MASS in the Media
November 2020
Lawyers make late plea to halt massive whiplash cuts
Law Society Gazette, 18 November 2020
Claimant Lawyers urge Lord Chief to step in on whiplash reforms
Legal Futures, 18 November 2020
Press release – 17th November 2020
Government’s proposed tariff of damages are “fundamentally flawed, arbitrary and wholly unjust”
MASS urgently calls for a fundamental review of the Government’s proposed tariff of damages ahead of the planned implementation of the ‘whiplash’ reforms in April 2021.
October 2020
Update from MASS for Liverpool Law Magazine
Liverpool Law Magazine – October 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls, updates the Liverpool Law Society on the claims process and the pandemic, and the impending reforms.
July 2020
Delivering for claimants during Covid-19 and beyond
Insurance Post, 29th July 2020
As we all adjust to the new Covid-19 world, Paul Nicholls, MASS Chair, considers the impacts of the crisis on the changing claims process.
June 2020
MoJ defends decision to drop ADR from whiplash portal
Insurance Post, 10 June 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls, quoted on the shortcomings of the promise of ADR in the planned absence of legal representation.
May 2020
RTA claims under the coronavirus pandemic
Manchester Law Society May 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls’ article on how RTA claims are operating during the coronavirus pandemic and why the Ministry of Justice should be legislating for temporary changes instead of leaving it to the claims sector to try and work out.
April 2020
A welcome delay
Solicitors Journal, 23 April 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls outlines why the implementation of the MoJ’s whiplash reforms should be delayed, irrespective of the coronavirus pandemic [published the day after MoJ announced a delay until April 2021]
- Lord Chancellor on whiplash reforms: “Now is not the time to press ahead”
Business UK, 22nd April 2020 - Whiplash reforms delayed again – this time to April 2021
Law Society Gazette, 21st April 2020 - Whiplash reforms delayed until April 2021
Legal Futures, 21st April 2020
Articles on the announced delay to the implementation of the whiplash reforms, including comment from MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls.
MASS comment on the further delay for implementing the Government’s reforms to April 2021
(21st April 2020)
“This sensible decision will be very welcome news for claimants and the sector. With everyone struggling with bigger issues right now, this delay will hopefully provide time, when it is appropriate, for a proper debate on the many outstanding issues yet to be resolved.”
RTA claims under the coronavirus pandemic
Liverpool Law Society – April 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls’ article on how RTA claims are operating during the coronavirus pandemic and why the Ministry of Justice should be legislating for temporary changes instead of leaving it to the claims sector to try and work out.
March 2020
Digitalisation of the expert
Modern Insurance Magazine, Issue 43, March 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls discusses the future importance of expert legal assistance for motor accident victims.
Online PI claims service almost ready to replace paper process
Law Society Gazette, 11 March 2020
Based on an article by the Head of Civil Claims and Senior Manager at HM Courts & Tribunal Service appearing in the Spring edition of MASS’s Insight Magazine
February 2020
- Whiplash: Decision to ditch ADR condemned
Legal Futures, 27 February 2020 - Insurance sector begs MIB not to waste LiP Portal deadline extension
Insurance Times, 27 February 2020
Comment from Paul Nicholls on the decision to delay implementation of the Government’s reforms until Summer 2020
MASS comment on an announced delay of reforms until 1 August 2020
(27th February 2020)
“The writing has been on the wall for months that the new process was not going to be fit-for-purpose within the proposed time frame, so the delay is absolutely the right thing to do. An extra five months is not very long though to make some key decisions on an informed basis and provide the necessary clarity on issues at the core of the claims process – multiple injuries, partial liability, sanctions, exclusions, payments, medical reports and others.
With ADR having been dropped, it is very uncertain what the new process will be to enable litigants to go to court to establish liability and we shall urgently be seeking some clarity. Crucially, the entire process needs to be clearly explained for the future self-litigant. The revised timetable is still potentially very short to address the pitfalls that lie in wait for claimants.”
New setback in race to begin whiplash reform in April
Legal Futures, 10th February 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls quoted about the lack of progress on developing the new Rules and Protocol by the Civil Procedure Rule Committee because of the complexity and number of outstanding issues to be resolved.
Turbulence ahead for the claims sector
Modern Insurance Magazine, Issue 42
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls argues that if the reforms are to proceed on schedule, the Ministry of Justice must ensure that vulnerable motor accident victims are protected from the outset.
January 2020
MoJ: Still no whiplash rules but April remains the plan
Legal Futures, 17th January 2020
MASS Chair, Paul Nicholls quoted about the many outstanding issues yet to be resolved before implementation of the reforms should proceed and suggests that it should be delayed.
MASS comment on delaying implementation of the reforms
(16th January 2020)
“If MoJ are going to press the ‘go’ button to implement the changes in April, that leaves law firms only 10 weeks to adapt their systems and processes and re-train staff on the new claims process.
MoJ Ministers promised to ensure that the system really works and that it would be tested and tested again before rolling it out. They currently cannot commit to that with so many outstanding and fundamental issues yet to be resolved and the next round of testing not due to start until the end of January. Either these gaps are plugged very urgently or the difficult decision should be made to delay until a later date.
We have always said that the only thing worse than the actual reforms would be the reforms introduced chaotically, with undue haste when they are not ready, creating a basic and incomplete process for LiPs. This is the very real danger that we currently face.”
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