How are Lawyers Adapting to Less Personal Injury Claims in the UK?
As the pandemic is gone, many changes are taking place in our world. One of them concerns the personal injury laws in the UK. Several reforms like Road Traffic Accident Claims are undergoing constant change.
Moreover, now there are new provisions for health and safety, which have reduced personal injury claims to a decline.
This blog is going to tell you all about the adaptability of attorneys in personal injury claims and its newest trends.
The Issue at Hand
As of the 31st May 2021, the UK Government introduced a new act, the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. This was introduced due to the high number of whiplash-related road traffic accident claims in England and Wales. Whiplash is most common in car users involved in road traffic accidents and research from personalinjuryclaimsUK.org.uk showed that 59% of all road traffic accident victims are car users. This act increased the small claims limit from £1,000 to £5,000. The effect of this meant that fewer claimants would be able to recover their legal costs, increasing the number of people self-representing. The Law Society even commented on this, saying that firms mainly dealing with small-value road traffic accident claims may struggle to stay in the market.
This has contributed to the overall trend of declining personal injury claims. According to The Association of Consumer Support Organisations, 2023 saw a further decrease in total personal injury claims of 2% from 2022. But claims in 2023 compared to 2018 have fallen by an enormous 59%, despite road mileage activity surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Changes in Legal Strategies for Personal Injury Lawyers
So how are lawyers adapting to this shift? Some of the strategies Law firms have utilized are:
- Concentrating efforts on higher value claims: Although the number of claims has dropped dramatically, the majority of those claims were at the lower end of the scale. This has given personal injury lawyers more resources to concentrate on larger, and therefore higher yielding, claims.
- Gaining market share: There is still a substantial market for personal injury lawyers in the UK even if it is shrinking. This has meant that investing in avenues like digital marketing to gain a bigger market share has become more lucrative.
- Diversifying Offerings: In order to counterbalance the reduction in personal injury claims, there are several law firms in the US are expanding and diversifying their overall offerings. These firms are now offering Alternative Dispute Resolution Services. These areas are proven to be extremely lucrative and are an additional value for the firm’s repertoire. Even though at a glance it might seem a bit daunting, it’s going to be extremely beneficial. Probate and family law have expanded this way.
- Education for potential claimants: Despite the number of claims falling, there are still 50% of people in the UK who suffered a no-fault injury in the last 3 years who have not claimed. Some law firms have found that producing educational material about how to claim and why someone should claim has increased their client base. Many people need to be made aware they could be entitled to compensation or need to learn how to approach making a claim. By setting themselves apart as trusted sources of knowledge, these firms have managed to gain new clients that otherwise may have yet to make a claim.
Technological and Cultural Shifts Driving Down Injury Claims in the UK
In recent years, the United Kingdom has observed a notable decrease in injury claims filed each year. This trend reflects changes in the workplace that enhance regulations. This has increased safety practices substantially and has introduced robust risk management strategies.
Nowadays, businesses and public institutions have significantly invested in these safety training practices. This has prioritized the enforcement of safety training and equipment.
Moreover, safety culture has now encouraged employees and employers to take different types of preventive measures that would help contribute to a better and safer environment.
The impact of technological advancements cannot be overlooked in this decline. With the integration of automation and smarter safety technologies in the workplace, many high-risk activities that previously required human intervention are now being performed by machines. This shift has effectively reduced the exposure of workers to potentially hazardous conditions. Moreover, continuous improvements in medical care and health monitoring have allowed for quicker responses to health issues, effectively minimizing the severity of injuries and improving recovery times. These factors combined have played a pivotal role in the downward trend of injury claims across various sectors in the UK.
Although the statistics indicate that personal injury lawyers may be in a declining industry, many firms are bucking the trend. Reforms to the law and changing consumer habits are nothing new to the legal industry. Those law firms best willing to adapt their strategies are the ones who will reap the rewards when future opportunities come knocking.
Changes in Personal Injury Laws
Personal injury is an integral part of civil law. It deals with cases where someone suffers from harm primarily due to negligence, wrongdoings, or anything else.
Suppose, you’ve been injured in an accident, which wasn’t your fault. However, you’re entitled to get compensated and get necessary medical expenses. Even though the process seems to be challenging, you’ll get used to it once you get the hang of the legal system and its applicable laws.
There is a considerable increase in the small claims limit in the personal injury claims. This is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to resolve disputes in court. Currently, the small claim limit in personal injury is about 1000 pounds.
There has also been a considerable change in the QOCS rules that are exclusive for personal injury claims in England. Being introduced in 2013, it now aims to reduce all kinds of costs and risks of litigation.
Conclusion
And that’s a wrap! We hope we have cleared all your doubts on the new personal injury trends in the UK. However, do you think there’s something we missed out on? Let us know. We hope you found this blog to be informative and helpful.
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