Changing the perception of compensation claims

Birchall Blackburn Law are supporting a national campaign aiming to change the public’s perception and attitudes towards compensation claims after an injury.

A serious injury can happen to anyone at any time, but until it has happened to you or a loved-one there is little understanding or empathy for the life-changing consequences and the amount of support needed to help an injured person rebuild their life.

Birchall Blackburn Law are working with the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) to highlight its Rebuilding Shattered Lives campaign. APIL is a not-for-profit organisation comprising of Personal injury solicitors, barristers, academics and students all of whom are dedicated to working on behalf of injured people to improve access to meaningful support that will help them cope in the aftermath of an injury.

The Rebuilding Shattered Lives campaign highlights to the public that personal injury litigation does more than assist people in pursuing a claim for whiplash following a car accident and, whilst of  course those people have a legitimate claim for compensation, their lives thankfully do not need rebuilding in the same way as some of the catastrophically injured clients we bring claims for.

Leanne Tattam, Solicitor and Partner with Birchall Blackburn Law and APIL accredited Senior Litigator, says: “At no time in my career has a seriously injured person or family member started a claim talking about any monetary reward. People come to me asking for help and support. They talk to me in terms of rehabilitation, covering essential bills, keeping up payments on a mortgage, purchasing medical aids, vital adaptations to their homes and vehicles, access to private medical care, retraining and getting back to work.

“There is a perception, fuelled by insurance companies and the media, that compensation claims are somehow a windfall, or a lottery win, to be used on luxury items. This is simply not true. The aim of compensation is to help someone who has been needlessly injured to recover from those injuries sufficiently to be able to move on with their life, or if that is not possible, to fund the support network of therapists, carers and other professionals needed to enable them to get the most out of their lives following their injuries. No-one should feel ashamed for making a genuine compensation claim. In many cases it’s the only way to get meaningful financial support to help them cope with a traumatic and life-changing injury.”

Mike Benner, CEO, APIL, says: “Rebuilding Shattered Lives is shining a spotlight on the real people behind the headlines about personal injury claims. When all too often the conversations about personal injury focus on the financial cost to the people who pay for recompense and rehabilitation, the people who must take on the personal, human costs, need a platform to have their experiences heard.

“This campaign puts injured people first.  It tells real stories about real people. In a climate where those suffering injury due to the negligence of others are too often made to feel ashamed about seeking help to put their shattered lives back on track, injured people deserve a voice. Negligence shatters lives and an injury can happen to anyone at any time. It could happen to you.”