Are there discernable trends in the RTA claims sector? 17 September 2015 Ian-Miller access to justice, costs, personal injury, politics (0) How effective have recent reforms been in reducing the number of road traffic injury claims and their associated costs? The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries reports there has been a slight rise in claims by 1.7% between 2013 and 2014 which is less than suggested by the portal where claims notifications are back to pre-LASPO* levels. Average costs of claims are also increasing again (by 3%).... [More]
Costs budgeting: are incurred costs untouchable? 28 August 2015 Ian-Miller case report, costs, cpr (0) How do you get around costs budgeting? One might have thought by incurring considerable costs before the CCMC: Practice direction 3E 7.4 states that the court may not approve costs incurred before the date of a budget. In CIP Properties Ltd v Galliford Try Infrastructure [2015] EWHC 481 Coulson J came up with an order which would prevent parties to litigation trying to get around the process.... [More]
Sherlock Holmes in the Court of Appeal 21 August 2015 Roderick-Abbott case report, Experts, LP Causation (0) "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?” The Sign of Four begins with a bored Holmes mired in cocaine addiction, much to the disquiet of Dr Watson. A young woman appears. She has a mystery that needs solving. Holmes solves it. He is cured from his addiction and, by the end of the book,... [More]
Scrutiny of Medical Evidence & Physiotherapy Charges in low-value PI cases 18 August 2015 Thomas-Crockett evidence, Experts, General, illegality, LP Procedure, personal injury (0) I recently acted for an insurer in a routine low value personal injury case (to which QOCS applied) which had an unusual twist. The claimant claimed damages for neck injuries sustained in a road traffic accident. He signed the Particulars of Claim which were vague as to the description of his injury, but which made reference to an appended medical report. The medical report was of the ... [More]
Contribution, limitation and the Athens Convention 15 July 2015 Ian-Miller case report, Damages, employers liability, personal injury, travel (0) In South West Strategic Health Authority v Bay Island Voyages [2015] EWCA Civ 708 the Court of Appeal considered the scope of the Athens Convention and the nature of the time-bar in Article 16. In coming to its decision, the Court also considered sections 5(1) and 5(2) of the Carriage by Air Act 1961. In the main action, Dr Feest claims damages for personal injury arising out of an accid... [More]
Brownlie v Four Seasons Holdings Inc [2015] EWCA Civ 665 09 July 2015 Matthew-Chapman (0) On 3 July 2015 the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Brownlie v Four Seasons Holdings Inc [2015] EWCA Civ 665 (now available on Lawtel): a fatal road traffic accident and personal injury claim arising out of an “off-package” excursion contract performed in Egypt. In largely dismissing the Defendant’s appeal against the Order of Tugendhat J ([2014] EWHC 273 (QB)), the Court ... [More]
Car vs Cyclist: Apportionment of liabilty 25 June 2015 Sophie-Mortimer case report, Experts, LP contributory negligence, personal injury (0) Fenella Sinclair (A protected person by her litigation friend & daughter) v Rachel Joyner [2015] EWHC 1800 (QB). The Claimant was cycling along a rural road. She was in the middle of the road, standing on her pedals. She was not wearing a helmet. The Defendant was driving her car along the same road in the opposite direction. She had just come around a bend when she saw the Claimant. She... [More]
Expert evidence in road traffic cases 10 June 2015 Ian-Miller case report, cpr, evidence, Experts, personal injury, procedure, public authorities (0) Is the evidence of an expert in cycling safety reasonably required in a personal injury claim arising out of an accident which the claimant alleges was caused by the highway authority’s breach of duty (in respect of maintenance, layout etc)? At a Case Management conference in the case of Allen v Cornwall Council [2015] EWHC 1461 the District Judge gave the claimant permission to re... [More]
Guidance as to Litigants-in-Person, a sign of the times? 09 June 2015 Thomas-Crockett courts, General, judges, litigant in person, procedure, self represented litigant (0) The Bar Council, Law Society and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives has produced some joint guidance for lawyers in how to conduct themselves towards a litigant-in-person. The Guide (available at http://bit.ly/1IkTPig) remind practitioners of their professional obligations and that the growing rise in unrepresented parties should be regarded as a sign of the times, rather than a sign of there... [More]
Have we started yet? Commencement of contested hearing and CFA uplifts 04 June 2015 Thomas-Crockett case report, conditional fee agreements, costs, cpr, General, LP Costs, LP Procedure, success fees (0) When a trial begins is of obvious import to any litigant where one or more party is funded by a conditional fee agreement which provides for an uplift per CPR 45.16 and 45.17. Mrs Justice Slade in a recent appeal from Master Campbell held that a contested hearing on the issue of liability had yet to commence before a subsequent settlement. The facts of James v Ireland [2015] EWHC 1... [More]