A parliamentary committee has warned that the Government’s proposals for clinical negligence claims could undermine access to justice.
The Health Select Committee has said in a report that the proposals for civil litigation funding and costs could reduce compensation for some of the most seriously injured or disabled claimants.
The committee’s report, out today, states: “The proposal to end the recoverability of success fees from the defendant, in this case from the NHS, remains in place. The committee is concerned that this could impact negatively on some of the most seriously injured or disabled claimants, both by reducing the value of final settlements (after erosion by fees) and by undermining access to justice.
“The committee considers that preservation of access to justice will be the yardstick by which these proposals will be judged by the public and that the Government must take care to gauge its proposals against this measure.”
The report comes after APIL gave oral evidence to the committee.
To read a report by the Law Society Gazette, click here.
To read the committee’s report, click here.
Medico-Legal News Source: APIL
