Beware of improper tactics in personal injury claims

WARNING: PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMANTS AT RISK OF EXPLOITATION

Personal Injury specialist Anne Maguire passes on a warning given to MP's that some insurance companies are using improper and unscrupulous tactics to pressure people who have suffered injury to accept less compensation than they might be entitled to.

In July 2010 the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers issued a warning to all MP's alerting them to the potential risks posed to their constituents by insurers using dubious tactics to under-settle claims.

The warning states that: “Your constituents are at risk from: 

• Intimidating behaviour and high pressure tactics from insurers trying to cut costs by under-settling claims.
• Being denied the full and fair compensation to which they are entitled and which they need to put their lives back on track after an injury.”

Being injured through no fault of your own is always a dramatic experience. Unscrupulous tactics by insurers are making this trauma worse by putting vulnerable injured people under pressure to accept compensation which does not reflect the true extent of their injuries.

Some insurers use such tactics as:

• Pressing clients to sign a form of acceptance precluding them from seeking further compensation;
• Encouraging clients not to seek legal advice or medical evidence claiming that this proves expensive, lengthens the process and results in the loss of most of the compensation.

This is not the case. Clients are being encouraged by insurers to under-settle cases resulting in clients losing thousands of pounds. It is not correct that clients will lose their compensation. Insurers are obliged to pay not only compensation but the solicitor’s costs as well.

If you are in this position and would like help and advice, please contact us and we shall be pleased to advise you.

Please telephone Anne Maguire on 01908 692769 to discuss, or email her on amaguire@geoffreyleaver.com