Winns Supports Access to Justice

In light of the changes to the small claims limit which were proposed by the government in the Autumn Statement, Winn Solicitors have been doing all that they can to ensure that access to justice is not restricted for the innocent victims of road traffic accidents.

The action proposed by the government involves changing the small claims limit from £1,000 to £5,000, which will have a real impact on those with soft tissues injuries (click here to read more about the proposed changes). Winn Solicitors are supporting the Access to Justice action group in fighting these changes and maintaining access to justice for all.

Access to Justice is an action group which has been set up to coordinate action to protect access to justice for people who have been injured through no fault of their own. Supporters include charities, solicitors and other legal groups and representatives, as well as individuals.

The proposed changes to the small claims limit will affect huge numbers of people every year. The Access to Justice group states that ‘up to 95% of the 759,763 road traffic accident victims in 2014 who were awarded compensation would have been unable to claim for their injuries at all.’

The changes to the small claims limit for personal injuries does not just have an impact on the victims of road traffic accidents. The Access to Justice group also states that ‘last year, there were 208,310 claims by those injured at work, through public liability or the fault of occupiers. Up to 85% would have been forced to bring their claims in the Small Claims Court, facing a stark choice. Take on the insurance company alone without a lawyer, or pay the whole of their legal costs from any compensation awarded.’

The right to claim compensation was first given in the Magna Carta, which stated that any person has the right to justice and a fair trial. These changes would undermine this basic constitutional right. The drastic proposal to prevent innocent victims in receiving compensation is something that has already been opposed by previous governments due to its total disregard for justice.

Previous attempts to raise the small claims limit have been rejected due to the implications for injured victims, outlined in The Transport Select Committee report. It is of concern that despite this the government appears to want to plough on regardless.

The government has stated that motorists will gain between £40-50 a year in reduced insurance premiums as a result of the changes in the small claims limit, however,  less than a handful of insurers have actually pledged to do this if the changes come in. Furthermore, insurance premium tax (IPT) has just increased, which means the difference will barely be noticeable. Previous promises to lower insurance premiums have never materialised. Even if these reductions did go ahead, £40-50 is a small price to pay for access to justice when you need it most.

The Access to Justice campaign aims to draw ‘public and parliamentary’ awareness to the drastic consequences of the government’s proposals. The campaign encourages people and organisations to stand together to condemn the changes, through the use of all types of media, as well as detailed independent reports into the facts around the implications of the changes.

How You Can Help

• Write to your local newspaper
• Spread the word by following the Access to Justice social media accounts and sharing their posts to help raise awareness: Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn
• Complete their 'small claims, big impact' survey here
• Write to your local MP

For more information, visit the Access to Justice website here

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