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"Injury victims entitled to
compensation are being failed by
"ambulance-chasing" claims
firms, according to a Citizens
Advice report."
You
should only instruct a qualified specialist firm of Personal Injury
Solicitors to
act for you - simply call our
confidential Freephone Personal
Injury Claims Helpline on 0800 01 53425
or email the solicitors some brief details
of your accident by completing this
simple Personal
Injury Claims Form. You are very
welcome to contact us even if you
haven't made up your mind about
claiming - there is no obligation
for you to proceed.
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Reported
by BBC News - Monday, 13 December,
2004
Claim
firms 'fail injury victims'
Injury victims entitled to
compensation are being failed by "ambulance-chasing" claims
firms, according to a Citizens
Advice report.
It points out that costs in "no
win, no fee" cases can end up
being far larger than customers are
led to believe. (The
service from Freelegal is completely
free - there is No Fee, Win or Lose.
And furthermore Freelegal is not a
Claims Management Firm - you
instruct the solicitors directly.)
David Harker, of Citizens Advice,
said costs are often "hidden
and could wipe out
compensation", and added that
people "could even end up owing
money".
The charity has handled 130,000
cases relating to such claims since
2000.
Legal aid for personal injury was
abolished four years ago.
In one example reported to a
Citizens Advice Bureau, a Devon
woman won her case but was left with
just £15 - less than 1% of her £2,150
compensation award - because of
hidden legal costs.
'Claims farmers'
A man from Lancashire won £1,250
for a work accident but ended up
nearly £2,400 in debt after taking
out insurance which would have paid
his costs had he lost the case.
The growth of unregulated
"claims farmers" has led
to high-pressure sales tactics by
unqualified staff, according to the
report entitled No Win, No Fee, No
Chance.
It claims that unscrupulous salesmen
have been known to approach accident
victims in hospitals.
Citizens Advice wants the firms
selling "no win, no fee"
agreements to be regulated and has
urged a government-appointed inquiry
led by former deputy governor of the
Bank of England, Sir David Clementi,
to recommend the move.
'Ambulance-chasing' firms need to be
curbed, say Citizens Advice
Mr Harker, who is the charity's
chief executive, said: "The
personal injury compensation system
is not currently delivering access
to justice to all who need it.
"It has created confusion and
unacceptable practices by claims
farmers.
"There must be changes if
consumers are to get the legal
protection they deserve."
The charity is calling for costs to
be regulated to protect the
consumer.
It also wants the government to
establish a task force on
compensation to make recommendations
for long-term policy changes.
A Department for Constitutional
Affairs spokeswoman said: "We
are already taking action on a
number of the recommendations in the
Citizens Advice report, which we
will study carefully.
Regulation
"We have recently told claims
management companies that they have
one last opportunity to get their
house in order.
"If they don't, the government
will consider how regulation could
be introduced."
Around 2.5 million people have an
accidental injury each year as a
result of road accidents, or
negligence by a local authority or
employer.
Less than a third actually claim
compensation, even though they are
entitled to do so.
The report was based on 385 reports
from 224 Citizens Advice Bureau in
England and Wales between January
2002 and September this year.
***
Free Legal will put you in touch
with specialist personal injury
claims solicitors who will make sure
that you receive 100% of your
compensation. Win or lose there is
no charge. Absolutely nothing for
you to pay. Our accident claim
service is completely risk free and
cost free.
Our personal injury claims service
is available throughout England and
Wales
If your injuries make it difficult
for you to travel to their offices,
the solicitors would be be pleased
to arrange for you to be seen either
at your home or at hospital.
____________
Personal
Injury Claims Helpline
0800
01 53425
0800 01LEGAL
____________________________________
Personal
Injury Claims and the Law
Society of England and Wales
Personal
Injury Claims and the Law
Society of Scotland
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