As a high street claimant lawyer, while I agree with the sentiment and much of the content of Andy Cook's article (23 September, Insurance Times) can I take issue with the sub editor who wrote the headline - "Lawyers in fees abuse".
Most road accident claimants are now directed to solicitors by before-the-event insurers, many of whom are also liability insurers. Solicitors set up on each side sheds full of half trained hyperagressive paralegals to wage aggressive costs wars against themselves . What do you expect?
Most of us left on the high street would generally make the call to remind liability insurers and give them a day or two to put the cheque in the post.
My perception, however, is that the gap between the two sides of our industry is steadily widening.
I tried to get a liability insurer to talk to its own legal expenses division to settle a costs argument the other day, but even in the same organisation they wouldn't talk to each other.
Can I suggest the headline "Send more work to the high street - we're cheaper and better quality." or possibly "High street lawyers deliver better service than claims factories". We're still open for business (just about).
Andrew Sharpe
Penmans Solictors
Coventry
