Pictured above: Jonathan White
The practice by insurers of pressing accident victims to accept
quick, fast-tracked payouts without taking medical or legal advice,
today came under fire from lawyers.
It is known as "third-party capture" and sees insurers offering
sizeable sums to accident victims if they are willing to settle a
matter on the spot.
But staff at Midlands' law firm Harvey Ingram estimate they
routinely win three times more compensation for clients - compared
to the original offers made by insurers.
Specialist personal injury lawyer Jonathan White, based at St
Pauls Square, Birmingham, has seen third-party capture rise
dramatically in the past few years and warns it is no longer simply
restricted to traffic accidents, but also now includes incidents
involving toddlers, pensioners, single parents and employees.
He says: "Third-party capture is an absolutely shameful practice
and it shows a complete lack of respect for accident victims.
Insurers are banking on being able to exploit the public's lack of
understanding of legal procedures.
"I would always urge accident victims to first get properly
assessed by a medic to ensure they have a clear idea of the extent
of their injuries. Some injuries take time to show and are not
always immediately obvious. An accident victim who is unaware of
their injuries is far more likely to under-settle. Insurers know
this and by paying accident victims early, before they've taken
independent advice, is clearly a very cost-effective route for
them.
"Accident victims are under no obligation to use a solicitor
recommended by an insurer. They would be well advised to always get
advice from a specialist personal injury firm recommended by either
the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, or the Law
Society."