A career in the legal field is one that is not just financially lucrative but also interesting, rewarding, and diverse. While some people decide to train as general solicitors that deal with a variety of different legal matters, there are others that prefer to focus on a particular area of the law such as personal injury. This is a specialist area that enables you to help those whose lives have been affected by personal injury through helping them fight for the compensation that they are entitled to.
Falling under the law of tort, Personal Injury or PI law deals with a range of different areas. This could include everything from trips and falls in public areas through to a work accident help guide from Legal Expert, health and safety breaches, and related issues such as medical negligence. The aim of this area of law is to try and get the injured party back to the position they would have been in had they not sustained the injury through compensation. While some injuries may be serious or permanent ones, the compensation can make up for things such as loss of income as well as pain and suffering.
Becoming a solicitor in this legal field
If you want to train as a solicitor and specialise in personal injury law, you do have to work hard – as is the case with all areas of the law. It is always best to establish your interest in a legal career early on, as this means that you can make the most appropriate choices when 
it comes to the subjects that you study. When it comes to doing a law degree, you need to have the right GCSE and A Level grades for entry as well as choosing the right subjects. The requirements will vary from one university to another but choosing A Level subjects such as history and English Language can prove very helpful in securing your place at university.
You then have to work your way through several years of study as part of your law degree. You will be assessed on your coursework and examination results as well as verbal presentations throughout the course. When you apply for a law degree placement, bear in mind that you can study a joint course that combines law with another subject depending on the field that you want to specialise in.
If you decide that personal injury law is the right option for you, there are certain qualities that you will need to have to become a legal expert. First off, you need to ensure that you are always on top of the latest developments when it comes to PI law, as these can change on a regular basis. Because this is a litigation process, you also have to be extremely disciplined and organised, as there is a lot of planning involved in personal injury cases and a great deal of research that has to go into them.
Of course, being able to empathise with clients and their situation is also vital and you need to ensure you have excellent communication skills. You need to be very passionate about what you do and often you will have to put in long hours in order to get all of the information that you require for a particular case. Remember, as a PI solicitor you will have to stand up to opposition from people such as insurance company officials, so you need to have plenty of confidence.
Why specialise in PI law?
Many people who study for a law degree are unsure which area of the law they want to specialise in. Well, there are many reasons why entering into a career in PI law can be so beneficial. Some of the key ones include:
- Fighting for justice: As a PI solicitor, you can fight for justice on behalf of those that have sustained injury through no fault of their own. The cases can sometimes be very challenging and even upsetting but being able to get a successful result and justice for your client can be extremely rewarding. Working within the justice system can be complex at times, but knowing you’re there for the right reasons really gives a boost to this aspect of law employment.
- Excellent salary: When you secure a position as a PI lawyer, you can look forward not only to job satisfaction but also a very good salary. Of course, the salary can vary based on where you work and your level of experience but once you have plenty of experience under your belt you can enjoy a very lucrative career. You may even be able to branch out and create your own firm with the knowledge you have acquired. Most PI lawyers make around £40k per year, which is about £3,500 per month. If you work in London this can be higher.
- Interesting area of law: Some areas of the law can be considered pretty dull and repetitive. However, with PI law every case is different so you never have to worry about getting bored. This is one of the most interesting areas of the law with plenty of diversity. One day you can be fighting a case for a cruise ship illness which involves many passengers, and the next you may be having to prove negligence in a car pileup. You never know what each fresh case will bring!
These are just some of the reasons why you may want to consider working towards a career as a personal injury solicitor.