In 1990 the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) was founded. It is a not for profit campaign organisation that fights of the rights of injured people.
Changes to personal injury law
Over the last 30 years, personal injury law has changed drastically. Initially, injured people would apply for Legal Aid to pursue claims, this has been replaced with Conditional Fee Agreements which provides a no win, no fee guarantee to Claimants.
It is not just how claims are pursued that has changed, APIL has been instrumental in the development of professional development for those representing Claimants. APIL provide a wealth of accredited training courses so personal injury professionals can ensure their knowledge is up to date to ensure they provide their clients with the best service possible.
Fighting for rights
For 30 years, APIL has been fighting for the rights of injured individuals.
APIL has been instrumental in securing increased bereavement damages for the families of people killed due to negligence. Although no amount of money can make up for the loss of a family member, it can assist with expenses caused by their death. Bereavement damages have been increased four times, thanks in part to APIL’s campaigns. The most recent increase was implemented on 1st May 2020 when the sum for those affected in England and Wales was increased from £12,980 to £15,120.
APIL also campaigned for many years for mesothelioma patients who do not qualify for government benefits and cannot make a claim for compensation. On 1st October 2008, the 2008 Diffuse Mesothelioma Scheme was introduced to provide a lump sum payment for those diagnosed with mesothelioma but who are unable to make a civil claim and are not eligible for any other government assistance. Then in July 2014, the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme was launched. This provides compensation for Claimants diagnosed with mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos at work, who are unable to trace their former employer and/or their insurers.
Increasing the public’s trust of personal injury solicitors
Research by APIL has found that only 2% of adults in the UK trust personal injury solicitors. APIL are working to increase this percentage and to eradicate the negative ‘compensation culture’ and ‘ambulance chaser’ mindset many people have.
To help this, APIL have an accreditation programme which shows competence and specialist expertise for those pursuing personal injury claims. Solicitors and barristers can apply for accreditation and must show they have the necessary expertise by providing details of their training, cases they have pursued, client reviews and peer recommendations. To become accredited, professionals go through a lengthy process and must reapply for accreditation renewal every 5 years to ensure they are continuing to keep their knowledge and level of service up to APIL’s standards.
Our very own, James Cameron qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and has over 14 years of experience, specialising in asbestos disease claims. He prides himself on providing an excellent service to all of his clients, giving expert legal advice whilst being a support for his clients and their families after the often devastating diagnosis of an asbestos-related condition. APIL recognises James’ competence and level of service and on 1st December 2019 he was accepted as an accredited Senior Litigator of APIL.
The future of APIL
APIL has no plans to slow down and is now looking to the future. They want to focus on four key issues:
- Improving the public’s trust of personal injury solicitors;
- Preventing needless injuries;
- Swift justice and access to rehabilitation for the injured;
- Excellence in legal representation.
Here at Asbestos Justice, our values echo those of APIL. We are committed to provide expert legal advice along with excellent service. You are more than just a client to us and we will endeavour to help you in every way we can, whether it be in connection with your legal claim, in the form of assistance in applying for benefits or in dealing with any other issue you may require assistance with. We are so sure of our excellent level of service that we invite our clients to review us and we are currently rated excellent on Trustpilot with a score of 4.9 out of 5.
If you require assistance in pursuing an asbestos claim for mesothelioma or for any other asbestos disease, then please contact us today on our freephone number 0800 038 6767. Alternatively, head over to the ‘Contact Us’ page, complete the form and we will be in touch.