Ministry of Justice Actually Did Something! No, Really!! [1st Jan 2013]
The Ministry of Justice has announced that their Claims Management Regulations Unit has shut down 209 rogue claims firms in the last six months. In addition three firms were suspended and 140 were given warnings. The unit has been cracking down on firms which send unsolicited text messages or phone calls offering PPI claim services. Many of these firms advertise their services, but many are using cold calling techniques offering a claims handling service for a fee despite claimants being able to make claims themselves at no cost. Kevin Rousell from the unit has commented that they will continue to tackle these companies and that a total of 900 have been closed down in the past five years. The government has also announced plans to give consumers more protection with all businesses needing to agree a written contract with their clients before any fees are taken. The legal Ombudsman will also be made available to these clients if required and a compensation structure will be offered. Related Stories: 209 rogue claims firms shut down by MOJ - www.bbc.co.uk Hundreds of claims firms shut down - www.thisismoney.co.uk Ministry shuts 200 ambulance chasing companies - www.telegraph.co.uk With the winter vomiting bug currently running rampant in the UK, many people who have booked cruises are asking if they will be entitled to compensation should the bug spread while they are on holiday or their cruise is cancelled. The Norovirus spreads so easily that if just one passenger is infected, many hundreds could also catch the bug. Travel companies are pointing out that people who fall ill while on a cruise may have to pay for treatment from the ship's doctor (although travel insurance may cover this cost) and they are unlikely to get any compensation despite days lost being confined to their cabin. However if a cruise is shortened or cancelled due to a sickness outbreak compensation may be payable. These details are usually given in the contract with the cruise operators and vary widely. Related Stories: Norovirus: what are my rights - www.telegraph.co.uk Cruise ships Queen Mary 2 and Emerald princess hit by suspected norovirus - abcnews.go.com It has been revealed that the bill for compensation payments to patients from the NHS for treatment which has gone wrong has risen 10% each year. As a result the head of the Medical Defence Union, which insure 200,000 doctors in the UK has called for changes to be made to the law to curb the number of claims being made. It has been pointed out that the amount being spent each year on compensation could cover the cost of running a dozen large teaching hospitals. Christine Tompkins has said that these types of damages are increasing rapidly and the money should be retained within the NHS. It is also pointed out that the rises in payouts is coming from the improvements to care meaning that people are more likely to live longer following injury. More than half of the larger settlements are for ongoing care costs. More than 5,000 of such cases in the past ten years have been in the maternity field. It is thought that this is due to inexperienced midwives and junior doctors and this is an area where changes could be made. Ms Tompkins says that the Act covering these types of damages comes from 1948 and is no longer fit for purpose. Related Stories: Negligence payouts bankrupting NHS - www.independent.co.uk £1.7 bn compensation bill for botched NHS operations - www.thesun.co.uk A couple who had their lottery winnings invested by Coutts bank have decided they will seek compensation after they were left with just £10,000 per year to live on. The couple say that they chose the "Queens Bank" because of its reputation and that they were advised to invest in bonds which underperformed. The couple from Devon won £1m in 2001 and were advised to put £650,000 into the with-profits bonds by the bank. The couple have been told by the Financial Ombudsman Service that their case will be ruled upon over the next few months. The couple say that the National Lottery offers winners a number of investment options from a number of banks. They suggest that better advice is given and that they should be treated as being vulnerable due to not understanding investments. They were told their investment was relatively low risk at the time, however since then the market has fallen significantly. Related Stories: We lost out after trusting Queens bank claim lottery winners - www.telegraph.co.uk Lotto couple won £1m after Queens bank left them with just £10k a year to live on - www.dailymail.co.uk  |
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