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Personal injury solicitors are sometimes branded in the media as "ambulance chasers" who seek out accident victims and persuade them to pursue an accident compensation claim, but in February 2009, Amanda Stevens, president of The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), spoke out against settlement tactics employed by insurers.
As reported in The Liverpool Echo Stevens was speaking at the APIL annual dinner, when she suggested that "weak financial regulation of certain insurance activities" led to insurance companies pressurising accident victims into settling a compensation claim before seeking personal injury legal advice.
As an illustration of the problem Stevens spoke of a case where a woman injured in a car accident was offered £1,000 to settle immediately as long as she did not seek advice from a personal injury solicitor.
When the offer was rejected, the insurance company immediately raised it to £1,700.
The accident victim sought legal advice from a solicitor and eventually received a significant sum in compensation, and had her legal fees paid under a no win, no fee agreement.
Another personal injury solicitor, from Liverpool, said, "On a daily basis, we hear from our new clients that they have already been approached by insurance companies employing hard-sell tactics to dissuade them from seeking legal advice.
"Furthermore, some insurance companies are now employing agents whose job it is to constantly harass and bully claimants who have already started the legal process. Insurers are also now offering cleverly marketed ‘settle early' policies and even offering to pay for physiotherapy treatment.
"All of this is in a bid to prevent people obtaining a settlement for injuries in line with the law of the land."
He added, "Our advice to victims of road traffic accidents is simple. The only way to ensure you will achieve full recognition and just compensation for the injuries you have sustained is to take independent legal advice from a recognised solicitor.
"There should be better regulation in the sector to prevent these practices and we would happily share our experiences with the regulatory authorities if they wish."
Malcolm Tarling, of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said in defence of the insurance industry, "What insurers always try to do is get fair compensation paid to claimants as quickly as possible."
Personal injury solicitors and getting fair compensation
If you have had a car accident or have suffered any kind of personal injury as a result of someone else's negligence it is always the best policy to consult a personal injury solicitor at the earliest possible occasion.
The personal injury professionals at YouClaim have years of experience and are extremely successful at winning the maximum amount of compensation for clients. Our solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis that means you are protected from all costs and legal fees (except in some medical negligence cases where fees may be payable before initiation of the compensation claim).
In a lost case, our business model will have protected you from the other party's costs and in a won case you will receive 100 per cent compensation. We never take a penny.
To make a personal injury compensation claim please call our free UK helpline on 0800 10 757 95. Alternatively, we can call you back at a time to suit you, or you may wish to fill in our online claim form. YouClaim's personal injury solicitors are ready and waiting to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
