Source: http://www.pibriefupdate.com/content/menus-18423/menus/67-pibulj-sec/1026-pi-industry-news
Timestamp: 2019-08-21 10:43:07
Document Index: 677768256

Matched Legal Cases: ['EWCA ', 'art 36', 'art 36', 'art 36', 'art 36', 'UKSC ']

PI Brief Update - PI Industry News
16th August 2019 - Legal charities urge government to delay whiplash reforms
Four leading legal charities have urged the government to delay the whiplash reforms by at least a year, saying that that raising the small claims limit for whiplash claims from £1000 to £5000 could leave around 150,000 claimants without legal representation... Legal Futures
9th August 2019 - Will diesel emissions fuel a rise in personal injury claims?
Evidence is growing for the harmful effects of diesel emissions, which have been described as another toxic 'timebomb'. Firms and insurers will likely need to reconsider their approach to this developing risk... Clyde & Co
2nd August 2019 - Government to impose limitation 'backstop' on military PI claims
The government is set to restrict courts' discretion on extending the time limit for bringing personal injury (PI) claims arising from military operations as part of efforts to protect the armed forces from historical allegations of wrongdoing. It said operations in Iraq resulted in litigation 'on an industrial scale'... Litigation Futures
25th July 2019 - Association of British Insurers slams government method for setting PI discount rate...
In response to the government’s discount rate impact assessment, ABI director general Huw Evans has written to the justice minister and lord chancellor David Gauke calling the assessment 'misleading and wholly disingenuous' and saying it 'completely misrepresents insurance market pricing and reserving'... Claims Media
19th July 2019 - New discount rate of -0.25% comes into effect
David Gauke has now set the personal injury discount rate at the new rate of -0.25% which will be in place for up to five years. An expert panel will conduct the next review following the The Civil Liability Act 2018 which requires claimants to be treated as 'low risk' investors, and that reviews should consider several factors including actual returns available and investments of damages made... Claims Media
12th July 2019 - Children to be exempt from whiplash portal, for now
Legal Futures has revealed that children and protected parties will be exempt from both the increase in the small claims limit and the new whiplash portal, though a Ministry of Justice spokesman told them the exemption is "for the time being"... Legal Futures
5th July 2019 - Property damage 'will be covered' by whiplash regime
The Motor Insurers Bureau has confirmed that the whiplash portal for litigants in person will also cover claims for property damage, as well as personal injury and uninsured losses... Legal Futures
28th June 2019 - Misleading names for driver assistance technology causes drivers to behave dangerously
Research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that "autopilot" was a particularly misleading name, and that many drivers thought it was ok to sleep while driving... source
21st June 2019 - Cyclist faces £100k costs bill from injured pedestrian who was equally liable
Gemma Brushett was awarded £4161 damages by Central London County Court after the judge ruled she was equally to blame for the collision with cyclist Robert Hazeldean. Media coverage has focused on the fact that Brushett was looking at her phone while crossing the street at London Bridge, while Hazeldean was travelling under 15mph through a green light and had sounded his horn in warning... Law Society Gazette
14th June 2019 - Government orders Whirlpool to recall 500,000 dangerous tumble dryers
The 'Unprecedented' move comes four years after the firm issued a fire safety warning for its Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit dryers but consistently refused to recall them... The Guardian
7th June 2019 - Self driving cars have racked up millions of miles in the USA, but may not cope with British roads
London's narrow streets were designed for the horse and cart, not for self-driving cars which would also have to deal with 'hyperlocal peculiarities' such as Boris Bikes, chaotic roundabouts, unpredictable tourists, messy weather, and black cabs... Wired
31st May 2019 - 'Calm before the storm' for personal injury market
The managing director of Hudgell Solicitors has said the PI industry is experiencing a 'calm before the storm' and that with less than a year to go before implementation of the Civil Liability Act firms are assessing their options rather than actively planning to exit... Legal Futures
24th May 2019 - 'We do not dictate PI policy to ministers' says MIB boss
Chief executive of the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB), Dominic Clayden, insisted at the APIL conference that his organisation does not 'dictate policy to ministers' and also revealed the cost of setting up the portal, being funded by the insurance industry, to be £15m.... Legal Futures
17th May 2019 - Insurers invest millions to lock claimant lawyers out of the PI sector
The chief executive of the Motor Insurers Bureau has said that his organisation is investing £15 million to build the portal that will handle personal injury claims from litigants in person... Law Society Gazette
10th May 2019 - A proposal for a Remedial Order to amend the Fatal Accidents Act 1976
The Government has published a draft Remedial Order which will allow bereavement damages to be awarded to cohabitees of the deceased where they have lived together for at least 2 years... Ministry of Justice
3rd May 2019 - PI firm liable for negligence after abandoning claim
The High Court has ordered Hugh James to pay six-figure professional negligence damages to the family of an asbestos victim for abandoning their PI claim.... Legal Futures
26th April 2019 - MoJ considers whiplash role for MedCo up to £5000
The Ministry of Justice consultation, Future Provision of Medical Reports in Road Traffic Accident (RTA)-Related Personal Injury Claims, looks at expanding the MedCo requirement to cover RTA initial medical reports for all claims up to £5,000... Claims Media
18th April 2019 - Lawyers expose damages 'lottery' for bereaved families
Personal injury lawyers have demanded that the government increases damages for families of people killed by negligence, as the disparity between UK jurisdictions has continued to grow... Law Society Gazette
12th April 2019 - Where there's a will, there will be fraudulent claims
April marks the handover of regulation of claims management companies to the Financial Conduct Authority, and another step on the journey towards clamping down on fraudulent claims... Claims Media
5th April 2019 - Unrepresented PI litigants to receive 'expert view' on claims
The Ministry of Justice has told the House of Lords justice committee chair that unrepresented personal injury claimants under the new whiplash regime will be able to pay for access to an 'independent view' of their claim... Legal Futures
29th March 2019 - MoJ admits plans for fixed costs on claims up to £100k could hurt small law firms
The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged that the proposals recently announced by David Gauke, which would affect all civil cases valued up to £100,000 apart from clinical negligence claims or those in the business and property courts, could impact smaller firms and increase the risk of professional negligence claims... Law Society Gazette
22nd March 2019 - Clocks starts on changes to personal injury discount rate
The lord chancellor and justice minister, David Gauke, has begun the long-awaited review of the personal injury discount rate later today... Claims Media
15th March 2019 - Woman 'cuts off' her own hand to make a fraudulent claim
Police in Slovenia have detained a 21-year old woman and a relative. The woman has been accused of sawing off her own hand to claim 400,000 Euros compensation from a recently booked injury insurance policy... BBC News
8th March 2019 - PI claims and motor premiums falling, says ABI
The Association of British Insurers has said that there has been a 'slowly decreasing volume' of personal injury claims since 2016, and also that LASPO only helped reduce PI costs 'slightly'.... Legal Futures
1st March 2019 - Listed PI firm parent company confirms it is moving away from RTA claims ahead of legislative changes
Redde plc, the owner of NewLaw, and which also operates in the credit hire and repair markets, announced in its interim results that it has been developing a greater proportion of work from non-RTA cases... Law Society Gazette
22nd February 2019 - Basketball player injured by 'exploding' Nikes as Obama watches
A university basketball player described as a 'once-in-a-generation athlete' suffered a freak injury after his Nike trainers exploded 33 seconds into a match being watch by celebrities including Spike Lee and Barack Obama... Sky News
15th February 2019 - Fire-risk fridges still on sale at major UK retailers, says Which?
