APIL’s campaigns and communications team needs a case study for some media work in relation to a Government consultation on licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

The team would like to be put in touch with someone who has suffered injury due to negligence during a procedure such as a chemical peel, Botox injections, dermal fillers, or treatment for skin tightening, body contouring, and cellulite reduction.

The Department of Health and Social Care is consulting on the possibility of licensing such procedures in England, as they can lead to serious complications if they are carried out incorrectly. Currently there are few restrictions on who can carry out non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

APIL will reply to the consultation and seeks to highlight the problems of unlicenced procedures in the press.  

Members who have dealt with cases involving injury caused by non-surgical procedures and have clients who wish to share their experiences should contact APIL’s press and communications officer Julie Crouch at [email protected].

The client would be treated with sensitivity and must be willing to share the details and impact of the injury for a news story.

Insurance premiums are soaring even though injured people receive far less compensation than before the 2021 whiplash reforms, APIL chief executive Mike Benner explained to consumers in his latest public-facing blog.

“I don’t know anyone who isn’t affected in some way by the increase in the cost of living in the UK. It seems the latest bill to really shoot up and get everyone talking is the price of car insurance. I received my own renewal premium last month and the quote was nearly double what I paid last year,” he said.

“In 2021, the Government slashed the amount of compensation for people who suffer whiplash injuries in road collisions and created the Official Injury Claim (OIC) system. This is an online portal that aims to streamline the claims process. It was all implemented on the promise of lower car insurance premiums for everyone. Two years later, it is clear that this has not happened,” he continued.

“Victims of negligence are being strong-armed into a lose-lose situation. They must continue paying ever-increasing prices for their compulsory car insurance cover, yet have had their compensation cut.”

Find the blog here and share the link on your social media channels.

APIL would like to help to support Black History Month 2023 initiatives by highlighting members’ stories on its Harness Voices platform.

Members can read stories from those who have contributed to Harness Voices to mark past events, such as Pride month, and see more details on APIL’s equality, diversity, and inclusion committee here.

The theme for Black History Month 2023 is Saluting Our Sisters, which focusses on recognising and celebrating the impact that black women have had on the world. Find out more information here.

APIL has reiterated its support for a Bill which would create an employment injuries advisory council in Scotland.

One of the key roles of the Scottish Employment Injuries Advisory Council (SEIAC) would be to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s proposed employment injuries assistance (EIA) which is expected to replace industrial injuries disablement benefit in Scotland.

In response to a call for views from the Social Justice and Society Committee of the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish Employment Injuries Advisory Council Bill, APIL said that if it remains the intention of the Scottish Government to introduce EIA, the SEIAC must be established to provide oversight of the benefit.

APIL has also told the committee the SEIAC must have a close working relationship with the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. This would help ensure that research into new workplace diseases and hazards is shared between the two councils.

The Bill has been introduced into the Scottish Parliament by Mark Griffin, a Scottish Labour member of the Scottish Parliament, who earlier this year supported APIL’s Injury Awareness Week.

Members can read APIL’s evidence here.

APIL is seeking case studies to demonstrate the importance of section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Following a consultation in December last year, the Government proposes to reform the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and move most of the Act from legislation to Financial Conduct Authority Rules. APIL is concerned about the removal of section 75, and the right of the claimant to bring a claim against a credit card company, directly.

This can be a key tool in appropriate cases for obtaining redress for an injured person where it is not possible to pursue a defendant directly, or where the defendant is not adequately insured. APIL is keen to highlight the importance of this provision to the Government, and requires examples from members to demonstrate the point.

If you have any examples of cases where you have been successful in securing much needed compensation for a claimant using the provision in section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, please send the details to Alice Taylor, APIL’s legal policy manager, at [email protected] by Monday 16 October.

PI Fast Track Fixed Costs Missing from CPR?

Does Medco apply?

Fixed Costs & CFA's

Signs and their placement

Plastic Surgeon North West

Dr Domenico Serino - Paediatric Neurologist

Meteorologist?

Extension for service of Defence in DCP

D Made an application for Third Party disclosure - how?

The Ministry of Justice is conducting a survey of civil legal aid providers as part of its review of civil legal aid.

The review aims to identify options to improve the sustainability of the legal aid system.

Any APIL members providing civil legal aid services can submit their views on the current system, including the contracting and billing processes, fees, and the way decisions are made by the Legal Aid Agency, here.

The results of the survey will form part of the evidence to inform future policy decisions. The survey closes on Tuesday 17 October. 

Plans to simplify or trim back some aspects of the 2018 Package Travel Regulations are the subject of a new Department for Business and Trade (DfBT) consultation.

APIL is formulating its response and welcomes input from members.

The regulations set a series of requirements for organisers of package holidays and linked travel arrangements, which provide bespoke protections for travellers.

The DfBT’s proposals include removing some combinations of services from the scope of the regulations such as some or all domestic packages, or those below a certain value. The Government also proposes to improve the flexibility of insolvency protection provisions for non-flight packages.

Members who would like to share their views should contact Ana Ramos, APIL’s legal affairs assistant, at [email protected]. The deadline for comments is the 10 November.