Public supports the right to seek access to justice

Most people in the UK still believe that people who are injured through no fault of their own should be able to claim compensation for their injuries, despite the negative publicity foisted onto the personal injury legal sector in recent times.

The finding has come from The National Accident Helpline which has run a survey into people's attitudes towards claiming compensation. The claims company found that 88% of respondents would want their family member or friend to claim compensation if they were injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault. 95% of respondents believe it’s important to be able to claim compensation after suffering from an occupational disease, or after being injured on the job.

In addition, the survey found that 60% believe that without personal injury claims companies, employers, store owners and councils would not be as careful about making the environment safe for others.  

However, 72% of respondents would worry that they would be treated differently or even dismissed if they were to claim against their employer, despite it being illegal for an employer to do so.

“The next time you read about the UK’s ‘compensation culture’ it’s worth remembering that many Brits view the service provided by personal injury claims companies as essential to exercising their right to justice," said Russell Atkinson, managing director of National Accident Helpline.

"While there are some organisations that give the sector a bad name, there are many reputable operators in the industry who help people claim the compensation they both need and deserve to be able to get on with their lives," he added.  

Mark Dugdale