John Lezemore, partner at DWF Law, speaks about the company’s entry to the Business Partner of the Year category
1. Why did you put yourselves forward for the category?
DWF recognised that there is a major problem with somatic illness claims, which present as standard, low value claims initially, only for the potential value to dramatically increase as the claim progresses. Symptoms are vague, unseen or subjective, with exposure to gross exaggeration.
Proposed rehabilitation packages are very expensive, developed by claimant experts with substantial layering driving profits.
If these claims are not handled properly, they will involve disproportionate legal costs. These types of claims are being actively targeted by some claimant lawyers, who will then cost build or layer throughout to maximise the claim value.
2. What do you think makes your entry stand out and why should you win the award?
DWF pioneered this approach, leading the market on growing issues around somatic illness claims, which include chronic pain, functional neurological disorder and subtle brain injury.
DWF were the architects of setting up a dedicated somatic illness team, including specialist lawyers, predictive and profiling analysts, who devised a chronic pain identification toolkit.
This helped to identify claims at the earliest point, allowing the tackling of claims with appropriate strategies to bring them to early or commercial settlements.
DWF’s proven track record in dealing with somatic claims saved insurers £17.8m in 2024.
3. What would winning this award mean to you and your firm?
DWF’s investment is trailblazing in the legal industry.
The combination of legal expertise with data analytics and technology truly differentiates DWF from others. DWF undertook a huge amount of work in analysing claims to establish adverse behaviours and worked with insurance clients to tackle adverse behaviours at the earliest.
This is a significant step forward in the insurance industry and is truly setting the bar for others to follow. Winning the award would be industry endorsement for DWF’s work and results.
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