Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence
MoJ bids to help consumers better understand whiplash portal
The Ministry of Justice has published a simplified guide to using the Official Injury Claim portal in the wake of a low take-up by litigants in person. But there are still big obstacles.
“Injured people will suffer twice” – furious reaction to clin neg fixed costs
Those harmed by the NHS will “have to pay again by losing access to justice” as a result of government plans to introduce fixed costs, campaigners have claimed.
Government sides with defendants in clinical negligence fixed costs plan
The government has finally published its proposals for fixed costs in low-value clinical negligence cases. Going with fees proposed by defendant representatives, it expects to save £454m over 10 years.
Collapse in number of motor claims continues but clin neg cases jump
The number of motor injury claims reported to the Compensation Recovery Unit fell by nearly 20% last year, new figures have shown. However, the volume of clinical negligence claims increased.
Insurance firm develops AI app to boost clients’ reserving
A leading insurance law firm has mined its historic claims data to create an app for clients to improve estimates of how much cash to set aside at an early stage in volume personal injury claims.
MIB to probe why unrepresented claimants are shunning whiplash portal
The body that operates the Official Injury Claim portal is to investigate why unrepresented litigants are not using the service. They are bringing fewer than 10% of claims made through the service.
Leading litigation loan provider owes backer £43m, administrators reveal
Affiniti Finance – which lent money to thousands of law firm clients – went into administration late last year after a breakdown in the relationship with its ultimate backer, which is now owed £43m.
Medical negligence claims process can be “inhumane experience”
Making claims against the NHS can be “a difficult, and in some cases inhumane, experience”, with the worst cases seeing staff trying to “proactively cover up” errors and even fabricating medical records.
Pandemic turned Slater & Gordon profit into £20m loss
The pandemic hit Slater & Gordon hard, with a £12m profit turning into a £20m loss in 2020, newly published accounts have shown. Its turnover for the year fell 8.6% to £111m.
S&G refunds £4,000 deduction in latest Checkmylegalfees clash
The latest battle between Slater & Gordon and Checkmylegalfees.com has seen the law firm refund £4,000 it deducted from a client’s damages where he was signed up to a CFA 97 seconds after receiving it.
Blog
Modern search is about ‘knowledge’ retrieval
Search has long been understood as data retrieval – the ability to call back information and check a box on finding something. Legal professionals today need more of a 360-degree view on a matter.
Lessons from Sir Keir Starmer for SRA chief
The proposed 29%, or £25m, increase in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s budget announced last week should really come as no great surprise.
The hidden risks in client account reconciliations
The client account reconciliation process will be second nature to most people in legal finance – and so is also a potential area for a problem to be undetected until it becomes serious.