Which? is calling on retailers including AO.Com, Argos and Currys PC World to urgently stop selling appliances with plastic backing that can be highly flammable... The Guardian
9th February 2019 - DJ awarded £10 million damages after falling through a hole in the stage at a Dutch music festival
Paul van Dyk broke his back and suffered brain injuries when he fell through a concealed hole in the stage at the A State Of Trance music festival in Utrecht in February 2016... Daily Mail
1st February 2019 - Call for graduated driving licences to protect young motorists
Law firm Keoghs has urged the government to introduce a 'graduated' driving licence, similar to the system in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, for young motorists. They cited figures stating that drivers aged between 17 and 24 make up only 7% of licence holders but 16% of road deaths... Claims Media
25th January 2019 - Woman who broke wrist in Prince Philip crash 'considering personal injury claim'
Emma Fairweather, 46-year-old mother-of-two, who was a ­passenger in a car which collided with the Duke of Edinburgh's Land Rover, said she felt 'ignored and rejected' by the Royal family after the accident and claimed her injuries affected her independence and may require surgery... The Telegraph
18th January 2019 - Court relaxes costs rule for PI claim heading towards multi-track
A personal injury claimant who had applied for re-allocation from the fast track to the multi-track (though the claim was settled before that stage) will be allowed to recover assessed rather than fixed costs... Law Society Gazette
11th January 2019 - Court rejects claimant's plea to silence life expectancy expert
The High Court judge in Mays v Drive Force (UK) Ltd, Deputy Master Hill QC has allowed a defendant to adduce expert evidence on life expectancy to help decide the quantum in a 7 digit personal injury case. She rejected the claimant's argument that this would open the way for experts being instructed in all cases... Law Society Gazette
4th January 2019 - Casualties from crashes caused by slow drivers increase
The AA said the rise, revealed in new Department for Transport data, could partly be attributed to the record number of elderly drivers on Britain’s roads... The Telegraph
21st December 2018 - Skin creams can lead to fire deaths
The medicines regulator, the MHRA, has warned people who use emollient creams to treat dry and itchy skin conditions that flammable ingredients can build up in clothes and cause them to catch fire more easily. More than 50 such deaths have been reported by UK fire and rescue services... BBC News
14th December 2018 - LASPO review publication delayed again to early 2019
The Ministry of Justice has admitted that the long-awaited review of the legal aid reforms is not yet complete and will be published instead 'early in the New Year'... Law Society Gazette
7th December 2018 - MoJ reveals 20% annual fall in personal injury claims
The Ministry of Justice has published new statistics showing that the number of new personal injury claims has fallen to its lowest level since 2011. The MoJ explained that the decrease can be attributed to a change in civil procedure rules on holiday package gastric illness claims as well as whiplash reform... Law Society Gazette
30th November 2018 - Crash-for-cash trio sentenced
Three men have been given prison sentences at Manchester Crown Court for their participation in a 'crash-for-cash' scam in 2017... Claims Media
23rd November 2018 - Top judge calls for ABS transparency amid 'commercialisation' of personal injury
Court of Appeal judge, Lord Justice Irwin has called for regulators to make public the ownership of alternative business structures as well as research into whether under-settlement is as rife in PI as he suspects.... Legal Futures
16th November 2018 - Landmark jail sentence for man who stole client data for CMCs
A man who passed on thousands of customer records from an accident repair firm to claims management companies has been jailed under theComputer Misuse Act 1990 which gives the sentencing court a wider range of penalties... Legal Futures
9th November 2018 - Motorists with poor vision still driving despite expert advice
Almost half of optometrists have seen a patient in the last month who continued to drive despite being told their vision was below the legal standard according to a report by the Association of Optometrists, as almost 3000 injuries on UK roads each year are estimated to be caused by drivers with poor vision... AOP
2nd November 2018 - Clock change causes increase in road accidents
Analysis of police data from the past six years suggests that the Autumn clock adjustment leads to 20 extra personal injury collisions per day in Britain for the 2 week period following the change... than in the two weeks before the clock change.... RAC Foundation
26th October 2018 - Civil Liability Bill clears Commons with no exemption for children
The bill completed its passage through the House of Commons this week. MPs voted to approve its third reading despite the government having given no ground on proposed amendments to limit rises in the small claims limit for personal injury cases and also to exempt children and other protected parties from a higher limit... Legal Futures
19th October 2018 - Experts raise safety concerns about cardboard baby boxes
The boxes should not be promoted as a safe sleeping space without any evidence for these claims, warn experts from the Universities of Bristol and Durham. In a letter to the British Medical Journal they point out potential dangers of the boxes... Bristol University
5th October 2018 - Woman awarded £20 million from the NHS for brain injury
The woman, who was injured as a child in Cardiff when the hospital failed to give her enough oxygen, will receive a lump sum of £2.1 million and £203,000 per year for the rest of her life... Claims Media
28th September 2018 - Hernia mesh complications 'affect more than 100,000'
Up to 170,000 people who have had hernia mesh implants in England in the past six years could face complications according to a BBC programme.... BBC News
21st September 2018 - Supreme Court refuses appeal bid from firm denied PI costs
A Leeds firm denied the costs of personal injury work on the basis it had misled the defendant and unjustifiably inflated costs has been refused permission to appeal the ruling... Law Society Gazette
14th September 2018 - Serial crash for cash fraudster sentenced to 22 months
Asif Javed was sentenced on 7th September to 22 months in prison and disqualified from driving for 3 years for attempting to make fraudulent insurance claims for car crashes that he had deliberately caused... Claims Media
7th September 2018 - PI small claims limit below £5,000 'would see lawyers play system'
The Lord Chancellor, David Gauke, has predicted that setting the small claim limit for RTA cases below £5,000 would 'fuel claims displacement' and suggested that lawyers would effectively play the system to increase the value of claims to above the new limit... Legal Futures
31st August 2018 - Financial Conduct Authority proposes fees for CMCs
The FCA has launched a consultation on the application fees it will charge claims management companies when it takes over their regulation in 2019. The proposed fees range from £1,200 up to £10,000... Claims Media
24th August 2018 - Calls to ban smoking in homes due to alarming child death rate
There are calls for the UK to follow the United States in banning smoking in social housing following further research highlighting the health effects on children who grow up in smoke polluted homes... Somerset Live
17th August 2018 - Government proposes 'death by dangerous cycling' law
The Department for Transport has launched a 12-week consultation on whether new offences should be introduced for 'death by dangerous cycling' and 'death by careless cycling'... BBC News
10th August 2018 - PI firm's collapse highlights LASPO survival struggle
A report by the administrators of Nesbit Law Group claims that the firm went from posting £4m turnover in 2015, and in profit up to 2016, to losing £1.8m in the past two years... Law Society Gazette
3rd August 2018 - Even low levels of air pollution may cause dangerous heart changes
A study of 4,000 people in the UK by scientists led from Queen Mary University of London has found that regular exposure to even low levels of air pollution may cause changes to the heart similar to those sseen in the early stages of heart failure... BBC News
27th July 2018 - Call for Tomlin order review after major QOCS ruling
The Court of Appeal has ruled in Cartwright v Venduct Engineering Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 1654 that the rules on qualified one-way costs shifting do not prevent a successful defendant in a multi-defendant claim from recovering their costs from the damages awarded against a different defendant... Litigation Futues
20th July 2018 - Whiplash reform delay welcomed by all sides
There was surprising unanimity in support of The Ministry of Justice's decision to delay its whiplash reforms by 12 months to April 2020 was met with suprising unanimity in support of the change. The Association of British Insurers was relieved that the government did not accept the justice select committee's recommendation to lower the small claims limit for PI cases to £1,500... Legal Futures
13th July 2018 - Appeal against trimmed hourly rates in clinical negligence case fails
The High Court has dismissed an appeal against a ruling that hourly rates for a clinical negligence case were too high, although it agreed that the question of reasonableness was not fully addressed...... Law Society Gazette
6th July 2018 - Clyde & Co uses Section 57 to defeat exaggerated injury claim
A significant victory was achieved using Section 57 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act to have an exaggerated injury claim for £98,000 discontinued. The claimant was also ordered to pay £13,000 to the insurer because the claim was found to be fundamentally dishonest... Claims Media
29th June 2018 - Lord Keen pledges to hold insurers to account over whiplash savings
Justice minister, Lord Keen of Elie, has told the House of Lords that insurers should be accountable for their commitments to pass on PI reform savings and that the government will develop an effective means for checking this... Law Society Gazette
22nd June 2018 - Cash for crash scam run out of single garage nets 158 prosecutions
The Insurance Fraud Bureau announced they have closed the book on more than 150 individuals involved in a major insurance 'cash for crash' scam based at a Cardiff garage... Law Society Gazette
15th June 2018 - Top holiday sickness firm among 27 facing SRA probe amid claims 'the bubble has burst'
Following stsatements by Horwich Farrelly, a spokesman for the SRA confirmed that they are investigating 27 law firms involved in holiday sickness claims and that most of the investigations originated in referrals from the CMR.... Legal Futures
8th June 2018 - RAC says not-at-fault motorists are paying the price for collisions
Research by the motoring organisation has shown that more than one third of motorists are left out of pocket after being involved in a road traffic collision that was not their fault... Claims Media
1st June 2018 - Government renews bid to make directors personally liable for nuisance calls
The government has announced it will finally deliver on its promise to make the directors of companies which make unsolicited nuisance calls personally liable if their firm breaks the law.... Legal Futures
25th May 2018 - 'Victory for product innovation' as High Court rejects group hip implant claim
The High Court has rejected a group action claiming that 'metal on metal' hip replacement implants were defective under the Consumer Protection Act 1987.... Litigation Futures
18th May 2018 - Gardener first to be charged with 'using mobile phone while on lawn-mower'
The 47-year-old council gardener from South Wales faces a fine of £200 and six penalty points if he is found guilty and is also facing disciplinary action from his employer... The Telegraph
11th May 2018 - Self-driving Uber car which killed a pedestrian detected the woman but decided to ignore her
An Uber investigation has reportedly found that the Volvo XC90's senssors did detect Ms Herzberg, but the software decided to ignore her, deeming her a 'false positive'...... Yahoo News
4th May 2018 - MCM says holiday sickness claims activity 'much reduced'
The Claims Management Regulator has annouced, following an 'intensive audit' and investigation, that activity by claims management companies in the area of holiday sickness is 'much reduced'... Legal Futures
27th April 2018 - Opposition raise serious doubts about Civil Liability Bill
Both Labour and Liberal Democrats questioned the government's approach to reforming whiplash claims in the House of Lords debate this week... Legal Futures
20th April 2018 - Justice minister uncompromising on whiplash reforms and says more fixed costs are on the way
Justice minister Lord Keen has said there are 'too many unmeritorious whiplash claims made each year which proceed without challenge or investigation'. Speaking at the APIL annual conference, he also made clear the government's intention to extend the application of fixed recoverable costs... Legal Futures
13th April 2018 - Travel sickness claims to be subject to fixed costs
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that travel sickness claims will be brought within the fixed recoverable costs regime 'in the coming weeks'... Claims Media
