The road traffic accident claims portal should be ‘given a chance’ before the government rushes to implement the Jackson civil justice reforms, the president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers warned last week.
Muiris Lyons said that the RTA claims process, which was implemented on 30 April last year, had addressed Jackson’s concerns in 75% of all personal injury cases ‘at a stroke’, and would provide a ‘streamlined, fast-track’ process.
Lyons added: ‘By focusing so much on costs, there is a very real risk that government is failing to see the bigger picture… general damages [are] too low; long overdue reforms to the coroners system are being shelved; [and] the draft Civil Law Reform Bill is being shelved despite having cross-party support.’
He added: ‘Full-blown Jackson is neither necessary nor desirable. The debate has moved on a long way since Sir Rupert’s year-long inquiry. The RTA claims process should be given a chance.’
Medico-Legal News Source : Law Gazette
