Ian Corbett, Senior Personal Injury Solicitor and Partner at Hopkins Solicitors welcomes the new scheme for the handling of road accident personal injury claims. The scheme will be introduced on 30 April 2010 with the aim of reducing legal costs and the time taken for claims to be settled.
Ian explains that the new claims process is most suitable for simple whiplash type injury claims. Disputed claims will still be handled by court action but as from 30 April, insurers will have a reduced time limit to accept liability and to respond to settlement offers. Only if the parties cannot agree on the value of the claim will the case go to court and even then the Judge will usually decide the case on the paperwork rather than waiting for an oral hearing which can take months.
'It is a revolutionary scheme and cases will be settled quicker than under the current regime' comments Ian.
