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25 September 2009 / David Bywater
Issue: 7386 / Categories: Features , Personal injury
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Entering the breach

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David Bywater asks, is malpractice in the PI arena the preserve of solicitors?

The government body, Claims Management Regulation (CMR) recently published its 2009 Impact of Regulation Assessment report. This reviews the impact of its regulation of businesses in the claims management arena over the last year.

Personal injury has an annual turnover in excess of £287m—one of the largest sectors by far for claims handlers.

The report warns that malpractice in this sector is now predominantly the preserve of solicitors who ignore the comprehensive rules regarding referral fees. It claims that many solicitors do not comply with their duty to ensure that claims have been gathered in a way that breaches their conduct rules.

Growth sector

The CMR has been in place for over two years and claims regulation is no longer a small niche area. It now regulates over 2,500 businesses and recently had to intervene in its 100th claims management business.

So is it the responsibility of this already over-stretched body to punish malpractice of solicitors in the pursuit of personal

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