Has it really only been a year since the Official Injury Claim portal was launched and the whiplash reforms in the Civil Liability Act came into force? While it may seem much longer, at current time of writing it’s actually been less than 12 months, but by the time of our event on Tuesday 24 May: ‘Whiplash Reforms: One year on, success or failure?’ we will be a full year into the much-anticipated reforms allowing us a great opportunity to take stock and assess some of the impacts of the changes.
The CLA aimed to tackle the problem of false or exaggerated personal injury claims and create a simplified, more efficient and cost-effective compensation system. The reforms included measures such as a new definition for whiplash injuries, a tariff of fixed compensation amounts for whiplash injuries by duration, increased small claims limits and a ban on seeking or offering to settle whiplash claims without medical evidence. And, of course, a key tenet of the reforms was claimants being able to make whiplash claims without legal representation via the new online OIC portal.
For many in the insurance industry they were intended to put an end to the UK’s whiplash epidemic, while simplifying access to fair compensation for those injured in road traffic collisions. But what has been the impact? Can we make any clear judgments at this stage? Is the new claims system working as it should be? Is the cost of whiplash claims reducing? Can claimants navigate the new online Portal? Are further changes needed and what might be next for reform of personal injury compensation more generally?
To help us explore these questions and more we have a great line up of speakers with leading figures from Government, insurance, journalism and the legal profession. You can find out more, register for the event and see the full line up of confirmed speakers here. You can attend virtually via our online events platform or, even better, come along in person to make the most of the networking and stay for the drinks reception. We would be delighted to see you there!