According to the comments of one senior judge, unions in the UK have milked millions of pounds from the government through the use of no win no fee legal representation.
Lord Justice Jackson’s comments came in an official report that named the no win no fee lawyers representing unions were profiting from the accident claims filed on behalf of their members.
Such rules have enriched injury solicitors and allowed corporations and celebrities to bring legal actions at no cost, the Court of Appeal judge stated. Now he claims that unions had joined the ranks of those profiting.
The personal injury claims have imposed incredibly inflated legal bills on public sector organisations such as police forces, Whitehall ministries, councils, and the NHS. Lord Justice Jackson also said that motorists and small firms have additionally suffered.
A remnant of the late 1990s and introduced under Tony Blair’s government, the system allows injury solicitors to claim success fees in the event that they win their case. The practice carries little risk since solicitors can take out insurance cover in the event their case fails.
In his report to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke, Lord Justice Jackson stated that the positions taken by trade unions take in the warren of conflicting intrests should be closely scrutinised.
Calling the arrangement kaleidoscopic in its absurdity, Lord Justice Jackson stated that trade unions profit from personal injury litigation instead of funding it directly. He additionally stated that there have been no justifications of this policy ever made for the substantial trade union subsidies made to the detriment of the general public.
Representatives from UK trade unions declined the opportunity to comment on Lord Justice Jackson’s remarks at this time. Many legal experts feel that the no win no fee ‘compensation culture’ that has arisen in the UK can be traced back to American roots.