Integrum Law

The real reason for rising car insurance

2012-01-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

As solicitors specialising in personal injury claims, including road traffic accidents, we often come in for criticism when car insurance premiums go up. Indeed some insurers are even telling customers that their premiums are increasing because of “claims” or the so called “compensation culture”.

However one large insurance company has now revealed that this simply is not the case.

The company, who has insisted on remaining anonymous, has admitted that it did not need to raise its own prices but has done so anyway to stay in line with other insurers. The company admitted that by increasing its premiums it was making even bigger profits. It claimed that if it kept its premiums at a reasonable level it would be too cheap and risked being inundated with too many new customers.

The Office of Fair Trading is currently investigating why car insurance premiums have risen so much in the last two years. A survey of AA members has found that premiums have risen by as much as 40%, with young drivers particularly badly hit.

Meanwhile two separate reports commissioned by the government have proved that the UK’s so called “compensation culture” is a myth and does not exist.

So if your car insurance premiums have increased it is the insurance industry itself that is to blame not innocent accident victims.

Still Not Made a Will?

2011-12-01T02:57:00.000-08:00

Every year in the UK a third of those who die have not made a will, this means that dealing with their estates can be more costly, more complex and can take longer than if they had taken the simple step of making a will.

Where a person dies without a will they are described as intestate, this means that their estate is dealt with in accordance with legal rules rather than the persons wishes. This can have unexpected consequences as the law does not necessarily recognise unmarried couples or children who although not a person’s child might have been raised by that person. Similarly couples who have been separated for many years but never divorced are treated as if they were still together. This can often mean that people who the deceased would not want to benefit from their death do benefit and those who they would want to benefit do not.

Worse still if the person has no will and no immediate family members there is a chance that their estate could fall within the bona vacantia rules. Bona Vacantia, which literally means vacant goods, is the system whereby the government takes control of unclaimed estates, if no beneficiary is found then the entire estate is taken by the government.

If an estate becomes bona vacantia it is published on a list by the government’s legal department, the Treasury Solicitor. This list is then poured over by “heir hunters” who try and find beneficiaries for the estates. These companies, one of which has featured in the BBC television series Heir Hunters, will often take up to 40% of the value of the estate in fees.

So for the relatively small cost of making a will you can ensure that your wishes are carried out and avoid additional costs associated with intestacy or, worse still, bona vacantia.

Pre-Medical Offers

2011-11-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

It is becoming increasingly common for some insurance companies to attempt to settle personal injury claims before medical evidence is obtained. The offers which they make are called “pre-medical offers”.

For the insurance companies this means that they save money because they do not have to pay for an injured person to be examined by a medical expert.
For the innocent accident victim it means that they get a compensation payment quickly, with some claims being settled in just a few weeks, but there are risks associated with this type of offer.

When a medical expert provides a report it not only deals with the injuries which the injured person is aware of but also injuries which they are unaware of or injuries which have not yet become apparent. One common situation is when an expert suggests that an accident has made it more likely that an accident victim will suffer from arthritis or osteoporosis and so is more likely to develop health problems in the future.

The risk in accepting an offer like this is that it may not reflect the pain, suffering and loss of amenity which the injured person is likely to suffer and so they will be under compensated.

Martyn Brown, solicitor at Integrum Law comments “We always advise against settling injury claims before a medical report is obtained because there is no way of knowing how serious an injury may be without advice from a medical professional. However pre-medical offers are becoming increasingly common, particularly in road traffic accident claims”.

Compensation Culture

2011-10-07T04:36:00.001-07:00

As the Government plan to ban “No Win No Fee” agreements their plans have been attacked from an unexpected source.

The Government say that their ban aims to tackle our nation’s “”Compensation Culture” however all of the research and statistics shows that, whilst many believe that the UK has a “Compensation Culture”, the truth is that we do not and people are not making any more claims for compensation than they ever have in the past.

Despite this, having come under pressure from big business, the Government has announced that it intends to ban so called “No Win No Fee” arrangements whereby lawyers pursue claims without asking their clients to pay legal fees up front.

Lawyers have long argued that the system is fair because it allows ordinary members of the public to challenge big corporations with deep pockets however these concerns have, largely, been ignored.

Now the family of Milly Dowler have spoken out in support of the system. They say that the planned changes would have stopped them seeking compensation from News International. They say that without the “No Win No Fee” system they "would not have been able to start a case or even threaten it".

Interestingly this story received little publicity because the media, who help promote the myth of a “Compensation Culture”, support the government’s proposals. This is not surprising when ordinary members of the public can use it to seek redress against the powerful press.

So the government now has to decide whether it wants to ban a system which big business, insurance companies and media barons oppose or leave it in place to help ordinary people seek redress.

Court award damages for two footed flying tackle

2011-09-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Wirral solicitors, Integrum Law, recently succeeded in recovering damages for an amateur footballer who was injured whilst playing in a local league.

The player, whose side was wining 5-1 at the time, was subjected to a flying two footed tackle in the 78th minute of the game. The offending player was immediately shown a red card and sent off. He was later fined by the league and forced to serve a period of suspension.

