Labour calls for car insurance investigation |  | APIL has warned the shadow transport team that restrictions to access to justice do not result in cheaper car insurance premiums, in a recent briefing which was also issued to Labour’s shadow justice team.
Thankfully, so far, it seems that the Labour party seeks to hold insurers to account for the price of premiums, and does not have the destruction of injured people’s rights in its sights. This week it was revealed that regulators will be asked to probe the car insurance sector if Labour wins the General Election.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror online, shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said that “Labour won’t sit back and watch while drivers are punished by the out-of-control cost of cover”.
A Labour Government “will urgently call in the regulators to crack down on any unfair practices and to come clean on the soaring costs for consumers”, Ms Haigh announced.
For more on APIL's briefing to the shadow transport and justice teams, members should look out for the July issue of PI Focus.
Publication of election manifestos from political parties is expected to start next week. Summaries of key points in the manifestos relevant to APIL’s campaigns to support victims of negligence will be published in Weekly News over the coming weeks.
| | Michael Roberts announced as APIL's first ambassador |  | Volunteers Week has been celebrated at APIL with the announcement that Michael Roberts, of Leigh Day, is to be the association’s first APIL Ambassador.
Michael was nominated by APIL staff in recognition of his significant contribution to the ongoing bereavement damages campaign.
He provided a platform to help Sabiha Ozseker tell her story about being ineligible for bereavement damages after her father died as a result of clinical negligence. He accompanied Sabiha to APIL’s annual parliamentary event in the House of Commons, where they both talked to parliamentarians about the need for reform.
Michael helped to organise, and took part in a video interview with Sabiha, which was very successful on social media. Michael also wrote a blog for the APIL website and arranged a meeting with his MP which resulted in written questions in Parliament which asked the justice secretary to clarify the Government’s position on bereavement damages.
“I am greatly honoured to be named as the first APIL Ambassador,” said Michael. “This new initiative helps to showcase the contributions of APIL’s members and I am very thankful to the APIL staff for their acknowledgment."
Find out more about the APIL Ambassador initiative in the July issue of PI Focus.
| | Manchester arena inquiry "changed my view of the world" - APIL president |  | From child sexual abuse cases to public investigations, new APIL president Kim Harrison has dealt with many harrowing cases.
But she told readers of her local newspaper, the Manchester Evening News, this week that she felt “incredibly impacted” after representing families in the Manchester Arena bombing inquiry.
“The families were some of the most incredible people I have ever had the privilege to meet," Kim said in the article to mark her taking on the APIL presidency.
“I felt a huge sense of responsibility to do the right thing by them and the inquiry has permanently changed my view of the world. Unfortunately, it’s changed for the worse as I now fear that if another similar terrorist atrocity occurred again, I am not convinced the emergency response would be much better.”
Kim went on to undergo first aid and bleed control training, which she believes should be provided in all schools and large workplaces.
“We would all have a period of time where we have to fend for ourselves before help could come,” she said.
She also vowed to use her time as APIL president to fight for improved rights for injured victims of negligence.
Read the article in full on the Manchester Evening News website here.
Members can see Kim in action in her first APIL Headline News webinar, which she will co-present with chief executive Mike Benner on Wednesday 24 July. It is free to all members and one hour of CPD can be claimed for watching. Book your place here.
| | Access to justice at risk for victims of Welsh NHS failures |  | Changes to the Putting Things Right (PTR) scheme could mean victims of clinical negligence in Wales face access to justice problems, APIL has warned.
The Welsh Government plans to double the value of claims that can be dealt with through the PTR scheme from £25,000 to £50,000.
“Cases in which injured patients’ compensation needs are valued at up to £50,000 are usually more complex and time consuming to resolve than those which currently fall under the PTR scheme. Such complex cases generally require a great deal of work and detailed consideration to make sure victims receive the right amount of compensation to help them recover,” said APIL executive committee member for Wales Pauline Roberts, in a press release.
“Victims of NHS negligence in Wales face not having access to justice if lawyers are unable to afford to take on cases due to the cost implications,” she said.
“Not setting the fees at an appropriate level to remunerate for the work required in higher claims means there is a real risk the independent legal help will be scarce or insufficient in such a specialist field,” said Pauline.
Read the full release, which was sent to Welsh press, here.
| | Introducing Matthew Tuff |  | Matthew Tuff, one of APIL’s new vice presidents, has told his local newspapers about his passion for APIL’s key campaigns.
A press release, issued this week, details who Matthew is and what he specialises in.
Matthew, from Moore Barlow in west London, said: “APIL is dedicated to helping people who have been injured, made ill, or have lost a loved one due to others’ negligence, as I am.”
Having qualified as a solicitor in 1999, Matthew has worked in the area of catastrophic personal injury ever since, and is backing APIL’s Rebuilding Shattered Lives campaign.
“We’re dedicated to helping injured people get their lives back on track and recover as best they can after being injured through no fault of their own. Rebuilding Shattered Lives explains in raw detail just how difficult that path can be and the many obstacles people injured through no fault of their own have to face,” he said.
“One of the key things is securing rehabilitation early to help people recover more quickly, which leads to better outcomes when people suffer devastating injuries due to negligence. The very least they should expect is the best treatment possible to help them get their lives back on track,” Matthew continued.
He is one of APIL’s two newly elected vice presidents, the other being Guy Forster, of Irwin Mitchell.
Read the full press release here.
| | Dedicated guidance for abuse rehabilitation |  | APIL seeks views from members on whether guidance on rehabilitation in abuse cases should be included in APIL’s Best Practice Guide on Rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation in abuse cases obviously takes a different form to that in cases where someone has suffered limb loss or paralysis. As such, there will be many different considerations specific to abuse cases that practitioners will need to take into account.
APIL is keen to hear views from those who are specialist in this area, as to whether a dedicated section on abuse cases in APIL’s guide would be beneficial, and if so, what it should include.
A survey can be found here, and closes on Friday 5 July.
| | Smaller firms to feel impact of compensation fund fee hike |  | APIL will respond to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) consultation on its draft business plan and budget for 2024-25.
The SRA is seeking feedback specifically about their proposals to set practising certificate fees and compensation fund contributions. The draft budget proposes an increase to individual and firm contributions to the SRA compensation fund. It is proposed that the contribution from SRA-regulated law firms that hold client money increases from £660 (2023-24) to £2,220.
APIL will point out the unintended consequences for smaller firms of applying a flat increase to the contribution regardless of firm size or without accounting for the differences in the amount of client money processed or held by the firm.
Members with comments on the proposals should contact Ana Ramos, APIL’s legal affairs assistant, at [email protected] by Friday 14 June.
| | AGM minutes |  | Members can now read the minutes from APIL’s recent annual general meeting (AGM).
The meeting included a review of the organisation’s activity over the previous year, a financial report, and the results of the executive committee election.
Find the minutes here.
| | Online conversations this week |  | | |
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