Solicitor's Warning to Accident Victims

Victims of accidents may be denying themselves proper legal advice. Nigel Barrowcliff of claimssolicitors.co.uk makes the warning "By agreeing to deal directly with the negligent party's insurers people who have suffered injuries in an accident can find themselves at a considerable disadvantage when dealing with insurance companies and can be sold short on the final compensation payout."

This is especially true in the case of road traffic accidents where some insurance companies are writing to accident victims immediately after they receive accident details offering to deal directly with the claim against their own policy holder. The practice, known as "third party claims capture" is allowed because insurance companies are exempt from Regulation that prevents solicitors and claims handling companies from making direct approach to the public.

Nigel continues: "There has been a lot of debate recently about the fairness of this practice. The ordinary man in the street has no idea what their injury claim may be worth and what additional financial help they are entitled to seek. Insurance companies aim to settle claims as cheaply as possible. If insurers assist with vehicle repair or car hire there may be some mutual benefit, but in the settlement of personal injury claims there is a conflict of interest. In our experience Insurers often make low settlement proposals at the outset and in some cases this can be extreme. Only last week we negotiated settlement of a claim for £110, 000. The Insurer's first offer was £5,000.

Nigel advises anyone who has been involved in an accident to contact a Solicitor who is a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Personal Injury Panel, APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) or MASS (Motor Accident Solicitors Society) to ensure that they get proper advice.

Date:	12th December 2008
Issued by:	Deborah Stevenson
Tel:	0161 355 5500
Email:	deborahs@dcsolicitors.com
Notes:	claimssolicitors.co.uk is the online presence of Davies and Company. Davies and Company is specialist firm of personal injury solicitors. The firm is a corporate member of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Solicitors), a member of Law Society Personal Injury Pane , MASS (Motor Accident Solicitors Society), and PEOPIL (Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers), and has two solicitors on the Solicitors Regulation Authority Personal Injury Panel.

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