The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has conducted an analysis of the most recent Official Injury Claim (OIC) data, shedding light on a discernible “justice gap” that has arisen, leaving victims of negligence without appropriate redress.
APIL’s President, Jonathan Scarsbrook, said, “There is no denying the collapse in the number of road injury victims seeking justice since the OIC was introduced in 2021.
“Road injury claims have fallen significantly, despite a very steep rise in road casualties”.
APIL tracked and analysed data from various sources, including the Department for Transport figures, claims data from the OIC, and insights obtained from Freedom of Information requests to the Compensation Recovery Unit.
In the latest quarter motor injury claims were 45% below pre-pandemic levels, yet traffic volumes, a key indicator for the level of road casualties, were 3% above pre-pandemic levels, APIL reports.
“Before the OIC was introduced, the number of claims reflected the number of injuries. The divergence between claims and injuries we see now shows a very clear justice gap,” said Jonathan.
“The cost of paying compensation to people with whiplash injuries was used by the Government and the insurance industry to justify reform, with the promise that premium prices would come down. Since the OIC was introduced, the total cost of injury claims settled by motor insurers has fallen by more than a fifth yet the price of motor insurance has soared by 41%,” he explained.
“People with genuine whiplash injuries have had their compensation slashed to arbitrary amounts, if they are even able to claim at all, and they are still paying high prices for their car insurance. They are being stung twice.
“We hope that insurers will be held to account when the Treasury reports on the benefits of the reforms to consumers. But by then thousands more people with real injuries caused by the negligence of other drivers will have fallen through the justice gap these reforms have created”.