Personal injury (PI)
Foil calls for mesothelioma portal to be introduced
The Forum of Insurance Lawyers has called for the launch of a new portal to handle mesothelioma claims which would offer fixed costs to the victim's lawyer if a defendant or insurer admits liability within 30 days.
Fraudulent claimants ordered to pay £3000 to innocent driver
Claimants seeking personal injury damages have been found fundamentally dishonest and ordered to pay £3000 in exemplary damages to a driver who collided with them.
Blog: Don't let your clients get burned this Bonfire Night
On Guy Fawkes Night this evening, fireworks and bonfires will bring the family together, creating an enjoyable atmosphere for children and adults alike. However, there is one other thing we need to remember, remember this 5th of November, and that's to…
Legal Update: Shaking up cost control
Few would argue that post-claim legal costs management grabs the headlines in the same way as other areas of general insurance claims work. Perhaps one explanation for this is the 2013 reforms, vaunted as the ‘silver bullet' for managing legal costs in…
Claimant firms' profits forecast a 'sign of market consolidation'
The CEO of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers, Laurence Besemer, believes the results of a survey showing that personal injury firms expect to deliver more profits in the coming year is merely a sign of "more market consolidation".
North of the Border: Time for an update
The long-awaited changes to the Scottish civil court system have finally taken effect.
Serious injury guide potential precursor for future claimant and defendant engagement
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers is hopeful partnering with insurers on its serious injury guide will pave the way for future positive collaboration between the historically opposing claimant and defendant sides of the industry.
Motor claims: What's driving motor claims?
Despite a range of unprecedented reforms and the industry’s own determination to fight motor claims fraud, numbers appear to be on the rise. What are the factors that could be influencing this alarming statistic?
Legal Update: Turning the Tables
The Ogden Tables are not the only way to calculate future loss of earnings, says David Williams
Updated rehab code to become operational from December
An updated version of the rehabilitation code has been published that includes a section for lower-value claims and a separate guide for rehab case managers and people who commission them.
Foil backs personal injury court fees exemption
The Forum of Insurance Lawyers has welcomed the UK government’s proposals to exempt personal injury claims from any planned further increase in court fees.
Laspo benefits questioned as Liverpool named UK's PI claims capital
More than half (55%) of road traffic accidents in Liverpool result in a claim leading to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries naming the city the third party personal injury claims capital of the UK.
Judge dismisses “bang to rights” claim on fundamental dishonesty grounds
Conwy and Colwyn County Court sunk a personal injury claim deemed exaggerated and fabricated after a judge found a claimant pulling a dishonest "bang to rights" move.
Kennedys warns government over Medco ‘gaming’
The Medco portal system of commissioning medical reports needs to be transparent and uncomplicated, and eliminate any incentives that encourage those acting for claimants to ‘game’ the process, international law firm Kennedys has told the government.
Editor's Comment: Don't mention the whiplash
The Oxford Dictionary shows the definition of collaboration as the action of working with someone to produce something and I’m sure that this is what the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers’ president was encouraging when he wrote an open letter to…
Medco 'worth it' despite issue with certain business models, claims MoJ
The Ministry of Justice has vowed to “keep working” with the Medco portal, despite outlining issues with “some business models” since the new system went live in April.
Ageas' Watson calls for tripartite reduction to counter compensation culture
A tripartite approach that involves a reduction in the level of general damages, limitation period and recoverable costs is the “only way” to address the so-called compensation culture, according to Ageas UK CEO Andy Watson.
ABI poll shows consumers plagued by bogus insurance claims calls
The Association of British Insurers called for clampdown on rogue claims management companies today (8 September), as a survey shows people continue to be bombarded with nuisance calls and texts encouraging them to seek compensation for injuries they…
UK P&I club calls for 'zero tolerance culture' on enclosed space entry as casualties blight shipping industry
Accidents relating to entry into enclosed spaces have resulted in a large number of deaths of both ship and shore personnel so far this year, says the UK P&I Club, calling for more to be done to prevent these casualties.
Blog: The Sonae group action and the compensation culture
The judgment handed down last month in Saunderson & Others v Sonae makes for uncomfortable reading. Dismissing over 16,000 personal injury claims, a High Court judge criticised the conduct of the solicitors who had brought induced, exaggerated and…
Insurers round on Aviva following 'disingenuous' ABS accusations
Aviva has been criticised for playing the “blame game” in the fight against fraud following accusations that rival insurers with alternative business structures are guilty of “feeding the beast” of fraudulent whiplash claims.
CMC regulator and Apil back ethical marketing charter
An ethical marketing charter geared towards clamping down nuisance marketing and bad practice by rogue operators has been backed by the Claims Management Regulator and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
D&O: 3 in 4 SMEs uncovered
It was once said that Stephen Hawking's 1988 book, ‘A Brief History of Time', was one of the most widely owned but least read works in print - something people wanted to show off on their bookshelf but could not face the effort required to digest the…
MoJ considers Medco overhaul two months after ruling out 'fundamental changes'
The Ministry of Justice has said it will consider reforming the Medco portal just two months after it told Post it was too early to consider "fundamental changes" to the medical reporting system.