Government to address clinical negligence cases

Published on 29 Jul 2010 under category: legal

The government is to launch a consultation that could impact on cases of clinical or professional negligence.
It is to consult legal experts on whether Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations in his groundbreaking report 'Review of Civil Litigation Costs' should be carried out.
Mr Jackson's proposals have attracted controversy, as they seek to shift some of the fees for a successful verdict onto the client rather than the opponent.
In order for this change to be viable, personal injury damages could go up by ten per cent to help claimants pay the new success fees.
Writing in the Guardian this week, legal expert Neil Rose said that one of the recommendations to end recoverability – the claiming back of legal costs from the defendant – could be favoured by the government.
The rise in cases of professional and clinical negligence against the NHS means that reducing recoverability could considerably slash bills, according to Mr Rose.

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