However the tackle resulted in the injured player suffering fractures to both of the bones in his lower leg and he required surgery to insert pins into the damaged bones.

On his behalf, Integrum Law brought a claim against the opposing player and his club, the claim was defended and came to trial in the Liverpool County Court on 30th and 31st August 2011. At the trial the opposing player claimed that he had made a clean tackle and made no contact with the injured player. He also claimed that the referee was wrong to send him off and only did so because of complaints from the injured players team.

Numerous witnesses were called to give evidence, including the referee, and at the conclusion the judge agreed with the injured players version of events and awarded him substantial damages.

Commenting on the case Martyn Brown, the solicitor who conducted the case, said “This claim should serve as a warning to anybody participating in sports at any level that whilst injuries do happen, when those injuries are caused by serious foul play the courts are prepared to award compensation”.

UNINSURED DRIVERS

2011-08-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

As the cost of motor insurance increases, particularly for young male drivers, it is now estimated that as many as 2 million drivers might not have insurance.

As a result we are often asked by clients to deal with injuries they have suffered in accidents involving uninsured vehicles.

If you are hit by an uninsured driver you can still make a claim which will be dealt with by the Motor Insurers Bureau in basically the same way as a claim against an insured driver. The MIB was established in 1946 to compensate the victims of uninsured and untraced motorists. Every Insurer who provides motor insurance contributes to its funding and it is estimated that this adds £30.00 to every insurance premium.

If you yourself are uninsured and are injured in an accident which is not your fault, whilst you may be liable for criminal prosecution, you can still make a claim because the accident was not your fault and the absence of insurance is not a relevant factor.

Similarly if you are travelling in a vehicle which, unbeknownst to you, is not insured you can still claim compensation if you are injured in an accident. Whether the accident was the fault of the driver of your vehicle or another vehicle does not matter.

The MIB also operates a separate scheme which applies to untraced drivers. If you are involved in an accident which was the fault of a driver who is untraced; because, for example, they made off from the scene or failed to stop; you can still make a claim which will be dealt with by the MIB.

Claims of this type can be complicated and difficult to pursue so if you have been involved in a claim like this contact a firm of solicitors with experience of handling these types of claims.

Government May Give Incentive to Charity Legacies

2011-07-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

The government, through HM Revenue and Customs, is consulting on changes to the Inheritance Tax regime to encourage more people to leave legacies to charities in their wills.

The proposed change would see the rate of Inheritance Tax reduced from 40% to 36% to anybody who leaves more than 10% of their net estate to charity.
Martyn Brown, solicitor at Integrum Law, comments:-

If anybody is thinking that this new scheme might be a way of avoiding Inheritance Tax they are going to be disappointed. Somebody whose net estate is worth £500,000 would have to leave charitable legacies of £50,000 to save Inheritance Tax of £27,00and so, aside from the charity benefiting, there is no real saving.

However, anybody already considering making a will and leaving charitable gifts needs to be aware of this provision, and if, for example, they were planning on leaving charitable legacies amounting to approximately 8% of their net worth they may want to consider increasing this amount to bring them within the scheme.

Similarly anybody who has already made a will leaving monies to charity may wish to review their will and consider whether to increase any charitable gifts to take advantage of this scheme.

Of course this proposal is still only at the consultation stage and a lot could happen before it becomes law, but anybody thinking of making charitable donations in their will or with such donations in their existing will should watch what happens to this proposal.

Government May Give Incentive to Charity Legacies

2011-07-11T01:33:00.001-07:00

The government, through HM Revenue and Customs, is consulting on changes to the Inheritance Tax regime to encourage more people to leave legacies to charities in their wills.

The proposed change would see the rate of Inheritance Tax reduced from 40% to 36% to anybody who leaves more than 10% of their net estate to charity.
Martyn Brown, solicitor at Integrum Law, comments:-

If anybody is thinking that this new scheme might be a way of avoiding Inheritance Tax they are going to be disappointed. Somebody whose net estate is worth £500,000 would have to leave charitable legacies of £50,000 to save Inheritance Tax of £27,000 and so, aside from the charity benefiting, there is no real saving.

However, anybody already considering making a will and leaving charitable gifts needs to be aware of this provision, and if, for example, they were planning on leaving charitable legacies amounting to approximately 8% of their net worth they may want to consider increasing this amount to bring them within the scheme.

Similarly anybody who has already made a will leaving monies to charity may wish to review their will and consider whether to increase any charitable gifts to take advantage of this scheme.

Of course this proposal is still only at the consultation stage and a lot could happen before it becomes law, but anybody thinking of making charitable donations in their will or with such donations in their existing will should watch what happens to this proposal.

Not happy with your solicitor?

2011-06-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

We are often contacted by people who have been injured in accidents on the road and when they have reported the accident to their insurers they have been persuaded to use their solicitors.

Often they are told that it will be “quicker” or “easier” to use their solicitors or that they only recommend solicitors who they are happy will provide a good service.