6th April 2018 - MP says cyclists and motorcyclists should be exempt from whiplash reforms
Labour MP Catherine West, has put forward a motion to exempt vulnerable road users from the changes proposed in the government's Civil Liability Bill which will cap the value of soft tissue injury payouts... Independent
28th March 2018 - Insurers pledge to pass on Civil Liability Bill savings
The CEOs of 26 major insurers have signed a pledge promising to pass on savings from the Civil Liability Bill to customers.... Claims Media
23rd March 2018 - BMW top engineer says self-driving Uber fatal accident was 'inevitable' due to lack of required tech
Dr Klaus Fröhlich said on Wednesday that Uber's driverless car did not have the high-tech gadgetry required to operate safely on a public road. The car failed to react despite the perfectly clear conditions... Forbes
16th March 2018 - Pressure on government to go further with PI cold-calling ban
APIL president Brett Dixon said 'There is a clear public demand for a ban on cold calling, yet the government has rowed back on its commitment to stop this epidemic which bedevils people across this country'.... Legal Futures
9th March 2018 - PI market will shrink to just a dozen firms says legal investor
Steve Din, founder of law firm investor Doorway Capital, has predicted that imminent reforms of the sector will mean that hundreds of firms specialising in personal injury could be whittled down to barely a dozen within the next five years... Law Society Gazette
2nd March 2018 - Insurance industry to fund personal injury portal
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has confirmed that the insurance industry will fund the creation of a new online portal for personal injury claims, after government ministers accepted its offer in principle.... Claims Media
23rd February 2018 - Hundreds of firms at risk from PI reform
The scale of law firms' dependence on the personal injury market has been revealed by new SRA figures. 768 Firms in England and Wales reported that at least half their turnover was generated from PI work in the past 12 months... Law Society Gazette
16th February 2018 - Shampoo is almost as bad for health as car exhaust fumes
A scientific study has found that household cleaning products, paints and perfumes could be creating as much harmful air pollution as traffic.... Huffpost UK
9th February 2018 - Claimant who underwent unnecessary operations to boost £1million injuries claim withdraws in face of fundamental dishonesty plea
Keoghs, which acted for the insurer, said the case highlighted the impact of the fundamental dishonesty provision in section 57 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015... Litigation Futures
2nd February 2018 - Personal injury awards stay outside financial assessments
The Local Government Ombudsman has clarified that personal injury awards cannot be taken into account by councils when carrying out financial assessments... New Law Journal
26th January 2018 - Regulator cracks down on unauthorised holiday sickness CMCs
The Claims Management Regulator has reported a 'significant decrease' in unauthorised businesses operating in the holiday sickness market after stepping up its focus on such firms.... Legal Futures
19th January 2018 - Cost legacy of decades-old NHS blunders begins to rise
The negligence bill for mistakes made before 1995 has begun to rise. A patients' charity said the figures show how long some families have to wait for payouts, but the NHS said it has taken steps to speed up the process... BBC News
12th January 2018 - Travellers being encouraged to fake illness, says ABTA
An ABTA survey found that 19% of all British holidaymakers may have been approached by a claims management company on their return home and told there is money waiting for them if they file a claim... BBC News
5th January 2018 - PI competition intensifies as firms look to survive upcoming reforms
A First4Lawyers survey found that advertising spend and costs are spiralling upwards as firms look to grab greater shares of the market even after 42% reported falling profits in 2017. Clinical negligence work was noted as a more positive environment in which to practice... Legal Futures
22nd December 2017 - APIL says compulsory ADR would be costly
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has warned that the Civil Justice Council's proposed requirement for personal injury claimants to engage in alternative dispute resolution would result in delays and unnecessary costs... Claims Media
15th December 2017 - Future not fixed post-Jackson
Costs lawuers say that Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations for the expansion of fixed recoverable costs should go no further than the fast-track... New Law Journal
8th December 2017 - Personal injury discount rate should be based on evidence
The Justice Committee recommendations on improving the way the government calculates the personal injury discount rate for catastrophic claimant awards have been issued. They include urging the government to gather proper evidence about how lump-sum damages are invested and whether they actually cover the future losses, and to ensure there are safeguards to prevent under-compensation of the most vulnerable claimants... Claims Media
1st December 2017 - Government confirms intention to introduce CMC cold-calling ban
The hoped for cold-calling ban has been added to the already title of the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill. The bill has also been amended to cap at 20% the fees claims management companies and legal services providers can charge consumers for claims management services in relation to PPI claims... Legal Futures
24th November 2017 - Fault-based system 'inherently biased' to PI claimants
Supreme Court justice Lord Sumption has given a lecture to the Personal Injuries Bar Association in which he said the system of distributing liability according to fault in 'inherently biased' in favour of the claimant and said the principle will be eroded in the coming years... Law Society Gazette
17th November 2017 - CMC users are more likely to have lower incomes and watch Strictly Come Dancing says Legal Ombudsman
These were the results from a Legal Ombudsman commissioned YouGov survey of more than 2800 people in Britain who had used a CMC in the last two years... Claims Mag
10th November 2017 - MoJ backtracks on Keen's discount rate dates
The Law Society Gazette reports that the justice minister, Lord Keen of Elie, may have been too ambitious in expecting discount rate reform in early 2018... Law Society Gazette
3rd November 2017 - Court of Appeal confirms judges can make findings of fundamental dishonesty without plea from defendant
In the first case, since the Jackson reforms, to consider the meaning of fundamental dishonesty, the Court of Appeal has confirmed that judges can make findings of fundamental dishonesty, even when such a plea has not been put forward by a defendant... Claims Media
27th October 2017 - Lidington confirms rise in small claims limit for personal injury cases
The justice secretary, David Lidington, also said the government will make an announcement in the 'very near future' on its review of LASPO, to be followed by a consultation on what changes should be made... Legal Futures
20th October 2017 - Jeremy Hunt: We must do better on NHS waiting times
The Health Secretary Jeremy admitted the health service in England must improve its record on waiting times after a BBC analysis revealed key targets had not been met for 18 months after a rapid deterioration in waiting times over the past four years... BBC News
13th October 2017 - Government issues call for evidence on bogus travel sickness claims
The Ministry of Justice has said that bogus travel sickness claims are costing the sector millions and risk increasing prices for law-abiding holidaymakers. ABTA reported an increase in claims from around 5,000 in 2013 to around 35,000 in 2016... Claims Mag
6th October 2017 - London mayor seeks power to ban wood-burning stoves
Sadiq Khan has written to the Environment Secretary Michael Gove asking for greater powers to tackle air pollution which causes an estimated 9,500 early deaths per year in London and 40,000 across Britain... BBC News
22nd September 2017 - Third hand smoke (eg smoky smelling clothes and furniture) causes brain and liver damage
Residues of cigarette smoke cause a cocktail of toxins to accumulate on carpets, clothing and furniture. These toxins are thought to resist removal by industrial cleaners. New research has found that exposure to such 'third-hand smoke' increases the risk of liver damage and diabetes in mice... IB Times
15th September 2017 - Government kills latest attempt to ban cold calls
The government has again frustrated attempts to impose a ban on cold calling despite widespread support for the amendments to the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill in the House of Lords.... Law Society Gazette
8th September 2017 - Government to look at extending dangerous driving offence to cyclists
Following the highly publicised case here a woman died after being struck by a rider whose bike had no front brake, the government has said it will examine whether the offence of dangerous driving should be extended to cover cyclists... The Guardian
1st September 2017 - CMR withdraws licence of holiday sickness CMC which encouraged claimants to fabricate evidence
The Regulator gathered evidence showing that Lancashire-based Allsure Ltd also used deceptive sales scripts and exaggerated expected pay-outs to entice consumers into making claims. Claims Media
25th August 2017 - Every extra patient on a nurse's caseload increases death risks
A major study by Southampton University has found that patients are 14 per cent more likely to die on wards with just two extra cases per nurse. The average hospital has eight patients per nurse, but some have as many as 18 according to the research. The Telegraph
18th August 2017 - Proposed whiplash claims reforms will disadvantage most vulnerable as BTE and ATE costs will rise
This is the prediction made by Lesley Attu at legal expenses insurer ARAG who describe it as 'inconceivable' that RTA victims should lose their right to be compensated while those who suffer minor inconvenience from issues such as flight or rail delays are 'considered more deserving'... ARAG Blog
11th August 2017 - 'Fat-cat insurers are lining their pockets'
Qamar Anwar discusses the Daily Telegraph investigation which found insurance companies are charging 'not at fault' drivers up to 100 per cent over actual repair labour costs, for a £750m per year windfall... Solicitors Journal
4th August 2017 - Mixed reactions as Jackson review scales back from suggesting fixed costs for all claims up to £250,000
The review, which builds upon the recommendations from his original Review of Civil Litigation Costs in 2010 has not gone as far as originally expected by many, however... Claims Media
28th July 2017 - Government's 'hypocritical' fossil fuel car ban dismissed as 'smokescreen' to dump key pollution policies
Green groups and opposition politicians have united in criticism of the government after it became clear that key policies to cut the estimated 40,000 premature deaths from polluted air every year had been dumped... Independent
21st July 2017 - NHS clinical negligence claims down but legal costs rise
According to NHS Resolution's annual report clinical negligence claims against the NHS dropped for the third year in a row but costs continued to go up, with legal fees reaching £624m... Solicitors Journal
14th July 2017 - One third of nursing homes fail safety inspections
Campaigners warn that vulnerable people are playing 'Russian roulette' when they need care in England... BBC News
7th July 2017 - ABTA tool persuades MPs to put holiday sickness claims into fixed costs regime
ABTA campaign is enabling travel industry and the public to automatically email their local MP, urging them to ask the Justice Secretary to place holiday sickness claims under fixed costs. They say action is desperately needed as fraudulent claims in the area are reaching a 'critical point'... Claims Media
30th June 2017 - Over 50,000 British hip implants recalled over toxicity concerns
Every single person fitted with the 'metal on metal' devices is being told to undergo X-rays and blood tests after they were discovered to be far more toxic than was thought... The Telegraph
23rd June 2017 - Queen's Speech: Government to go ahead with 'scandalous' whiplash reforms
Go-ahead for the Civil Liability Bill, designed to address the 'compensation culture' around motor insurance claims, but described by lawyers as 'scandalous', 'fanciful' and 'predictably bad', was confirmed at the state opening of parliament this week... Solicitors Journal
16th June 2017 - National Accident Helpline departing from 'aggressive' personal injury claims marketing
The claims management company announced a new customer focused 'ethical' marketing model following a £1 million rebrand, with the theme of 'When it’s wrong, make it right'... Claims Media
9th June 2017 - Claimant group says firms are making fraudulent holiday claims
A2J, a vocal opponent for PI reforms, has spoken out over the rising surge of holiday sickness claims, saying it is now time for those within the industry to report those suspected of malpractice... Law Society Gazette
2nd June 2017 - MedCo disciplines dozens of doctors for late reports
