Personal Injury Claims: Independent Solicitors Are Better!

By Author: Richard Harris
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Personal Injury Claims: Independent Solicitors are Better! Independent solicitors are better.If you are injured in an accident it is probably not in your best interests to go with solicitors suggested by the insurance company.Insurers claim that their recommendation is based upon assessment of quality but in reality it is more likely to be influenced by the kick-back paid by the solicitors to the insurance company.Insurance companies are likely to have negotiated a commercial deal with their panel solicitors not only for the referral fee but also the terms and conditions that their panel solicitors work on. Consequently this may mean that the panel solicitors will be reimbursed nothing if the claim is unsuccessful and the incentive is therefore not to take the risk of a difficult case.

The supply of cases to panel solicitors is controlled by the insurance company and no panel solicitor will wish to "make waves "with a powerful commercial company which it is dependent upon for work. Slavish compliance with the wishes of an insurance company can threaten the ability to act in the best interests of claimants.An insurance ...
... company will wish to protect itself and not take risks Panel solicitors need to process high volumes of work cheaply in order to make a profit.This tends to mean that it is dealt with by low-grade claims handlers who do not return telephone calls and settle matters as quickly and as easily as possible rather than investing time and expense in pursuing a claim more thoroughly.

It is usually a term and condition of referred work by Insurance Companies to use their own panels of experts and barristers with whom they have negotiated a special deal and/or a referral fee. Our experience of some cases that have been transferred from Legal Expense Panel Solicitors is that claimants get into a loop of Insurance nominated experts and representatives who all feed off each other and are anxious not to offend the Insurance Company.Your case is conducted on the basis of mediocre medical reports where everyone is anticipated to make a recovery within 3 – 4 months with a standardized amount of therapy and treatment recommended to be carried out by panel therapists and on that basis a quick settlement is recommended by the non-legal qualified representative.In contrast a good independent solicitor should act in the best interests of the claimant irrespective of whether or not this means standing up to Insurers. The Solicitors Code of Conduct states expressly that a solicitors duty is to the claimant not the Legal Expense Insurance.

Richard Harris was previously a partner and the head of personal injury department in a local city firm. For more details on Richard Harris Solicitors and Cornwall Solicitor than please visit our website www.richardharrissolicitors.co.uk