Pictured: (l-r) Dr Grant Charlesworth Jones, Ashley Attwood,
Principal Solicitor, and John Farrow, who heads up Attwood
Solicitor's Burslem office
A leading personal injury lawyer has welcomed Government moves
to ban referral fees in insurance cases.
Ashley Attwood, Principal Solicitor at Attwood Solicitors says
the fees encourage "spurious claims" which ultimately drive up the
cost of premiums.
"Banning referral fees will encourage people to find their own
solicitor without the help of Claims Management Companies," said Mr
Attwood.
"Referral fees can lead to people being encouraged to put in
spurious claims. Banning them should mean less claims are made
which should ultimately lead to smaller premiums for everyone."
Stoke-on-Trent based Attwood Solicitors specialise in cases
involving industrial injury, medical negligence and employer's
liability claims.
The company has won millions of pounds for people who have had
their hearing damaged due to negligence by companies in industries
including, pottery manufacture, truck and ship building and
quarrying.
Mr Attwood said: "My stance on this may seem surprising to
people who lump all injury lawyers together.
"What people should realise is that there is nothing wrong with
the concept of "no win no fee" cases.
"It was the Government who brought in the rules to allow people
without large amounts of money to get access to justice through the
legal system.
"In our firm, we find our own cases and we are working to give
clients the compensation they deserve to help them get their lives
back on track following injury caused through no fault of their
own. At Attwood, we only want to work for genuine claimants."
The firm has a nationwide portfolio of cases. In one case a
former welder received £12,000 after action was taken against
a Cheshire factory which did not provide adequate hearing
protection.
Attwood Solicitors work with audiologists and host regular
surgeries with GP, and industrial hearing specialist, Dr Grant
Charlesworth Jones.
He said: "My work with Attwood Solicitors is raising awareness
of a major issue. For many years workers had their hearing damaged
because employers failed to provide adequate protection.
"However, people have tended to just put up with hearing loss
and put it down to getting older.
"In my experience people are reticent about coming forward, but
they should be compensated and the law provides for
that."
Attwood Solicitors has offices in Stoke and Burslem. The St
John's Square, Burslem, office specialises in hearing cases and
lawyers work alongside audiologists Hear4U.