Personal injury

The recent change to QOCS (qualified one-way costs shifting) may have tipped the balance in favour of defendants, Samuel Hayman, partner, and Tom Jenkinson, senior associate solicitor, Bolt Burdon Kemp, write in this week’s NLJ.

Have the changes to the qualified one-way costs shifting regime tipped the scales too far in favour of defendants? Samuel Hayman & Tom Jenkinson examine the perilous new situation for claimants

Can lessons be learned from the Manchester Arena bombing that could help prevent a similar tragedy in the future?

Will the findings of the inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing prevent the same mistakes happening in the future? Richard Scorer & Shane Smith assess its conclusions

The personal injury discount rate, which is used by judges when calculating damages, is up for its five-year review next year, writes Julian Chamberlayne, in this week’s NLJ. 

Julian Chamberlayne weighs up the benefits & challenges of a single, dual or multiple personal injury discount rate

Personal injury lawyers have highlighted problems with the Official Injury Claims (OIC) portal, including a rise in the average settlement time.

Vijay Ganapathy reflects on the pros and cons of QOCS reform, and highlights developments in the courts on whiplash claims and unsafe exposure

The Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, has approved amendments to Practice Direction 27B, the Pre-Action Protocol for Low Value Personal Injury Claims in Road Traffic Accidents (the RTA Protocol), the Pre-Action Protocol for Low Value Personal Injury (Employers’ Liability and Public Liability) Claims (the EL/PL Protocol) and the Pre-Action Protocol for Personal Injury Claims Below the Small Claims Limit in Road Traffic Accidents (the RTA Small Claims Protocol). 

MPs have begun an inquiry into whether whiplash claims are being processed effectively following a series of reforms.