The new Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), John Spencer (pictured) has urged personal injury lawyers across the UK to ‘get out of the bunker’ and start campaigning for the rights of claimants once more. This comes after the devastating after-effects of the LASPO in the past year.
Addressing the annual APIL conference last week, Mr Spencer delivered a rousing speech to those in attendance, claiming that the time had come for firms to emerge from the cuts to fees and the reforms, which were implemented last year, and get pro-active.
He said: “I believe and hope the worst of the reform agenda is behind us. The time therefore is now right to drive forward in a new gear.”
John Spencer went on to underline what APIL’s own agenda and priorities for the coming year would be, which included help for people who suffer from psychiatric harm and the Mesothelioma Bill.
Of course the Mesothelioma Bill has, in recent times, been passed through government but APIL is still dedicated to improving the conditions of the Bill in order to help get all those who suffer from the asbestos related disease, and their loved ones, get the compensation they are entitled to.
Mr Spencer said: “To deprive someone of any of the compensation to which he is entitled when he may only have months to live is unconscionable.
“Political debate during the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill made it very clear that 75% was about the best deal the government could get from the insurers. But this shouldn’t be about doing a deal. It should be about what’s right.”
Currently the terms of the Mesothelioma Bill state that those victims who have been denied the right to make a claim because the insurance records of their former employers are unrecoverable, are entitled to just 75% of what a victim with the same condition who can trace their employer’s insurance records can claim.
APIL has supported the campaign tirelessly to see this amount increased to the full 100% and vowed, when the Bill was passed at the lower rate, to continue to fight the corner of mesothelioma victims until they achieved this.
In regards to the road traffic accident claims arena, Mr Spencer pledged to keep up the pressure on the government to ensure that they clamp down on pre-medical offers from insurers.
Image source(s)
1. John Spencer Blog; http://john-spencer.blogspot.co.uk/