A group of solicitors have set up a ‘snowline’ to cope with a surge in accident claims as a result of the freezing weather.
Quality Solicitors dot com, a referral service operated by 200 firms, says the snow has led to a 42 per cent increase in claims, including a man hit by a skidding dog.
Craig Holt, chief executive of the service, said the ‘snowline’ would be manned by legally trained staff who would connect them to personal injury solicitors if necessary.
Holt said there had been a “remarkable increase” in the number of people needing advice.
“The snow and ice has resulted in a huge increase in the number of people calling our case-handlers, ranging from more routine accidents such as people slipping or being involved in car accidents to more unusual cases such as one person who was hit by a large amount of snow that had settled on the roof of a building and another who was involved in a collision with a skidding dog. Fortunately, neither were seriously injured.”
Seriously? A skidding dog? Takes all sorts, I suppose. Falling snow can be a real problem; it’s only when you start to shovel it, you realise just how heavy it is!
On the face of it, I guess we can’t blame personal injury lawyers for taking advantage of new avenues of work.
I’m thinking of setting up a ‘pot-hole line’ in response injuries and damage caused by the now widely acknowledged menace of increased numbers of pot-holes, which have directly results from ice damage caused to roads.
How about www.pot-hole-lawyer.com No?
Personal injury solicitors will exploit anything!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd law students wonder why the public thinks solicitors are money-grabbing, flithy, scheming scumbags...
ReplyDeleteIs it actually exploitation though?
ReplyDeleteAll it says is that the number of calls to case-handlers has increased. That's not the fault of solicitors, that's people thinking "Ooo, I must have a claim, I've hurt myself".
People would be connected to PI solicitors "if necessary". I presume that means that if people have a totally crap claim and the case-handlers spot that, there's no point in referring them to anyone.
The "snowline" is only to deal with the volume of calls, not to encourage more people to do it!
Asp, I guess 'exploitation' was a touch harsh.... I just wanted something a touch more sensationalist for the headline than '... seized the opportunity brought about by a bit of snow'
ReplyDelete:-)
'Is it actually exploitation though?
ReplyDeleteAll it says is that the number of calls to case-handlers has increased. That's not the fault of solicitors, that's people thinking "Ooo, I must have a claim, I've hurt myself".'
Agreed. As far as I'm aware, any PI lawyer worth their salt would laugh in somebody's face if they tried to bring a 'skidding dog' claim.
It's opportunistic claimants, not lawyers, that have contributed to the notion of this 'compensation culture.'