The body overseeing the regulation of whiplash doctors confirmed it has suspended 23 medical reporting organisations and 14 direct medical experts for failure to upload medical case data to the system... Law Society Gazette
26th May 2017 - Families will be held 'hostage' by 'crude' birth injury scheme
Claimant lawyers responding to the Department of Health’s consultation on a voluntary 'rapid resolution and redress scheme' for childbirth injuries say it will 'railroad' families out of pursuing compensation for long term care of brain-damaged babies... Solicitors Journal
19th May 2017 - Conservative manifesto pledges to crack down on whiplash and consider banning PI calls
The Conservative party’s newly published manifesto claims that an incoming Tory government would reduce the cost of car insurance premiums by ‘cracking down on exaggerated and fraudulent’ whiplash claims and consider banning personal injury cold calling completely... Solicitors Journal
12th May 2017 - Nuisance call firm Keurboom hit with record fine
Cold-calling firm Keurboom Communications has been fined a record £400,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office for making almost 100 million nuisance calls about RTA and insurance-policy compensation... BBC News
5th May 2017 - 'Pointless' fixed costs risk patient safety
Claimant lawyers argue that the Department of Health's proposals to fix recoverable costs in low-value clinical negligence cases are flawed as they are based on inaccurate cost estimates, 'fanciful' time analysis, and the false premise that lower-value claims are less complex... Solicitors Journal
28th April 2017 - AA says drivers will 'despair' at Prisons and Courts Bill election postponement hdl
The bill, which contains reforms to how whiplash injures are compensated, has been dropped by the Government due to parliament shutting down in preparation for the unplanned election. The AA says drivers will 'despair' that the 'whiplash gravy train' has been given 'the green light to carry on'... Claims Media
21st April 2017 - More than 800 women sue NHS and manufacturers over vaginal mesh implants
But the medical regulator claims the best current evidence supports the continued use of mesh implants to resolve health conditions that could themselves cause serious distress to patients... The Guardian
7th April 2017 - Successful landmark private prosecution over a fraudulent road traffic accident claim
Hill Dickinson, acting for car hire company Accident Exchange, brought a private prosecution against two fraudulent claimants. They eventually entered guilty pleas to two counts of fraud by false representation, shortly before the trial was due to begin... Legal Futures
31st March 2017 - ABI says that increase in inflation requires a 'more sensible' Discount Rate
Huw Evans, director general of the Association of British Insurers, said the increase in inflation to above the Bank of England’s target has made the Discount Rate cut 'even more absurd'... Claims Media
24th March 2017 - Economists debunk industry claims that whiplash crackdown will result in lower premiums
A Capital Economics report commissioned by Access to Justice has found that the insurance industry is less competitive than the government have assumed and that rising insurance prices have been partly due to low interest rates since the financial crisis... Independent
17th March 2017 - Peers warn that certain types of driverless vehicles may be unsafe
The Lords Science and Technology Committee said that over-reliance on technology could mean drivers react slowly to taking back control of a semi-autonomous vehicle in an emergency... BBC News
10th March 2017 - Claims farmer fined £270k for making 22million unwanted calls
The ICO imposed the penalty against Basingstoke-based Road Accident Consult, trading as Media Tactics for making marketing calls about injury cliams, PPI and debt management, with a recorded message when it did not have the necessary permission... Law Society Gazette
3rd March 2017 - Shock at huge discount rate change but government also promises reform
Despite having undertaken an exhaustive consultation process on the discount rate over the past four years, Lord Chancellor Liz Truss also promised a new consultation before Easter on options for reform to prevent such uncertainties in future, such as an independent body, more frequent reviews, and a possible change of methodology... Litigation Futures
24th February 2017 - Insurers should brace themselves for a wave of claims from former football players with dementia
The warning comes from Clyde & Co's head of accident and health, following the publication of a study by University College London on dementia among retired professional footballers... Claims Media
17th February 2017 - English local authorities paid >£35m compensation and legal fees in the past 5 years to people living in 'unfit' homes
Almost 11,000 tenants have claimed compensation for damp, leaks and damage in their council homes, with the number of 'disrepair' claims rising despite a fall in 'unfit' homes since 2011... BBC News
10th February 2017 - Solicitors and CMCs probed over 'surge' in holiday sickness claims
The claims regulator is investigating relationships between claims management companies and solicitors following an ABTA claim that CMCs have moved onto holiday sickness cases as more lucrative sources of work than whiplash... Legal Futures
3rd February 2017 - Minister lukewarm on PI cold-calls ban
Justice minister Sir Oliver Heald suggested a ban on cold calls would have little effect because those responsible are unregulated anyway... Law Society Gazette
27th January 2017 - 31,000 Jobs at risk from PI reforms
An economics consultancy commissioned by Access 2 Justice has said that 31,000 jobs at law firms and other businesses in the PI sector are at 'high risk' of being lost if the government presses ahead with its reform agenda... Legal Futures
20th January 2017 - MoJ accused of using RTA data 'selectively'
PI lawyers have accused the Ministry of Justice of cherry-picking data to justify its policy agenda that they say undermines the rights of motor accident victims... Solicitors Journal
13th January 2017 - CMCs have 'hijacked' the provision of legal services
A solicitor has told the Solicitors Journal that case management companies 'steal and market spurious legitimacy', thus damaging the entire sector and a making it 'a matter of embarrassment to practitioners'... Solicitors Journal
6th January 2017 - Lawyers hit out over whiplash
Lawyers have condemned government plans to raise the small claims limit and curb the right to claim for whiplash and other soft-tissue injuries... New Law Journal
16th December 2016 - PI lawyers hope marketplace reforms in 2017 aren’t 'done deals'
Much energy is being spent trying to influence the government's whiplash and small claims reform, as well as Lord Justice Jackson's plans on extending multi-track fixed costs. Solicitors Journal
9th December 2016 - Government forced to stop dragging its heels after claimant lawyers launch legal challenge
Lord Chancellor, Liz Truss, has been forced into announcing the result of a long-overdue review of the discount rate for PI claims, following a threat of legal action by APIL. Solicitors Journal
2nd December 2016 - Small claims limit increase will hit 140,000 non-motor cases per year, says National Accident Helpline
Government plans to increase the PI small claims limit to £5,000 will affect over 140,000 non-whiplash related cases every year, such as injuries at work or from negligence, according to National Accident Helpline, which used data from the Compensation Recovery Unit to show that the increase will affect over 800,000 claims per year. Claims Media
25th November 2016 - Autumn Statement angers claimant lawyers
Claimant PI lawyers are wondering why the government announced a ban on cold-calling in relation to pensions, but not personal injuries, and whether the chancellor let slip that the whiplash reforms are a done deal. Legal Futures
18th November 2016 - Government says insurers will pass on £1 billion of savings if whiplash claim reforms go through
Consultation paper outlines plans to scrap the right to compensation or cap the amount people can claim for minor whiplash injuries at £425 and only with a medical report as proof of injury. Claims Media
11th November 2016 - MoJ whiplash reform plans could come 'within days'
Insurance Post reports being told by a senior Medco source that the Ministry of Justice could outline its plans to tackle whiplash 'within the next 10 days'... Post Online
4th November 2016 - Facebook blocks Admiral pricing insurance based on customers' Facebook posts
Admiral Insurance had designed an algorithm which judges certain words and punctuation in social media posts to identify users with reckless personalities who are therefore more likely to be bad drivers. However Facebook said using personal data to set prices is a breach of it's terms. Independent
27th October 2016 - SRA promises review of PI sector as MRO 'shell' companies are barred by MoJ
A Solicitors Regulation Authority survey says there are still concerns about the diversification of claimant firms into new injury types and the 'prevalence' of dishonest or frivolous claims. Solicitors Journal
21st October 2016 - One in 20 European patients catch an infection while in hospital and 90,000 die each year
The first study of hospital-acquired infections in European hospitals has revealed the health impact of these infections is twice the combined burden of 32 infections caught outside hospitals, including flu, HIV and tuberculosis. New Scientist
14th October 2016 - Self-driving Mercedes will be programmed to sacrifice pedestrians to save the driver
The company's manager of driverless car safety, Christoph von Hugo says that Mercedes will avoid 'trolley problem' style ethics choices and program its cars to save the vehicle's occupants in every situation. Fast Company
7th October 2016 - New bill of costs to become compulsory from October 2017
Litigation Futures says that the new format bill of costs is set to become compulsory in a year's time after the rule committee decoupled it from mandatory use of the J-Codes. Litigation Futures
29th September 2016 - Semi Autonomous cars could increase distracted driving accidents
The current generation of semi-autonomous cars can handle highway driving surprisingly well, but can lull drivers into distraction, risking an increase in the number of avoidable fatalities. MIT Technology Review
23rd September 2016 - Germany to create world’s first highway code for driverless cars
The three laws of robotic cars will put them on the same legal footing as human drivers and place liability for collisions on the manufacturers. New Scientist
16th September 2016 - Mobile phone use while driving has reached 'epidemic proportions'
Research by the RAC found that the number of people who admit to use mobile phones while driving in Britain has soared from 8% in 2014 to 31% this year because they have no fear of being caught. International Business Times
9th September 2016 - Insurer says 80% of UK car insurance claims are for whiplash compared to 3% in France
Aviva said that 76% per cent of an average car insurance premium goes towards claims costs including almost half to cover third party personal injury claims. This is Money
2nd September 2016 - Report says air pollution is neglected by both Defra and the Department for Transport, shortens the lives of over 50,000 people per year
Dr Chatterton, co-author of the research presented to the Royal Geographical Society, said 'Air pollution-related morbidity and mortality are at epidemic levels - and, although less obvious, are more significant than road transport collisions as a cause of death and injury'. BBC News
26th August 2016 - MPs call for ban on plastic microbeads
Scientists estimate that 15 to 51 trillion pieces of microplastic are in the world's oceans and an average plate of oysters could contain up to 50 plastic particles. Sky News
18th August 2016 - Study says ABSs may 'dominate in high-volume legal services'
Academics argue that regulatory reform that extended ownership rights to non-lawyers was the key change that challenged the partnership model... Legal Futures
12th August 2016 - Exchange Chambers in credit hire 'supercar' success
The claimant obtained costs for a hired Mercedes SLS AMG coupe to replace his damaged McLaren MP4 despite also owning two Aston Martins, a BMW 5 Series and a Range Rover. Exchange Chambers says the case has further clarified the rules under which the party-at-fault may be responsible for the other party's credit hire fees... Claims Media
5th August 2016 - Claimant who only beat part 36 offer because of post-Brexit fall in sterling denied usual rewards
The claimant was denied enhanced interest, indemnity costs and additional £75,000 payment given the sums at stake. The offer had been made in sterling but the judgment was in US dollars... Litigation Futures
28th July 2016 - Supreme Court says insurers can revisit PI settlements after discovering fraud
Overturning the appeal court's decision, Lord Clarke said: 'It is difficult to envisage any circumstances in which mere suspicion that a claim was fraudulent would preclude unravelling a settlement when fraud is subsequently established'... Litigation Futures
22nd July 2016 - Just one fifth of accident victims know how to make a personal injury claim
A YouGov poll commissioned by National Accident Helpline found that just 22% of adults who made a claim felt confident about it, while 26% were nervous about the process, 19% felt daunted and intimidated, and 10% worried about what others would think... Litigation Futures
