Got something to say, but it's not classic related? Here's the place to discuss. Also includes the once ever-so-popular word association thread... (although we've had to start from scratch with it - sorry!)
The government is to ban referral fees in personal injury
claims in an attempt to curb the "compensation culture".
It says the current system in which personal injury details
are sold on by insurance companies to lawyers has led to
rising insurance costs.
Justice minister Jonathan Djanogly said honest motorists
were seeing their premiums hiked as insurers covered the
costs of ever more compensation claims.
So will they get around to banning the adverts for the
ambulance chasers?
I hope so. How? Because then Winns might go out of business and their Raby Street car park will then return to public use, it's most useful for those who want to park 'n' ride into Toon.
J "Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true..
Mitsuru wrote:
So will they get around to banning the adverts for the
ambulance chasers?
I do hope so, not only is it hiking our insurance costs, it is deterring voluntary groups from organising any kind of function.
Yes I know insurance costs have gone up.
Same insurance company as last year with another years no claims bonus.
last year about £600 for my modified motor and me being disabled, no changes from last year,
and they want almost £1,000 for the same cover!!
And that's tescos car insurance!!("every little helps" my arse!!) so I cancelled and will be with a
differnt company when the car gets back on the road.
Never used to alllow them any Referral fees when I used to do Motor... nor do I now either. The referral fees are dead easy to spot and can simply be excluded from the bill. I`ve never had any firm mount any serious challenge against a flat No.
Any "Motor" firm paying them must need its cylinder head checking. Its no different than in disease work, my current "daily crust". You can spot the referral fee ahem--- Investigation invoice (for collation of information statements and evidence appertainig to the claim?) which is then duplicated by a couple of hours work that the Lawyer does in carring out initial investigations. The other dead giveaway is the statement disclosed late on either pre lit or during proceedings which is contemporaneous, not dated pre the letter of claim, which allegedly was supposed to be part of the referral, sorry investigation invoice?
Nice headline for the Government but in reality we need 2 things. Implimentation of the Jackson report (not that it is perfect, qualified costs shifting Bah!!!!!) and a set of Costs Judges that actually originate in a mixed Claimanst and Defendant Draftsmans office and not a Claimant Law firm. I`ve run a number of claims to detailed Assesssment (fighting the good fight) and have been surprised by the judges comments. In one summing up there was a comment along the lines of--- Interest, not sure when or if it should be applied in this instance? Pretty crucial point if the pt47.19 offer made is not technically beaten if there is no interest added to the actual assessed costs.
Will this spell the end of the "courtesy car" scam where a damaged car is taken in and left at the back of the queue for work while the customer racks up a huge bill from the courtesy car hire and is left in the clarts if the insurance company of the other party reject the claim for hire? Honest John in the Saturday Daily Telegraph has been banging on about this for ages.
