A working group of the Civil Justice Council, chaired by Nicola Critchley, has concluded its work on low value personal injury claims and today publishes its final report.
The group’s chair, Nicola Critchley said: “I am grateful for the hard work that has gone into the preparation of this comprehensive report and the support provided by the members of the working group. The report has not only been finalised during a period of unprecedented challenge to the country and the civil justice regime brought about by Brexit and COVID-19, it has also been prepared during a period of already extensive reform. These factors, however, have provided the working group with an opportunity to reflect on the implementation of previous reforms and a reminder to keep the future-proofing of further reform proposals at the forefront of our minds.
“The terms of reference enabled us to identify key areas of focus and make recommendations on issues such as the extension of existing regimes and protocols, access to justice, the use of technology, ADR, the identification and prevention of fraud, regulation and scrutiny, the scope of Medco, and qualified one way cost shifting (QOCS).
“The drivers behind unmeritorious claims are multifactorial and there is no magic bullet to address them. This report emphasises the care needed when devising and implementing further reforms and the importance of monitoring progress and outcomes.”
The Master of the Rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, the chair of the Civil Justice Council and Head of Civil Justice, has welcomed the publication of the report. He said: “I am grateful to Nicola, and all the members of the working group who contributed to this report on low value personal injury claims.”
