Personal injury claimants ‘should be backed by government’

Posted 12/02/2010

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has urged the government to offer more backing to injured parties to help them make compensation claims.

John McQuater, president of APIL, has called for balance to be brought to the litigation system in order to give private claimants a better chance of winning cases against large enterprises.

According to Mr McQuater, these calls come in response to growing concern that too much leeway is being afforded to big businesses whose actions have caused injury, with APIL suggesting that the system is too favourable to those with better financial resources.

He reminded policymakers that injured parties should be supported in their right to make compensation claims with the aid of personal injury solicitors.

Mr McQuater added: “I urge the government not to create a monolithic litigation system which allows the interests of big business to trample on injured people.”

Earlier this week, the body welcomed the proposed introduction of a new fund to provide compensation for industrial disease sufferers and called for cross-party support for the move.