Policy changes restrict access to justice

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) highlighted the ongoing issues surrounding access to justice during the House of Commons Justice Select Committee’s inquiry. APIL president Matthew Tuff described these decisions as causing “irrefutable prejudice” against injured victims, leading to a concerning erosion of their rights. He stressed that “in the last 15 years, a series of policy decisions has profoundly undermined access to justice for injured victims of negligence, the rule of law, and the well-established principle of 100 per cent compensation.”

In the evidence submitted to the committee, Tuff elaborated on specific legislative changes, including the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act, which he claimed introduced “unfair costs risks for injured people who make claims for redress.” He also pointed out the detrimental effects of “fixed costs which have not kept up with inflation” and the erosion of compensation for road traffic accident victims. The evidence demonstrates how policymakers have prioritised “protecting businesses, insurance companies’ profit margins, and controlling premiums” over the needs of vulnerable individuals seeking justice.

Tuff elaborated on the misinformation and misunderstanding surrounding injured claimants, stating that “injured people have been the subject of rhetoric… which has influenced policymaking in such a way as to cause vulnerable people genuine hardship.” He ultimately asserted that the government must shift its focus: “This Government must put people before profits, and place the needs of victims of negligence central to any policymaking which affects them.”