15th July 2016 - Research shows that humans can’t be trusted to supervise semi-autonomous cars
Safety agency will likely consider whether expectations that drivers can supervise Tesla Autopilot are unreasonable... Technology Review
8th July 2016 - Brexit will not change push to reform personal injury small claims
Access to Justice (A2J) has suggested that political turmoil following the Brexit vote may push personal injury reform proposals down the government's agenda. Claims Mag
1st July 2016 - US opens investigation after first fatal crash in a self driving car
A fatal accident in which the driver of a Tesla Model S operating in Autopilot mode was killed in a collision with a truck has prompted an investigation by federal highway safety regulators. Reuters
24th June 2016 - 213 Models of diesel cars found to switch to emergency high pollution mode at 18c instead of freezing temperatures
Testing company Emissions Analytics told the BBC it measured a significant rise in poisonous gas emissions from a wide range of models from 31 manufacturers. BBC News
17th June 2016 - Official fraud stats are 'spurious', legal campaigners claim
Campaign group Access to Justice says the claim that fraud adds £50 to the average insurance premium is just 'plain wrong' and The Association of British Insurers has inflated the financial impact of fraud to aid its lobbying efforts... Insurance Post
10th June 2016 - UK's first driverless car insurance policy launched
Over half of new cars sold now contain some kind of autonomous features, and finally here's the first insurance policy to cater for them as well as protecting against hacking, failed software udpates, etc. Computing
3rd June 2016 - Government delays fixed costs in clinical negligence cases
The Department of Health has now confirmed that the introduction of fixed costs for clinical negligence cases will not go ahead on 1st October as previously planned. Solicitors Journal
26th May 2016 - Whiplash: George Osborne’s Modest Proposal
Cloisters column on the chancellor's proposals EDF.org.uk
20th May 2016 - Superbugs could kill 10 million people per year
A government report says medicine could be 'cast back into the dark ages' due to people treating antibiotics 'like sweets'. BBC News
13th May 2016 - MoJ unit raids two claims management companies
Investigators teamed up with police to make arrests in connection with two businesses thought to be at the centre of large scale and sophisticated cold-calling operations. FT Adviser
6th May 2016 - ABI welcomes minister’s pledge to push ahead with claims reforms
The ABI has welcomed justice minister Lord Faulks’s pledge to push ahead with the government’s proposed whiplash reforms. Insurance Times
29th April 2016 - 60% say whiplash crackdown unfair - poll
Nearly 60% of people think the government’s crackdown on whiplash claims is unfair, according to a survey commissioned by Access2Justice, which is campaigning against the plans. Insurance Times
22nd April 2016 - Drivers who fail to wear prescription glasses are four times more likely to have a crash
A survey by Direct Line insurance found that 16% of drivers have had an accident in the last two years, but this figure soars to 67% for those who chose not to wear their spectacles. This is especially worrying as 26% of all drivers admitted to sometimes or often not wearing their glasses while driving. This Is Money
15th April 2016 - Firms unite to fight Osborne’s PI reform plans
A2J (Access to Justice) has financial backing from 38 firms and has accused insurers of deliberately misleading ministers to obtain legislation which favours them. Law Society Gazette
8th April 2016 - Asthma is 'over-diagnosed and trivialised'
Two asthma specialists have warned about overdiagnosis and inhalers becoming almost 'fashion accessories' despite side-effects that should not be ignored. BBC News
1st April 2016 - Renowned musician suing Royal Opera House for ruined hearing
Viola player Chris Goldscheider claims his hearing was irreversibly damaged by brass instruments immediately behind him. Royal Opera House denies responsibility, but around one quarter of its players suffer hearing illnesses. BBC News
24th March 2016 - Experts say variation in birth care in England is 'concerning'
A warning by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' follows a review over 550,000 births which found 'substantial variation' in practice between maternity units. BBC News
18th March 2016 - Jackson takes hard line on firm's late court document
Lord Justice Jackson sitting in the Court of Appeal has upheld a £211000 claim that was won by default when the defendant missed their final chance to submit a court document. Law Society Gazette
11th March 2016 - APIL says cold calling for PI claims should be banned
Speaking at the Motor Insurance Summit, APIL chief executive Deborah Evans told delegates that an end to cold calling was essential to reduce fraud and restore credibility to the claims sector. Solicitors Journal
4th March 2016 - Knauer v MoJ changes PI law
In the landmark case concerning the appropriate date for the assessment of multipliers in claims brought under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, the Supreme Court has held that the date of trial is the relevant date. New Law Journal
26th February 2016 - Court of Appeal says fixed costs are trumped by Part 36 offer
In two joined-up hearings concerning low-level RTA claims, Lord Dyson said that assessed costs should trump fixed costs where claimants secure more than they had offered to settle for. Law Society Gazette
19th February 2016 - Claims management fees to be capped in PPI and other financial compensation cases
Fees charged by claims management companies to pursue compensation claims on behalf of individuals could be capped as low as 15% of the value of the award, but would not affect personal injury claims. Out-Law
12th February 2016 - A vision of life after the latest PI reforms
The government’s PI reforms will trigger satellite litigation, small claimant law firms going into run-off, and big job losses at defendant law firms, but not a reduction in insurance premiums according to Anthony Hughes of Jackson Hughes and former president of FOIL. Litigation Futures
3rd February 2016 - Improved health and safety sentencing guidelines begin to bite
Four fines over £ 1 million were imposed at the end of January for health and safety breaches, as new sentencing guidelines come into effect. Solicitors Journal
29th January 2016 - Jackson reveals 'grid of fixed costs' for cases up to £250,000
Delivering the IPA annual lecture, he described the current system as 'exorbitantly expensive' and called on the government decide on fixed costs for the lower reaches of the multi-track as he recommended, or for all cases. Litigation Futures
22nd January 2016 - Government taskforce backs tough action to tackle insurance fraud
The Insurance Fraud Taskforce has made 14 recommendations in its final report, including more data sharing, a clampdown on nuisance calls, an aggressive response to suspect claims, and tougher action against dishonest solicitors. Financial Times
15th January 2016 - Government confirms 1st October start for fixed costs in clinical negligence
Health Minister Ben Gummer said that fixed legal costs would be brought in this year in order to better manage clinical negligence claims through the legal process. source
8th January 2016 - NHSLA warned it must settle cases this month to avoid paying extra tax on premiums
Paul Hurley, director and head of ATE at ARAG, says the firm will be charging insurance premium tax (IPT) at the higher rate of 9.5% from 31st January. Litigation Futures
18th December 2015 - 81 Now convicted in biggest cash for crash scam
The case at Cardiff Crown Court involved 28 separate claims and 57 cars. The masterminds of the fraud ring were eventually caught staging an accident via their own CCTV system. source
11th December 2015 - Professional negligence warning over personal injury work
Insurance specialist BLM has warned in a white paper that personal injury, commercial and family work will all fuel negligence claims against lawyers. Legal Futures
4th December 2015 - Firm fined £850,000 for making 6 million nusiance NIHL calls
The Claims Management Regulator said the cold-calling by National Advice Clinic was 'deliberate and sustained' and included many people registered with the Telephone Preference Service. BBC News
20th November 2015 - Small claims limit to be reviewed
Potential changes to the small claims limit will be included in a new government report on tackling insurance fraud which will also look at limitation periods for whiplash claims. Law Society Gazette
13th November 2015 - FOIL elects new president
DAC Beachcroft partner Duncan Rutter has been elected the 20th president of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers and vowed to maintain access to justice and improve the claims process. Post Online
27th November 2015 - Limitation of £5000 PI claims 'totally unacceptable', says Law Society
The Law Society has reacted to government plans to raise the small claims limit for personal injury claims to £5,000, saying the proposals 'completely undermine the right of ordinary citizens to receive full and proper compensation' Solicitors Journal
6th November 2015 - Legal Ombudsman says CMCs are not actually as bad as people think
The ombudsman's report on its first six months of handling CMC complaints shows that the number was lower than predicted and prepared for, and gives some cause for 'positive reflection'. Law Society Gazette
30th October 2015 - PI firms expect revenue and staff numbers to rise
A new annual survey of the PI market finds that nearly half of claimant firms are expecting their turnover and profit to increase over the next year... Litigation Futures
22nd October 2015 - Law firms drop threat of Judicial Review over MedCo scheme
The group of PI firms who submitted an application to the High Court in Manchester in opposition to MedCo have now dropped a proposed legal challenge to its establishment. Law Society Gazette
16th October 2015 - MP says bereaved families are treated like second-class citizens
Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald, who is introducing the Negligence and Damages Bill, said the 'ridiculous' law on psychiatric harm needs to be made fit for purpose. Solicitors Journal
9th October 2015 - Regulator urged to punish lawyers who get work from nuisance cold calling companies
Sue Brown at the MASS conference called for an extension of the ban on unsolicited texts and calls in the PI sector and saidthis should include the SRA taking ‘robust action’ if solicitors are found to be involved. Law Society Gazette
2nd October 2015 - MoJ considers fixed costs regime for noise-induced hearing loss claims
A Civil Justice Council working group investigating noise-induced hearing loss claims has announced it is to look at how a fixed-costs regime might work. Litigation Futures
25th September 2015 - Insurance lawyers back court fees exemption in PI claims
The Forum of Insurance Lawyers has backed a proposal to exempt personal injury claims from a further increase in court fees, saying the government risks damaging UK plc with the fee hike. Solicitors Journal
17th September 2015 - Insurer warns families of claims from trampoline and bouncy castle injuries
A recent study found that 11,000 children go to A&E departments every year after suffering an injury on a garden trampoline. Direct Line says claims can range from £20,000 to £100,000. Daily Mail
11th September 2015 - Clinical negligence lawyers warn of "rushed" pre-xmas consultation on fixed fees
The vice-chair of the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers, has said she is concerned about the 6 week consultation starting in mid-November and finishing in December when many people will be away. Litigation Futures
4th September 2015 - National Accident Helpline rejects insurers’ allegations that late RTA claims have tripled
National Accident Helpline has released data showing that over 90% of people enquiring about making an insurance claim do so within 12 months of the accident and that this figure has barely changed in 10 years. Post Online
27th August 2015 - PI lawyers call for a shake-up of 'obstructive' NHS
APIL says the NHS approach to litigation is often 'ponderous, obstructive and wasteful' and that the health service 'runs up litigation costs' before 'finally admitting negligence at the eleventh hour' Solicitors Journal
21st August 2015 - Bills must be split for work carried out before and after 1st April 2013
Senior Costs Judge, Master Gordon-Saker, has ruled that it is "convenient and necessary for lawyers" bills to be split into two parts to distinguish between work carried out before and after 1st April 2013 in any case involving proportionality, because the old and post-Jackson proportionality tests are different. Litigation Futures
14th August 2015 - Former Miss England contestant found guilty of fabricating personal injury claim
Photos showed the model and footballer taking part in beauty pageant fitness tests and skydiving while supposedly suffering from whiplash. Solicitors Journal
7th August 2015 - Regulator issues first fine issued against a rogue claims management firm
The Hearing Clinic was fined £220,000 by the Claims Management Regulator following hundreds of complaints over speculative calls about Noise Induced Hearing Loss claims. Many of those called were subscribed to the Telephone Preference Service. Gov.uk
