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Accident Injury Claims
[17.11.10] |
 We are all familiar with the advertisements on television, telling us about how we can claim compensation if we are involved in an accident which was not our fault. Claims about how fees are charged and that consumers will get all of their compensation make the practice seem to be simple and without expense. In addition the so-called compensation culture which seems to come from this type of advertising has led to a stigma being attached to anyone who has taken their case to a no win no fee lawyer.
Statistics from the National Accident Helpline from October 2010 have found that just 6% of the population are fully aware of their legal rights surrounding accident injury claims and 16% think that the whole process is too difficult and daunting. This is despite the industry bombarding potential customers with advertisements explaining how easy it is.
The research also discovered that more than half of those questioned felt that those who made a compensation claim were playing the system and 10% were concerned that making a claim might affect their employment.
However it is not all bad news for the no win no fee accident injury claims sector because just one third of people admitted that they would be motivated by money when making a claim for compensation. In addition, more than half said that they would only make a claim to highlight a problem to others who might be at risk of an accident.
While the claims sector may feel that they are doing all they can to highlight the benefits of their service, a report from Lord Young, the Governments Advisor on Health and Safety has suggested that television advertising in the accident and injury claims sector needs to be more tightly regulated.
The report recommends that fees and after the event insurance premiums should no longer be recoverable from those who lose the case and that lawyers fees should be regulated and limited. It is thought that this will remove some of the stigma attached to the industry.
While Lord Young's report may make claiming huge compensation payouts a thing of the past, it does little to help people understand their rights to compensation. While it may have been stigmatised in the past, claiming compensation for injury is a right which people should be able to take advantage of in the correct circumstances.
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