| Many personal injury claims are made during stressful | | | | accused of providing regulated claims management |
| and often painful periods of a person’s life. For | | | | services without authorisation. |
| this reason, the claims management companies that | | | | They are making unsolicited telephone calls to |
| facilitate access to justice for people who have been | | | | consumers promoting personal injury claims. Cold |
| injured through no fault of their own have a duty to | | | | calling such as this is now against the law to protect |
| make the process as stress-free as possible. | | | | the public from companies such as these. Despite |
| The claimant must know that they can trust the | | | | various enquiries the Ministry of Justice has been |
| people that they are dealing with – they should | | | | unable to contact the businesses concerned and has |
| not feel harassed, bullied or unsure of what is | | | | appealed for information to the public – as well as |
| happening. They should feel that they are in control , | | | | urging them to proceed with caution. |
| and under professional care from a fully qualified | | | | The businesses concerned are National Compensation |
| solicitor. | | | | Consumer Line, Compensation Consumer Survey Line |
| The area of personal injury accident claims | | | | and Personal Injury Hotline. |
| compensation is rightly subject to strict regulation. It | | | | It is important that the claims management industry |
| is important that a framework is developed in which | | | | does not allow itself to be tarred by charlatans |
| a claimant can trust that he or she is being given | | | | hovering on the fringes of the market. People need |
| appropriate and honest help and advice. National | | | | to have access to justice. They should not feel in |
| Accident Helpline will oppose regulation in which | | | | any way stigmatised or unsure about their right to |
| barriers are put up to someone receiving access to | | | | make a claim. |
| justice, but supports regulation that protects the man | | | | A compensation claim can help insure that fair and |
| on the street. | | | | appropriate compensation is received. It is important |
| Not all claims management companies feel the same | | | | that anyone making a claim for compensation after |
| way, however. There will always be people who | | | | an accident feels comfortable with the process – |
| attempt to flout the rules in order to make a quick | | | | they should make sure that they work with a |
| win from injured and stressed people. | | | | solicitor that understands what they are doing and |
| Recently the Ministry of Justice issued a warning to | | | | can help to keep the process stress free. Someone |
| the public regarding three businesses acting as claims | | | | who has suffered an injury has enough on their plate! |
| management companies. The companies have been | | | | |