31st July 2015 - Jackson Five judge says Mitchell led to decisions that were "manifestly unjust and disproportionate"
The deputy head of civil justice, Lord Justice Richards, said in revoking an order by Lord Justice Lewison made before the later ruling in Denton, that the "very different light" cast on the case by Denton amounted to "a sufficient change in circumstances" to exercise his discretion. Litigation Futures
24th July 2015 - Supreme Court rules that CFAs are in line with human rights convention
In the ongoing case of Coventry & Ors v Lawrence & Anor, the court held by a majority of five to two that the recovery of costs under AJA, in this instance from a CFA success fee and ATE insurance, was compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Legal Business
17th July 2015 - Government to review MedCo immediately
The Government has decided to bring forward it's planned review of MedCo, the whiplash medical report portal, by 3 months, following concerns at how it has been manipulated by medical reporting organisations. Post Online
10th July 2015 - New Uninsured Drivers’ Agreement to take effect on 1st August
The new agreement, which comes into force for accidents occurring on or after 1st August, aligns the UK’s accident regulations with those of the EU. Post Online
3rd July 2015 - Medical legal costs "excessive and should be capped"
The government plans to introduce strict limits on fees in medical negligence cases against the NHS in England, but solicitors are warning the move could deny patients access to justice. BBC News
26th June 2015 - Judges "can undertake early neutral evaluations" to help resolve cases
Mr Justice Norris, ruling in an Inheritance Act case, said that it was part of the judicial function for the judge to accede to a request for a provisional opinion. Litigation Futures
19th June 2015 - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman reveals health service failures
The ombudsman published summaries of 163 investigations it carried out in October and November last year. During this period it upheld 41 per cent of complaints. Cambridge News
12th June 2015 - British airlines facing multiple claims for contaminated cabin air
Unite union lawyers are working on 17 "definite" individual personal injury claims against British airlines, and is calling for a public inquiry. Meanwhile, a coroner requested the Civil Aviation Authority to take "urgent action to prevent future deaths". BBC News
5th June 2015 - Just 4% of claims management company complaints relate to personal injury work
The Legal Ombudsman, which took over the job of handling complaints about CMCs in January, has revealed a far lower number of personal injury related complaints were received than many had expected. Legal Futures
28th May 2015 - Civil Justice Council wants extension of fixed recoverable costs to help fight PI fraud
The CJC said extending fixed costs would “reduce litigation costs and indirectly reduce incentives to commit insurance fraud”. Litigation Futures
22nd May 2015 - Litigant-in-person loses injury claim at appeal court for failure to serve a medical report
Lord Justice Tomlinson said the prejudice to the defendants was "far from trivial", and noted that the tide is "flowing strongly" towards a "less indulgent approach to non-compliance". Litigation Futures
15th May 2015 - Driving while wearing an Apple Watch can be more dangerous than using a phone
Last year California banned drivers from using Google Glass in the car. Will Apple's new device face similar difficulties? Fast Company
8th May 2015 - Costs lawyers call for level playing field in QC appointments
The Association of Costs Lawyers has said that costs lawyers and others who are not currently eligible, should have the right to apply for silk. Litigation Futures
1st May 2015 - Court of Appeal criticises off-the-shelf advice in PI litigation
Raleys loses negligence appeal, and criticised for using standardised letters with very little personal client contact. Law Society Gazette
24th April 2015 - Consumers reject black box insurance
Researcg by USwitch found that only 3% of British drivers have taken out a telematics insurance policy due to privacy concerns... Recombu
17th April 2015 - SRA warns PI firms against misleading marketing as inducements ban comes into force
The Solicitors Regulation Authority said in a guidance note that firms suggesting or implying that they are offering any inducement in breach of the ban are likely to undermine pubilc trust. Legal Futures
10th April 2015 - Court of Appeal condemns judge who failed to give "any adequate reasons" for ruling
Ordering a retrial of a case heard by District Judge Rouine at Preston County Court, Lord Justice Patten said there was "not one sentence in which he makes any specific findings of fact". Litigation Futures
2nd April 2015 - Court of Appeal rejects insurer’s attempt to dismiss a dishonest injury claim
Despite evidence of dishonesty, Lord Justice Underhill said the claimant’s original settlement should stand because of the 'wider principle' in the finality of settlements. Law Society Gazette
27th March 2015 - MPs call for a national body to investigate medical accidents
The House of Commons Public Administration select committee report says the current patient safety system is "too complicated" and "took too long". Parliament.uk
20th March 2015 - High court says noise induced hearing loss is not an injury
Mr Justice Phillips has ruled in Dalton & Ors v British Telecommunications Plc that noise induced hearing loss claims cannot be reclassified from a disease to an injury. BAILII
12th March 2015 - Charity demands change after discovering NHS spent £100 million on cancer negligence claims
A freedom of information request by Macmillan Cancer Support revealed that the NHS has paid &pound100 million in compensation relating to cancer care in the last decade. Macmillan.org.uk
4th March 2015 - PI firms issue challenge to government's whiplash plans
A group of personal injury firms have joined together to seek a judicial review of the government’s plans for vetting whiplash claims, arguing that ministers failed to consult adequately, and that the restrictions are irrational and unfair. Law Gazette
27th February 2015 - Change in law to mean easier fines for cold calling claims firms
The government has finally acted on the tens of thousands of complaints about nuisance calls and texts by making it easier from 6th April for the firms behind them to be fined. BBC News
20th February 2015 - Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 could revolutionise the personal injury market
The Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 which was given Royal Assent last week has received criticism for its introduction of a fundamental dishonesty test. Claims Mag
13th February 2015 - High Court rejects claim against Thompsons over miners litigation firm failure
The High Court has thrown out a claim for £71m against Thompsons which blamed them for the collapse of solicitors Greene Wood & McLean, who had tried to bring group litigation on behalf of thousands of miners. Litigation Futures
5th February 2015 - CPS handling of fatal RTAs criticised
The chief inspector for HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has said that the CPS is not delivering sufficient standards in fatal road traffic accident cases, following a report which found common failings such as poor case analysis and strategy, and inadequate reference to sentencing guidelines. Solicitors Journal
30th January 2015 - Legal Ombudsman to "clean up" the claims industry
The Legal Ombudsman (Leo) has finally started accepting complaints about claims management firms and is confident it can handle the extra 9000 complaints per year that are predicted as a result. Law Gazette
23rd January 2015 - Concern from senior judiciary over court fee increases of up to 622%
The senior judiciary and Civil Justice Council have expressed “deep concerns” over the new 5% court fee on money claims over £10,000. Calculations by the CJC show there will be as much as 622% increase on current rates. Litigtion Futures
16th January 2015 - Proportionality rule hits hard: High Court slashes costs by more than half
The High Court has more than halved the successful party’s costs in Savoye and Savoye Ltd v Spicers Ltd [2015] EWHC 33 (TCC) on summary assessment on the basis of proportionality. The fees charged by the partner running the case were particularly targeted. Litigation Futures
9th January 2015 - Experts to be challenged on "off the shelf data"
Executive search firm Edward Drummond has found that experts using the traditional methods of relying on previously accepted methods are more likely to have their opinions challenged in court, if their estimates were based on "off the shelf data", instead of a bespoke calculation. Solicitors Journal
19th December 2014 - ICO says consumers are still being bombarded by unsolicited accident claim calls
The Information Commissioner’s Office has said that it is still receiving thousands of complaints per month about unsolicited calls and texts relating to accident claims. The only issues generating more complaints were boiler replacement and solar panel offers. Law Gazette
12th December 2014 - Leading PI firms to seek judicial review of government whiplash reforms
Some of the country’s leading personal injury law firms are planning to challenge the Government’s changes to medical reporting in whiplash claims. They claim that restricting claimants to a list of medical experts, rather than being free to choose their own, is a breach of their human rights. Claims Mag
4th December 2014 - Law firms lose clients' money to phone scams
The SRA has warned law firms after four firms lost £2m from client accounts to scammers who used social engineering tricks to obtain bank security information. Legal Futures
28th November 2014 - SRA warns of "genuinely shocking" money laundering by law firms
A senior regulatory manager at the Solicitors Regulation Authority has said that they currently have some "genuinely shocking" cases of money laundering in their disciplinary system, which will will become public knowledge when the disciplinary process is completed. Legal Futures
21st November 2014 - Apple Watch could help in personal injury cases
For perhaps the first time, data from a tech bracelet will be used in court to support a personal injury case. The claimant's law firm in Canada will compare data from her FitBit wearable with those from other women of her age and profession to help demonstrate the impact oh her injury. This case has potentially enormous implications as wearables become increasingly common and with the Apple Watch launch soon to launch them into the mainstream. Forbes
13th November 2014 - Survey suggests costs budgeting is not working
A survey carried out by costs lawyers Kain Knight found that 45% of solicitors still don't believe the new costs budgeting process is working well for themselves or their clients. Law Society Gazette
6th November 2014 - Crash for cash scams reach record level
Aviva insurance say that "crash for cash" insurance scams have risen 21% this year to a new record level, with the greatest number of incidents in Birmingham, Luton and North London. BBC News
31st October 2014 - High Court says that courts have “unfettered discretion” to order costs budgets
Mr Justice Coulson has ruled that the courts have “unfettered discretion” to order costs budgets, whatever size of damages are at stake Litigation Futures
23rd October 2014 - Protection for asbestos victims extended
The Supreme Court has ruled that the Asbestos Industry Regulations 1931 applied to all workers in factories where asbestos was being processed, even if they were not involved in mixing asbestos or directly employed by the occupiers of the building. Litigation Futures
17th October 2014 - Stress and mental health issues cause most days off work
A report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has found that stress and mental health issues remain the biggest reason for days off work, although one third of employers are not taking action to address these problems. Solicitors Journal
9th October 2014 - High Court refuses withdrawal of part 36 offer
The High Court has ruled that Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust cannot withdraw a part 36 offer to settle a negligence case because they had refused to disclose their reasons for doing so. Law Society Gazette
2nd October 2014 - ‘Passport to practise’ gets go-ahead
The General Medical Council has agreed to develop a single national licensing examination for doctors wanting to practise in the UK, which they say will improve standards over time. GMC
26th September 2014 - Exclusive insurance deals to be banned
The Competition and Markets Authority has announced that exclusive pricing deals between motor insurers and price comparison websites will be banned, but it ruled out a cap on replacement car and repair charges. BBC News
19th September 2014 - Supreme Court makes "remarkable" decision to barristers to waive success fees
The president of the Supreme Court has forced two barristers to drop their success fee claims, noting the "many unsatisfactory aspects" of the pre-Jackson CFA regime. Litigation Futures
8th September 2014 - Personal injury to blame for massive loss at Co-operative Legal Services
Managing director of Co-operative Legal Services, Matt Howells has told Legal Futures that falling revenue from PI work caused a 64% decline in revenue and a £5.1m loss over the past year. Legal Futures
