New APIL president pledges advocacy for injured individuals

Hailing from Manchester, Kim Harrison, a specialist in child abuse and public inquiry, assumes leadership following what she describes as an eventful year for APIL, marked by initiatives such as the judicial review on aspects of the new fixed recoverable costs rules and the successful Rebuilding Shattered Lives campaign.

In her address to delegates in Birmingham, Harrison emphasised the imperative of ensuring that injured individuals are central to policy-making processes rather than being mere victims of policy decisions. She highlighted the forthcoming challenge posed by the outcome of the discount rate review and reiterated APIL's call on the Government to uphold the principle of 100% compensation.

Kim Harrison underlined the need for APIL to seize both challenges and opportunities in the years ahead, emphasising the importance of proactive campaigns that resonate with her. Notably, she cited campaigns to reform bereavement damages laws, support asbestos-related lung cancer sufferers, and implement recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) report, in which she represented over 100 childhood sexual abuse survivors.

Kim Harrison welcomed the recommendation in the IICSA final report to abolish the unfair and outdated limitation laws in England and Wales, expressing eagerness to engage with the Government consultation on this matter. She affirmed APIL's commitment to advocating for changes that benefit injured and bereaved individuals, particularly with the prospect of a new Government.

As APIL's new president, Kim Harrison pledges to continue championing the rights of injured individuals and leveraging opportunities for legislative reform in collaboration with lawmakers.