No win, no fee news
10/02/2009

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers warns against early settling

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has flagged the continuing attempts of insurance firms to persuade people injured in car accidents or work injury cases to settle any potential compensation claims rapidly without going to a no win, no fee solicitor. APIL has also suggested that the Financial Services Authority is turning a blind eye to this habit.

In one case, a woman was offered £1000 in compensation in return for a promise not to approach a personal injury lawyer. According to the president of APIL, "She declined and the offer was increased to £1700. She then instructed my firm. We valued the claim and achieved settlement that was more than 1000 per cent greater than the first offer, plus her legal costs."

She added that people were also being let down by the claim system's complex forms and labyrinthine bureaucracy, leading to only one in twenty people who are eligible to make a compensation claim doing so.

"These are not isolated anecdotes," said the personal injury lawyers' representative, "but issues that trouble us day in, day out in our offices."