Clinical negligence compensation news
01/04/2009

Legal fees defended by law firms

Law firms and patient groups fighting clinical negligence claims for victims of National Health Service blunders have been defending criticism that UK lawyers and solicitors are claiming "unreasonable" rates.

Over £35 million was paid out by the NHS last year to ten leading law firms. Going on the offensive, the NHSLA - the health service's litigation authority - was angry that legal practices could charge hundreds of pounds in high fees for 'no win no fee' cases.

The NHSLA wants legal rates to be cut, claiming lawyers and solicitors are charging too much when working on compensation cases.

But patients' charity AAMA - Action Against Medical Accidents - has highlighted what it describes as "a scandal" that the NHS is frequently causing a great deal of "perfectly avoidable negligent harm".

The NHS was criticised for failing to settle claims earlier. And Law Society chief executive Des Hudson pointed out that the NHS has plenty of opportunity to challenge fees for clinical negligence claims through the legal process.