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18 September 2017
When the Prime Minister announced a snap general election back in April, personal injury lawyers dared to hope that the so called “whiplash reforms”, would never again see the light of day.
The Queen has since announced that legislation to modernise the courts system and help reduce motor insurance premiums will go ahead. These measures are expected to be introduced as part of the government’s new Civil Liability Bill, designed to address the “compensation culture” and crack down on fraudulent whiplash claims.
Changes to be introduced by the Bill include the introduction of a fixed tariff of compensation for victims of whiplash injuries with a duration of up to two years. This is likely to see claimants who might currently be eligible to claim compensation in excess of £1,500 being paid just £225, a drop of significantly more than the projected £35 per year saving that they might see in their own insurance premium.
The reforms could also go further and encompass proposals to increase the small claims thresholds to £5,000 for whiplash injuries and £2,000 for other types of personal injury claim. If this is also implemented then victims are unlikely to be able to access legal advice and assistance in pursuing a claim, which will leave many genuinely injured people without any hope of being compensated at all.
There is currently no clear indication as to when the Civil Liability Bill is likely to come into force. On the basis however that it is now looking likely, it is crucial to seek legal advice now if you have suffered an accident or injury for which you think you might be eligible to seek compensation.
The personal injury team at Battens offers specialist lawyers who will investigate the possibility of making a claim, in most cases on a no win, no fee basis, without making any deduction from a client’s compensation. If you have suffered an injury that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to make contact on 0800 6528411 or via the personal injury section of our website here.
