Member Article

Personal Injury Portal leaves young drivers unsupported, claims leading accident expert

The UK Government’s new Official Injury Claim portal has added a significant level of complexity to accident claims for young people, according to a leading accident management expert.

And with drivers having to estimate the cost of their injuries under the new process, without medical advice or assistance, motorists could be receiving unfair and unjust settlements.

Call Brian, the UK’s only automated accident management company, has called into question the UK Government’s new ‘Whiplash Reform Programme’, introduced on 31st of May.

Designed to reduce the amount of illegitimate whiplash claims made under old rules, Call Brian chairman, Russell Atkinson, has instead highlighted the lengthy admin involved with the new process, as well as the detailed knowledge required to assess the complexity and duration of any medical injuries incurred.

The news calls into question young and first-time drivers, who already undertake both significant investment and research time to fully understand the ins and outs of both learning to drive and insuring their vehicles.

“Young drivers are particularly vulnerable in this market,” said Russell Atkinson, who joined Telford-based Call Brian Group in June.

“Buying your first car, the insurance associated with it – it’s a big investment. But what we are really pinpointing here, in terms of the new injury claims process, is the cost of complexity.

“It’s completely impossible for drivers to understand the full cost of whiplash for example – it could have you off work or university for days, months or even a year. Without first going to a medical professional or having that sound advice, you are completely in the dark.”

Under new rules, motorists can now log their claims, deemed to be of the value under £5000, through the UK Government’s Official Injury Claim portal.

Yet in spite of its introduction, it is not being made clear to motorists that this will involve following a legal 64-page guide, as well as developing an understanding of the online system – used to facilitate the soft tissue injury claims brought under the new rules It means the onus is on drivers to estimate the cost of any additional injuries incurred in motor accidents, such as a simple broken finger for example.

And for Russell, this means drivers could be receiving lower compensation claim payouts than they deserve.

“90% of accidents fall under the new process, but by return, compensation values will be lower,” he added.

“The Government introduced this new process to ween out the fraudsters looking for an easy payday, and rightly so, but I would argue that this has now come at the cost of genuine claimants.

“If a motorist has incorrectly assessed the extent of his or her injuries, which is highly likely given the lack of assistance or clarity given with the new portal, then they could be done out of thousands of pounds.

“But a solution is available – claims management firms, like us, that turn the process into a simple interaction – no hassle, no delays and no detailed understanding medical and legal terminology.”

Call Brian, which went live in February, has promised to offer an alternative to claimants going directly to the UK Government’s new portal, providing a free of charge 24/7 service, carrying out ID checks, preparing retainer documentation, sending automatic chaser messages to clients, and critically, scheduling in medical appointments – now mandatory for claimants seeking compensation through the Medco system.

Unlike the laborious Injury Claim Service portal Brits will face, there is the option to go direct to Call Brian through a system that is simple and straightforward.

And crucially for accident hit drivers, Call Brian promises to protect no claims discounts as well ensuring there is no insurance excess to pay.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Call Brian .