1st September 2014 - Consultation by GMC on how to improve patient protection
The General Medical Council have launched a consultation on how doctors should be dealt with following serious complaints. Proposals include the requirement for doctors to apologise to patients if they have caused them harm. General Medical Council
21 August 2014 - Government claims credit for closure of hundreds of claims firms
The government says its tough new rules have led to the closure of almost 600 claims firms responsible for span texts and calls. www.gov.uk
18th August 2014 - Barristers’ clerks criticise law firms over contract payment terms
Brian Lee, chair of the Institute of Barristers’ Clerks has said that law firms are imposing contracts on barristers that they would never sign themselves. Legal Futures
7th August 2014 - MoJ to cut fees for medical reports
Chris Grayling announced new plans to tackle insurance fraud and "turn the tide on the growing compensation culture". Solicitors Journal
4th August 2014 - PI lawyers up in arms over motor insurance strike-out proposals
Personal injury lawyers have condemned plans to give courts new powers to strike out motor insurance cases with “phantom passengers” and “fundamentally dishonest claims”. New Law Journal
28th July 2014 - Pre-Jackson costs regime may breach human rights
The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the ‘exorbitant’ costs of litigation in a ruling that suggests the pre-Jackson costs regime could breach article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Law Society Gazette
21st July 2014 - Chris Grayling promises end to 'health and safety culture'
The Justice Secretary told the Telegraph that society has become “too inclined to blame someone else” when something goes wrong and the new Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill, to be debated by MPs today, will make it harder to win cases in the courts. The Telegraph
14th July 2014 - Petition aims to reduce future injuries from exploding pavements
Hodge Jones & Allen has endorsed a petition set up by a client, who was engulfed her in a fireball when a pavement exploded. The petition aims to ensure that essential maintenance and upgrades are carried out. Solicitors Journal
10th July 2014 - 65 Warnings over referral fee ban compliance in first quarter of this year
The Claims Management Regulator has revealed that in the first three months of 2014 it warned 65 claims management companies about their compliance with the referral fee ban. The CMR also said it has launched a mystery shopping scheme to catch companies that break the rules. Legal Futures
7th July 2014 - Dyson says Court of Appeal is partly responsible for “misunderstood and misapplied” Mitchell ruling
Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, has issued more detailed guidance on how the Mitchell ruling should be used and said that it has been “misunderstood and is being misapplied by some courts”. Litigation Futures
4th July 2014 - Government to fine rogue claims management firms
Justice Minister Lord Faulks QC has announced proposals that could mean fines of hundreds of thousands of pounds for claims management firms that bombard people with nuisance calls. Moneywise
30th June 2014 - Half of chambers don't comply with equality rules
A report to the Bar Standards Board has found than only half of the sampled chambers were compliant with the new equality and diversity rules introduced in 2012. Law Society Gazette
23rd June 2014 - Massive increase in 'crash for cash' scams
Aviva Insurance reported a 51% increase in 'crash for cash' scames in 2013 and is calling for harsher sentences for the fraudsters, complaining that the most common punishment currently is a community order. BBC News
17th June 2014 - Planned cap on courtesy car costs
The Competition and Markets Authority has said that replacement vehicles cost too much and has proposed a cap on costs as well as a ban on price parity agreements between insurers and price comparison websites. BBC News
9th June 2014 - Heroes bill 'protects the negligent, not the injured'
The vice president of APIL,Jonathan Wheeler said, "How could someone who has negligently or recklessly caused injury to another be a hero in anyone's eyes? And in any event isn't this going over the same ground as covered by the Compensation Act 2006?" Solicitors Journal
5th June 2014 - Triple Mitchell showdown announced
The Court of Appeal has listed three appeals which will be heard together over 16th and 17th June in an effort to clarify the post-Mitchell rules. Law Society Gazette
27th May 2014 - LLP partners are safe to whistleblow
The Supreme Court has decided in Clyde & Co LLP and another v Winkelhof [2014] UKSC 32, that LLP partners who expose bad behaviour are protected by whistleblowing legislation. Legal Week
19th May 2014 - Government plans to cut medical report fees
According to a letter sent by Lord Faulks, the government wants to cut medical report fixed fees by 10% and ban law firms from owning the agencies that commission them. Litigation Futures
16th May 2014 - Should law firms be doing more to protect employee well-being?
A survey by LawCare found that 74% of lawyers were more stressed at work last year than they had been five years ago, yet only 17% had taken time off work because of stress. Solicitors Journal
6th May 2014 - Ramsey says Jackson uncertainly will be short-lived
Mr Justice Ramsey has told the Law Society’s Civil Justice Section conference that although the Mitchell ruling has made firms much more nervous, the decision was based on correct principles and the current disquiet will soon subside. Law Society Gazette
28th April 2014 - Sharp decrease in car insurance premiums, but a rise could be on the way.
The AA has said that average comprehensive motor insurance costs are down 16.6% since last year, but also warned that the downward trend is under threat. BBC News
24th April 2014 - Jackson responds to his critics
Lord Justice Jackson has said in a Times article that anything that changed the way lawyers work was “likely to be unpopular with the profession” and that an opinion poll of lawyers was not the correct way to assess the reforms. New Law Journal
17th April 2014 - Over 40% of non-fault personal injury victims have not claimed compensation
A report from Naitonal Accident Helpline suggests that more than 40% of potential personal injury claimants have not actually made a claim. Also, 37% of respondents said they were concerned about possible legal fees. National Accident Helpline
8th April 2014 - Mitchell could encourage PI firms to "bypass courts"
Rod Evans, former president of FOIL told a legal policy forum that a number of senior barristers and solicitors have suggested that the civil justice system’s current preoccupation with procedural issues could encourage major PI firms to arbitrate and bypass the courts altogether. Litigation Futures
1st April 2014 - PI cases in Scotland are “clogging up the system” and must be tackled
Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill has warned that the increasing number of PI cases in Scottish courts are “clogging up the system” as he defended the proposed Courts Reform Bill. The Scotsman
24th March 2014 - Solicitors asking expert witnesses to omit dates in a bid to comply with post-Jackson time limits
A medico-legal committee at the College of Occupational Therapists has warned in an email to its members that solicitors are increasingly sending out "source material including draft reports and witness statements but asking them either not to list or refer to this material in their report or to remove all dates of reports and witness statements". The section specialising in brain injuries said that these demands were incompatible with the civil procedure rules. Solicitors Journal
17th March 2014 - PI campaigner says Untraced Drivers Agreement needs reform
Legal consultant and solicitor Nicholas Bevan, writing the the NLJ, has called for reform of the current MIB arrangements on investigations and compensation for claims involving uninsured or untraceable drivers. New Law Journal
14th March 2014 - Claimant solicitors told to stop asking for pre-med offers
Rob Cummings of the ABI told the Claims Magazine Conference yesterday that if claimant lawyers are so keen to end insurers making pre-medical offers, then they should stop requesting them, Litigation Futures
4th March 2014 - Helphire buys PI law firm thanks to new rules
Helphire has announced it is buying Cardiff based NewLaw for £43 million, utilising the new rules allowing non-lawyers to purchase legal firms. The Times
25th February 2014 - Defendants who ‘stood Mitchell on its head’ ordered to pay costs
The High Court has warned defendants against ignoring their duty to co-operate and reduce the cost of litigation by relying on Mitchell to unreasonably oppose minor timetable changes. Solicitors Journal
17th February 2014 - Jackson "policy swerve" signals Mitchell relief?
The President of the Queen’s Division and deputy head of civil justice has approved a draft amendment to the model direction for clinical negligence. The change which has been described as "a policy swerve" in reaction to the Jackson reforms and the Andrew Mitchell case allows parties to agree extensions of time of up to 28 days without the need to apply to court. New Law Journal
10th February 2014 - SRA launches consultation on CPD
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched a consultation on its proposals to reform the CPD scheme. The SRA hopes to increase firms’ flexibility in arranging their training needs. SRA
7th February 2014 - Justice minister says courts will become more friendly and welcoming, less alien
The new justice minister, Simon Hughes, has pledged, in an interview with the Guardian, that the courts will become more "user-friendly" and less "alien" places. The Guardian
27th January 2014 - Personal injury firm was ‘punished’ by council for making too many claims
North Solicitors, which was evicted from Blackpool Borough Council maintained premises for suing the local authority too frequently has had the decision to end its tenancy overturned. Law Society Gazette
20th January 2014 - Claimant lawyers condemn mesothelioma "deal behind closed doors with insurers"
Claimant lawyers have condemned what they claim was a deal between the government and insurers over the Mesothelioma Bill, which has now passed all its stages in parliament. Solicitors Journal
17th January 2014 - MPs query £7000 fee for mesothelioma compensation scheme
Members of Parliament have expressed concerns that solicitors will charge mesothelioma victims the full £7,000 for legal services under the new mesothelioma compensation scheme. Litigation Futures
13th January 2014 - Lawyers' support charity reports rise in stress cases
The LawCare charity, which helps lawyers and their families cope with stress, alcohol, drug abuse and other issues, has reported a 36% rise in case files from 2012 to 2013. The most common problems were stress, followed by depression and alcohol. New Law Journal
6th January 2014 - Ombudsman questions whether "no win, no fee" phrase should be allowed
Figures released by the legal ombudsman show that lawyers were ordered to pay nearly £1m in compensation to disappointed clients last year due to failures in no win, no fee agreements. The level of complaints prompted Adam Sampson, the chief ombudsman, to query whether solicitors should be allowed to use the phrase. The Guardian
19th December 2013 - Government admits no concrete plans to implement Third Party Act
Lord McNally admitted there are still no concrete plans to implement The Third Party (Rights against Insurers) Act which received royal assent in March 2010. Law Society Gazette
12th December 2013 - Academic warns of "Rogue entrants" to litigation funding industry
Dr Angus Nurse from Middlesex University who co-authored "Litigation Funding: Status and Issues" in 2012, has warned that "rogue entrants" are starting to enter the litigation funding market. Solicitors Journal
5th December 2013 - Mitchell case is "tough love" and game changer
Practitioners have warned about the risks of satellite litigation around professional negligence claims following the Court of Appeal’s "Plebgate" costs decision. New Law Journal
28th November 2013 - No more ‘Wriggle room’ on costs
Following the landmark Court of Appeal judgment concerning a plea for relief from sanctions in the Andrew Mitchell libel case, experts have warned that solicitors must adhere to strict new costs rules or face professional negligence claims. Law Society Gazette
22nd November 2013 - APIL president predicts "very big, catastrophic failures"
Matthew Stockwell, president of APIL, speaking at a conference in London said there will be some "very big, catastrophic failures" of law firms over the next 12 months, and also expressed concern about the "lack of resources available to the SRA" to monitor conflicts of interest within ABSs. Solicitors Journal
15th November 2013 - Claims firms to face fines for unsolicited calls and texts
The government is planning to introduce large fines for claims firms that bombard the public with unsolicited texts and phone calls about PPI and other compensation claims. The Guardian
7th November 2013 - AA to enter personal injury sector
Motoring organisation, The AA, is to enter the legal market after being granted an ABS licence. AA Law, a joint venture with Lyons Davidson, will start trading in December and deal initially with personal injury and other car accident claims. City AM
