MoJ abandons claimants, NHS ignores guidance

Industry news roundup: week ended 5 Aug 2013:

Seems to me this week that the news is full of people just simply not listening to each other and going off and doing their own wrongheaded way once more.

First up, did you hear how the Ministry of Justice has plans to regulate the personal injury compensation industry by moving a higher number of  claims into the small claims courts? This will supposedly reduce the strain on the nation’s judicial system and make it less expensive for the Government to operate, which is fantastic, but it seems that the Ministry has forgotten one very important thing: moving these cases to small claims leaves claimants responsible for their own legal costs, even in the event of a win.

Maybe you’re not aware of this, but it costs an arm and a leg to bring a legal proceeding, even in small claims courts. There’s a reason the no win no fee solicitor market is such a strong one: you’d be hard-pressed to pay for all the court costs and legal fees out of pocket otherwise. With the Ministry locking out so many possible claimants, there’s a serious risk that individuals in dire need of compensation will be unable to afford to bring a claim – especially if they’re out of work due to their injuries!

It’s a clear case of the Government just not listening to anyone and seeking out its own best interests instead of the best interests of its citizenry. Is it any wonder that most have absolutely no respect for those bastards down in Whitehall?

Almost to prove the point, there was another news story this week how shedloads of NHS trusts across the UK have been thumbing their nose at Government guidance for nearly ten years straight. Currently, the Government says it would rather NHS hospitals not permit personal injury solicitors from running adverts in hospital wards or in A&E departments, but there are 40 NHS trusts that are doing just that, despite the fact that the Government has been going on and on about it since 2014.

Honestly I can see why – some hospitals get £100,000 a year or more for running adverts. With the operating costs of your average hospital being what they are, it makes financial sense – on the other hand do you really want to be the unlucky person having themselves a nice, uncomfortable hospital stay due to an injury and have to be bombarded with legal adverts at every turn? Why, it would be enough for me to go mad after just a day or so!

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