APIL President calls for Government leadership to drive increase in damages

Government ministers will tonight be called on to provide “real leadership” in an attempt to settle the issue levels of damages for personal injury victims.

Addressing guests at the annual APIL President’s Dinner, Martin Bare will express his disappointment that Law Commission proposals to increase compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity were “overlooked” in the Government’s consultation paper on levels of damages.

“The Law Commission said in 1999 that if its recommendations were not implemented by the judiciary within three years, they should be implemented through legislation,” he will say. “The following year, the Court of Appeal said Parliament was the forum for such change, yet the Government has said this is an issue for the courts. It is surely time this issue was settled and I appeal to the Government to provide real leadership in this issue which is of such profound importance to injured people.”

Bare will say he “makes no apology” for the fact APIL membership is comprised almost entirely of lawyers, as “victims of negligent injury need a voice…” He will also call for a serious, rational debate on health, safety, negligence and compensation, saying risk assessment is the “cornerstone” of modern health and safety law.

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Note to editors:

- APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) was established in 1990 by a group of lawyers working on behalf of personal injury victims and now has more than 5,000 members. APIL campaigns for improvements in the law to help people who are injured or become ill through no fault of their own.

For more information, contact:

Lisa Wardle, t: 0115 9388715

Further information can also be found at the organisation’s website - www.apil.org.uk