Personal injury (PI)
Apil “disappointed” at plaques decision
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers said it has always believed the House of Lord’s ruling should be overturned, so the government’s decision on pleural plaques is a disappointing end to a long, drawn out consultation process.
Thompsons' mixed reaction to government's asbestos decision
Thompsons Solicitors has expressed disappointment at the decision not to restore compensation for people with pleural plaques in England & Wales.
Union rejects pleural plaques compensation decision
Justice Secretary Jack Straw has confirmed that the government would only compensate (through an ex-gratia payment of £5000) people with pleural plaques in England and Wales who had lodged a legal case prior to a Law Lords decision in 2007 to bar…
Fears rise as process reforms approach
Concerns are mounting that the imminent Ministry of Justice claims process reforms could encourage claims to be settled without medical evidence, creating significant exposures for solicitors and insurers.
MoJ defends itself over claims of "done deal"
The Ministry of Justice has defended its decision to shorten the response time for its defamation costs consultation paper after the Legal Expenses Insurance Group hit out at the "arbitrary reduction" last week.
PI victory highlights bus fraud threat
Provident has claimed a victory for the insurance industry after it avoided a potential cost of £200 000 in fraudulent personal injury claims.
View from the top - Lex Baugh: Is Jackson beneficial?
What are we to make of Lord Justice Jackson's proposals for civil litigation costs? Are they beneficial for the insurance industry? And what of the claimant?
Legal Expenses - Jackson Impact: Cheque mate
Would Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations on costs reform really decimate the after-the-event market? Veronica Cowan canvasses views from those affected.
Motor Claims 2010: ABI calls for MoJ reforms co-operation
The Association of British Insurers has called on its members and the legal profession to work together to ensure the Ministry of Justice's new motor claims handling process is a success.
Motor Claims 2010: Insurers must plan for PPO increase
The insurance industry has been urged to put plans in place to manage an increase in injured claimants requesting periodical payment orders.
Motor Claims 2010: Time issues worry Zurich boss
Ministry of Justice personal injury reforms will place greater time constraints on insurers than claimant lawyers, according to Tony Emms, motor claims director at Zurich.
MoJ draft rules agreed
The Ministry of Justice road traffic accident personal injury draft rules have been agreed and signed off by the rules committee.
Credit hire bodies in talks to create single industry voice
The Accident Management Association and National Association of Credit Hire Operators are poised to merge, Post has learnt.
TUC supports EL database proposals
The Trades Union Congress has welcomed the government moves to open a consultation on the setting up of an employers’ liability insurance bureau.
Claims Club: IDSL issues stark warning over RTA claims process
Claimant lawyers flouting the new process for low value road traffic injury claims will be reprimanded and their details passed to the Ministry of Justice.
Claims Club: Kinley - calculate the cost of Jackson to you
Alistair Kinley urged liability insurers to "run the numbers" on Lord Jackson's suite of proposals, designed to cut civil litigation costs, "to see if they work for you".
Plaques parity touted
Parity in pleural plaques legislation between England and Wales and Scotland could be a reality "before the election", a Labour MP has claimed.
Case provides welcome relief for schools
Educational establishments have avoided potentially "huge and costly" ramifications after the case of Henry Webster (& others) v The Ridgeway School was successfully defended, according to the law firm and insurer involved.
Legal firm welcomes "overdue" ELIB plan
Ian McFall, head of asbestos policy at Thompsons Solicitors, said: "We have said for many years that what is good enough for road traffic accident victims is good enough for the workers."
Government backs EL database
The government has proposed setting up an employers' liability tracing office to help people claim compensation who have serious industrial diseases and who cannot trace their employers' insurance records.
Plaques bill has second reading
Labour MP Andrew Dismore has described his private members bill - Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions)(No.2) Bill - which aims to overturn the House of Lords ruling that pleural plaques are not compensatable, as “modest”.
Claims- personal injury: Number crunching
Wilson Carswell examines the number of personal injury claims following motor accidents that are made in the UK and asks if the figures add up.
Aviva's new GI boss lambasts UK ambulance-chasing culture
In his first full interview David McMillan tells Post he will take up the issue with the Association of British Insurers.