31st October 2013 - Lawyer claims MoJ unlikely to change small claims limit decision
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is unlikely to alter its decision on not raising the small claims threshold to £5,000 for personal injury cases, according to Patrick Allen, senior partner at Hodge, Jones & Allen. New Law Journal
24th October 2013 - Woman who almost drowned wins landmark ruling after 13 years
Annie Woodland was a junior school pupil when she nearly drowned during a school swimming lesson in July 2000. This Wednesday she won a landmark ruling at the Supreme court that paves the way for her to pursue compensation from the local education authority. BBC News
18th October 2013 - PI lawyers told to 'get niche, get big, or get out'
Anthony Gold managing partner David Marshall told personal injury lawyers at the SJ Live conference this week that "business as usual" would mean profits are "wiped out", but also that 'boutique' and 'back to basics' local firms with clear strategies would be able to survive. Solicitors Journal
11th October 2013 - Survey finds that women lawyers are paid less than men
A survey by legal recruiters Laurence Simons has found that the legal profession is more diverse than society as a whole, but gender and inequality is still a problem, with women lawyers being paid a third less than men and receiving half the amount in bonuses. Law Society Gazette
3rd October 2013 - 86 Charged in 'crash for cash' probe
A total of 86 people have been charged by Gwent Police in relation to an alleged insurance scam. The charges include fraud against insurance firms, conspiracy to steal vehicles and money laundering. BBC News
27th September 2013 - PI Lawyers want end to 'postcode lottery'
PI lawyers have called for fairer treatment of the bereaved. A survey commissioned by APIL uncovered a “postcode lottery” for damages and revealed that four out of five people thought the Scottish system was better than that of England and Wales. New Law Journal
19th September 2013 - No referral fee ban for Scotland
Sheriff principal James Taylor has rejected the English judge Jackson's recommendation that referral fees in personal injury cases should be banned. He said in his report that there was no evidence that referral fees in PI cases led to "unmeritorious claims" being raised and "There is evidence that the present ban on referral fees is regularly circumvented and there is no appetite to enforce the ban, perhaps due to the difficulty in so doing". Solicitors Journal
12th September 2013 - Firms dealings with CMCs to be handed over to the MoJ
Some law firms who work with claims management companies are in a state of panic after it was revealed that information about their dealings will be handed over to the claims management regulator. Law Society Gazette
5th September 2013 - Man turns the tables on cold-calling CMCs
Lee Beaumont became so fed up with cold-calls from claims management companies that he turned his home phone number into a premium rate line and has made over £300 profit from it since November 2011. BBC News
29th August 2013 - PI market shake-up could improve quality
The move to ban referral fees within personal injury claims was not popular with many at the time, but now there is speculation by some that they will ultimately succeed in improving quality. Legal Week
22nd August 2013 - Lawyers can ‘exert undue influence’ on elderly
A guide published by the Legal Ombudsman warns that lawyers sometimes ‘exert undue influence’ on elderly clients to force them to make decisions and that people can often ‘feel intimidated’ when dealing with professionals. Law Society Gazette
15th August 2013 - “Astonishing” claims of corruption in the UK courts
According to a survey pubished by Transparency International, covering 1,000 people in each of 107 countries, one in five people using the courts last year said they or a household member paid a bribe, and nearly one quarter of people in the UK believe the courts and judiciary are corrupt. New Law Journal
8th August 2013 - Miners’ compensation firms could face "thousands" of negligence claims
A county court negligence ruling against one of the law firms which handled claims under the miners' compensation scheme could be the first of 'thousands', according to the former miner's solicitor. Solicitors Journal
2nd August 2013 - Insurers 'encourage fraud and exaggeration' say MPs
MPs on the Transport Select Committee have accused the motor insurance industry of encouraging fraud and exaggeration in accident claims. They said that insurers must immediately "put their house in order". BBC News
26th July 2013 - CMCs’ turnover tops £1bn despite mass exodus from personal injury
Ministry of Justices figures show that the turnover of claims management companies rose 31% last year to over £1bn, while the number of claims management companies handling personal injury work has fallen 30% since March 2012. Legal Futures
18th July 2013 - Axa calls for 3 day limit on whiplash claims
Axa Insurance issued a report today suggesting that whiplash claims should be made within 3 days of the alleged accident and include evidence of physical injury. The report includes further ideas and is inspired by systems already in place in France and Sweden. Law Society Gazette
12th July 2013 - MoJ ignores Law Society pleas to delay RTA Portal expansion
The RTA Portal expansion will go ahead on 31 July as planned despite Law Society pleas for the changes to be delayed due to lack of information. New Law Journal
4th July 2013 - SRA and MoJ ‘must get their heads together’
Personal injury lawyers have attacked the SRA's decision last week not to ban inducements by solicitors. Solicitors Journal
27th June 2013 - Law society says law students are not prepared for work
In its response to the report of the Legal Education and Training Review, the Law Society has said that there is an oversupply of graduates looking for careers in the law but who lack specific skills required by firms and are not sufficiently briefed about the realities of securing a job. Law Society Gazette
20th June 2013 - Government promises to strengthen referral fee ban if ABSs are used to get around it
The government has pledged to revisit the terms of the personal injury referral fee ban if it looks as though alternative business structures (ABSs) and other arrangements are being used to get around it. Legal Futures
13th June 2013 - High Court warns over ‘unreasonable opposition’ to extensions of time
Mr Justice Henderson at the High Court has said that courts must scrutinise post-Jackson applications for extensions of time more rigorously than before, but must avoid going to the "other extreme" and encouraging "unreasonable opposition". Solicitors Journal
6th June 2013 - Department of Health announces defendant panel firms
Following a tender process lasting several months, The Department of Health has announced its roster of defendant panel firms that will share a £400m contract for the NHS in England over the next four years. Law Society Gazette
29th May 2013 - Jackson Five to hear appeals
Five Court of Appeal judges, including Lord Justice Jackson, have been appointed to hear all appeals arising from the Jackson reforms. They are Lord Dyson, the Master of the Rolls, Lord Justice Stephen Richards (Deputy Head of Civil Justice) and Lord Justices Jackson, Davis and Lewison. New Law Journal
23rd May 2013 - SRA under fire for policing of referral fee ban
The Solicitors Regulation Authority came faced criticism this week at the Manchester Law Society's personal injury conference for the way it is enforcing the referral fee ban. Its director of policy and strategy was unable to tell solicitors how many investigations it has started since the ban came into force seven weeks ago. Legal Futures
16th May 2013 - 10% Damages increase not enough to compensate clients
Professor Paul Fenn has warned that the Jackson reforms and extension of the RTA portal will result in lower damages for clients. Speaking at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum he said that the 10% increase in general damages intended to soften the blow for claimants would not be enough to make up for the fall in damages received by clients. Solicitors Journal
9th May 2013 - Mesothelioma bill announced in Queen's speech
The bill annouced in the Queen's speech establishes a payment scheme for people who cannot trace their employer or their employer's insurance company and is to be funded by a levy on insurance companies. BBC News
2nd May 2013 - Trouble for PI firms means trouble for claimants
While there is little public sympathy for solicitors the truth is that people will soon find it harder to claim compensation. The Guardian
26th April 2013 - Whiplash claims at five-year low
The number of whiplash claims has fallen by almost 60,000 in the past year and was the lowest since 2008/09, according to government figures obtained by APIL. Law Society Gazette
18th April 2013 - RTA plans “deeply flawed & partial”
A high-profile personal injury lawyer has warned that government proposals to reform the law on uninsured and hit-and-run drivers fail to meet the standards required by European law and are “deeply flawed and partial”. New Law Journal
11th April 2013 - Appeal judges back solicitors who act for clients without ATE
The Court of Appeal has ruled that personal injury lawyers who agree to act on conditional fees for clients without ATE and pay disbursements if cases are lost do not make themselves liable for adverse costs orders. Solicitors Journal
4th April 2013 - More civil litigation reform to come
The Bar Council has set out its recommendations for change in a discussion document, Reforming civil litigation, published last week. New Law Journal
28th March 2013 - Judge criticises ‘desultory’ training in run-up to 1 April
Senior master Steven Whitaker, who is also the Queen’s remembrancer at the Royal Courts of Justice, has become the first judge to criticise in public the level of training given ahead of the Jackson reforms coming into force. He said the level of training for judges had been ‘desultory’ in the lead-up to 1 April. Law Society Gazette
21st March 2013 - One fifth of northwest personal injury firms consider closing
Of over 300 managing partners of northwest law firms who were surveyed last week by O’Connors, one quarter said that profitability will drop by 50 per cent after the fee cuts and reforms, and nearly one fith of specialist personal injury law firms in the northwest are considering closing down. Solicitors Journal
15th March 2013 - MPs to investigate impact of whiplash claims
The Commons Transport Committee had said it plans to investigate the extent to which claims for whiplash injuries are pushing up the cost of car insurance following suggestions that the UK is now the "whiplash capital of the world". It will look at the impact fabricated and exaggerated claims have on premiums and what can be done about them. BBC News
8th March 2013 - Law firms may be exposed to professional negligence claims
A legal expenses insurer has warned that the Jackson reforms could leave law firms exposed to professional negligence claims. The new rules prohibit the recovery of ATE premiums for policies purchased on or after 1st April, regardless of when the client entered into a retainer with their solicitor. Russell Smart, COO of Elite Insurance says this could land clients with huge bills they can’t pay and leave solicitors facing negligence actions if they fail to secure ATE before the 1st April deadline. http://www.newlawjournal.co.uk/nlj/content/jackson-leaves-gap">New Law Journal
1st March 2013 - High Court told of Downing Street deal with insurers
The government and insurers negotiated a deal via email to cut personal injury legal costs prior to a summit at Downing Street, the High Court was told this morning by lawyers acting for the claimant lobby. Law Society Gazette
21st February 2013 - SRA considers quicker ABS application process
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is reviewing its approach to licensing alternative business structures one year on from the start of the regime, with a much speedier process for low-risk entities one of the likely outcomes, according to Legal Futures. Legal Futures
15th February 2013 - Discount rate could be increased
A Ministry of Justice consultation launched this week suggests the current 2.5% discount rate used to calculate damages for future losses in personal injury claims could be increased because claimants make riskier investments than previously thought. It also asks whether periodical payments should be used more frequently. New Law Journal
8th February 2013 - Claims management company buys law firm
Vamco, a claims management company based in Surrey, has become the first to buy a law firm. The firm now owns Kingsley Law, through its subsidiary and ABS, Kingsley Law Limited. Solicitors Journal
4th February 2013 - SRA redraws plan to increase fines for firms
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has re-opened discussions with the Ministry of Justice on raising the amount it can fine firms from the current maximum of £2,000. Law Society Gazette
24th January 2013 - SRA sticks to its guns over referral fee ban guidance
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is confident of its interpretation of the referral fee ban but simply cannot give the level of clarity over which business models will comply that many want, according to Richard Collins, executive director of policy and standards, who as speaking yesterday at the SRA board meeting. Legal Futures