Mesothelioma "Big Tent" Meeting
30 June 2014, Ministry of Justice, London
Fieldfisher has been acting for mesothelioma sufferers and their families for over 30 years. We are at the forefront of mesothelioma litigation and have helped more than 2,000 claimants, sufferers and their families, to recover more than £200 million in compensation for asbestos-related diseases.
We supported the Senior Master at the Royal Courts of Justice in establishing the Mesothelioma Fast Track list and speedy directions which allow all successful mesothelioma claimants to recover compensation at a much earlier stage. Using the Mesothelioma Fast Track we can deal with cases quickly, with the minimum of fuss and disruption to our clients.
On 30th of June 2014, the Ministry of Justice held a "Big Tent" meeting to discuss important issues that can still cause delay in settling or progressing mesothelioma claims. A number of stakeholders attended this event including lawyers from Claimant firms, Defendant lawyers, members of the judiciary, insurers, victims support group representatives and others.
Andrew Morgan, Partner in Fieldfisher's Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Department, and Mesothelioma Specialist, attended the meeting on behalf of Fieldfisher. He says:
There are a number of issues that face mesothelioma sufferers and the insurers who eventually pay claims.
We are calling for an increase in the resources of the High Court's Mesothelioma Fast Track, to speed up payments of compensation for mesothelioma sufferers. This will encourage earlier interim payments for our clients who will be able to use the payments for any care and support they might need. It will also encourage settlement during the claimant's lifetime, rather than afterwards.
The insurers raise a number of issues of their own, and set out some of the difficulties that they have in settling cases early, particularly where more than one employer or insurer is involved.
A robust and flexible court system is the key to speeding up the settlement of mesothelioma claims but dialogue between the two sides, and an understanding of each other's point of view, can only provide encouragement.
Fieldfisher has been involved in earlier consultations and discussions centring on the process of making a claim for compensation for mesothelioma. You can find our most recent consultation response here.
Fieldfisher has been acting for mesothelioma sufferers and their families for over 30 years. We are at the forefront of mesothelioma litigation and have helped more than 2,000 claimants, sufferers and their families, to recover more than £200 million in compensation for asbestos-related diseases.
We supported the Senior Master at the Royal Courts of Justice in establishing the Mesothelioma Fast Track list and speedy directions which allow all successful mesothelioma claimants to recover compensation at a much earlier stage. Using the Mesothelioma Fast Track we can deal with cases quickly, with the minimum of fuss and disruption to our clients.
On 30th of June 2014, the Ministry of Justice held a "Big Tent" meeting to discuss important issues that can still cause delay in settling or progressing mesothelioma claims. A number of stakeholders attended this event including lawyers from Claimant firms, Defendant lawyers, members of the judiciary, insurers, victims support group representatives and others.
Andrew Morgan, Partner in Fieldfisher's Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Department, and Mesothelioma Specialist, attended the meeting on behalf of Fieldfisher. He says:
There are a number of issues that face mesothelioma sufferers and the insurers who eventually pay claims.
We are calling for an increase in the resources of the High Court's Mesothelioma Fast Track, to speed up payments of compensation for mesothelioma sufferers. This will encourage earlier interim payments for our clients who will be able to use the payments for any care and support they might need. It will also encourage settlement during the claimant's lifetime, rather than afterwards.
The insurers raise a number of issues of their own, and set out some of the difficulties that they have in settling cases early, particularly where more than one employer or insurer is involved.
A robust and flexible court system is the key to speeding up the settlement of mesothelioma claims but dialogue between the two sides, and an understanding of each other's point of view, can only provide encouragement.
Fieldfisher has been involved in earlier consultations and discussions centring on the process of making a claim for compensation for mesothelioma. You can find our most recent consultation response here.