek advice from our medical advisor – a doctor who advises us on the injury. When a final medical situation is reached will depend on the type of injury sustained and is often within 1.5 to 2 years of the accident. If the case can be settled, (potential) future damages will also be estimated.

  • When does personal injury become statute-barred?

    Compensation for personal injury becomes statute-barred after 3 to 5 years, depending on the situation. The general statute of limitations for damages is 5 years (Art. 3:310 (1) Dutch Civil Code). This time limit also applies to damages for personal injury (Art. 3:310 (5) Dutch Civil Code). The time limit in third-party liability insurance for motor vehicles is 3 years (Art. 10 Motor Insurance Liability Act). The civil liability of Article 185 Road Traffic Act becomes statue-barred within 5 years of it becoming known (Art. 3:310 (1) Dutch Civil Code). If you want to claim against your own insurance, such as occupants’ damage insurance, a time limit of 3 years applies (Art. 7:942 Dutch Civil Code). If you wish to submit a claim to the Violent Offences Compensation Fund (Schadefonds Geweldsmisdrijven), a time limit of 3 years applies (Art. 7 Violent Offences Compensation Fund Act).

  • What is compensation for pain and suffering?

    Compensation for pain and suffering is compensation for the emotional damage caused by an accident or medical error. It is about intangible damage, i.e. damage that does not affect your assets. In short, damage that you don’t feel in your wallet. Compensation for pain and suffering is also intended as recognition of the victim’s suffering.

  • How will my damages be calculated?

    The amount of damages depends on the symptoms and impediments that you have suffered. We will consult with you to map the financial impact on you based on your injury. We will estimate your damages in a damage report that will include various items of damage, including: medical costs, travel expenses, costs for help at home and informal care, loss of earnings capacity, pain and suffering, costs without benefit, pension damage, tax damage and so on. We will estimate the damage items using the information that we receive from you. Consequently, we ask that you update us on any costs incurred or changes to your situation at home, your medical situation or work situation in the interim. In complex and long-term cases of damage, such as loss of income and/or pension damage, we also regularly engage an independent assessor. Novi lawyers always start by compiling a draft damage report. We will discuss the draft report with you and only with your approval will we forward it to the insurer.

  • What are the costs of a personal injury lawyer?

    In many cases, the victim does not need to pay the personal injury lawyer themselves. If liability is acknowledged, the liable party will be required to pay the lawyer’s (reasonable) fees. These costs form part of your damages. Have legal expenses insurance? If you have taken out legal expenses insurance, we recommend that you report the damage to the legal expenses insurer. We will look with you to see if you can choose your own lawyer in your particular situation. The costs will then be reimbursed by the legal expenses insurer. Have financed legal aid? If liability has not yet been acknowledged and you do not have the funds to pay the lawyer, you may be eligible for financed legal aid from the Council for Legal Aid (Raad voor Rechtsbijstand). Are you eligible? You then only pay a personal contribution to the lawyer. The Council for Legal Aid will pay the remainder of the fees. Click here for an overview of the personal contribution levels on the website of the Council for Legal Aid. The hourly rate charged by personal injury lawyers varies between €225 and €295, excluding VAT. Novi Personal Injury Lawyers charge an hourly rate of €240. Insurers consider this rate reasonable and we thus avoid having to have discussions about the level of the hourly rate.

  • Who is liable in the event of an occupational accident?

    In many cases, the employer is liable for the consequences of an occupational accident. It has a duty of care to provide a safe working environment. Whether an employer has fulfilled its duty of care depends on a variety of different circumstances. Previous rulings and occupational health and safety legislation are important guidelines.