Zenith Chambers will be working with claimant and defendant solicitors on arrangements for the forthcoming fixed-costs scheme for personal injury claims arising from road traffic accidents, expected to be implemented in April 2010.

The Ministry of Justice had imposed a “gagging order” during the negotiations with representatives of claimants and insurers.  Announced on 22nd September, the new fixed costs scheme, for claims valued between £1000 and £10,000, is expected to be implemented in April 2010.

Zenith Chambers are in the legal directories’ top ranking for the region and have a 26-strong PI team, and we work with all the leading PI solicitors’ practices.  As trusted experts in this field, we are offering to help solicitors in the following ways:

• Closer Cooperation:  Would you like to discuss how you can successfully re-organise client services to meet the demands of the new scheme?  Would you like to agree fee arrangements with us, so that you can call on our back-up when you need to – and do so cost-effectively?  Whatever your needs, contact Andrew Argyle the CEO for a discussion aargyle@zenithchambers.co.uk
• Seminars:  We run a popular seminar programme with over 50 events a year at all levels.  Our RTA scheme seminar will take place in the run-up to implementation in April, and is sure to sell out, so please email us if you would like priority booking.
• Resources:  Our news page here at Zenith.co.uk will include updates.  Links to the key documents about the scheme are given below.

APIL’s briefing provides full details of the scheme.  There are also brief statement from the Ministry of Justice and a comment from APIL.

The new system will apply to road traffic accident personal injury claims valued between £1000 and £10,000. The agreed fixed costs are:

• £400 for Stage 1 (the claimant solicitor completes the claim notification form and sends it to the insurer who may admit/deny liability);
• £800 for Stage 2 (where liability is admitted, the claimant obtains a medical report and the process continues with offers and negotiation of a settlement to a strict timetable); and
• £250 paper hearing / £500 oral hearing for Stage 3 (where the parties cannot agree a settlement and the case goes to court).

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee sub-committee will work with the Ministry of Justice to bring forward draft rules, practice directions and pre-actions protocols to implement the new process with a view to implementing in April 2010.

The goals of the scheme are to speed up the handling of claims and to avoid unnecessary legal costs.

You can email mktg@zenithchambers.co.uk to request updates as the information on our website about the scheme is developed, and to ensure that you are offered a priority booking for Zenith’s forthcoming RTA fixed costs scheme seminar (date tba).