The truth is that insurance companies sell claims to the solicitors willing to pay the most.

Sometime later the injured person will contact us because things are not going as they hoped.

We are frequently told:

“I’m fed up – they are so slow”
“They won’t speak to me when I ‘phone”
“They send me long letters that I don’t understand”
“The person I speak to is just “a kid” and doesn’t seem to know what they are doing”
“They are on the other side of the country and I can’t get to see them”
“My case has been passed around – every time I ‘phone I get a different person”
“They are just in the insurance company’s pocket”

We will discuss the issues and give free impartial advice, if we think it will help we might suggest that they change solicitors but sometimes we advise against it.
The important thing to remember is that everybody has an absolute right to change solicitors and to appoint a solicitor of their own choice.

So if you aren’t happy with a solicitor that somebody else has selected for you, call us now. There is something that you can do about it.

Text Messages are Wrong.

2011-05-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

I recently received an anonymous a text telling me that “you are entitled to £3,760.00 for your accident”.

This surprised me because I wondered how whoever sent it knew what level of compensation I should receive but more importantly I am one of those lucky people who have never been involved in an accident!

I discovered that the text originated from a claims management company who are sending out hundreds (if not thousands) of texts on the basis that somebody who receives one might have had an accident. Claims management companies are businesses that “farm” accident claims and then sell them on to solicitors; the people who run them are usually not solicitors and normally have no legal qualifications.

The texts are not only misleading, because if you have had an accident the amount you are entitled to depends upon your injuries, but they are also a breach of the rules under which claims management companies operate.

Texts sent out indiscriminately could be sent out to the elderly, the vulnerable or children; worse still a text could be sent to somebody who has suffered a serious life-changing injury who is likely to find it distressing to be told that they are entitled to “£3,760.00” when they might actually be entitled to much more.

My advice, if you receive a text, is to ignore it and to give any company that operates in this sort of way a wide berth. If you have been injured in an accident consult a local solicitor who specialises is accident claims.

Government Proposals Could Mean Accident Victims Lose Out

2011-03-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Ministry of Justice announced this week that it would be consulting on major reforms to the way “no win no fee” claims operate.

Under the current arrangements, which have been in place for over a decade, a person who makes a successful claim is entitled to have all of their costs and expenses paid by the losing party. So a man injured at work because of sloppy health and safety can sue his employer knowing that it will not cost him a penny to bring a claim.

If the proposals set out by the government in its consultation - Solving Disputes in the County Courts – are made law; this will change.

The Government proposes that in future when an accident victim brings a successful claim some of the damages they receive for their injuries will go towards their legal costs.

Not surprisingly many lawyers who represent accident victims are disappointed by the proposals. Martyn Brown, solicitor at Integrum Law commented “Damages for pain and suffering in England and Wales are not the most generous, particularly when compared to countries like the USA, yet the government proposes to take some of those damages away from innocent accident victims”.

Martyn adds “these proposals are the government’s response to pressure from big businesses who blame the so-called ‘compensation culture’ despite the fact that all research shows that it is a myth. The government also points to rising insurance premiums but ignores the fact that insurance companies continue to report massive profits and wrongly blame ‘no win no fee’ for their increased premiums”.

Insurance Industry’s Caught Selling Claims

2011-03-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

As reported by the BBC the Insurance Industry has been caught out this week making a mockery of its complaints about the UK’s alleged “Compensation Culture”.

For many years the Insurance Industry has been blaming its increased insurance premiums on “Compensation Culture” and has been lobbying the government to reform the “no win no fee” system used by lawyers.

Insurers want some of the compensation awarded to innocent victims to be used to pay their legal costs, saving the insurers money but depriving those injured in accidents of compensation they deserve. This despite the fact that insurance company profits continue to rise, with UK based insurer Aviva showing pre-tax profits of £2.4 billion for 2010, an increase of over a third on the previous year.

The truth is that government data shows that there is no compensation culture; advertising has, however, made people more aware of some of the companies dealing with accident claims.
What has now been revealed however is that Insurance companies are actually encouraging accident claims, the very thing they complain about, by selling accident details to lawyers. The Transport Select Committee, in its report on the cost of motor insurance, has criticised the insurance industry for this practice.

The report notes that “Fees range on average from £200 to £1,000 per referral and there can be several referrals in relation to a single insurance claim”.

The committee wants the Insurance Industry to clean up its act and concludes. “We look to the insurance industry to implement a more transparent regime for referral fees by the end of next year”.

In the meantime it is hoped that they may stop complaining about the mythical “compensation culture” and stop lobbying the government to punish innocent victims of accidents.

The Importance of Making a Will

2011-03-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

It has always been important to make a will but modern life makes it even more important than ever.

Where a person leaves a will, on their death their affairs are dealt with by the person they have appointed and their estate is distributed and dealt with in accordance with their wishes.

However when a person dies without a will, or intestate, this is not the case. Rules dictate who administers their estate and who gets what. Unfortunately these intestacy rules were largely written many years ago and do not reflect many of the features of modern life.

It was not that long ago that most couples in a long term relationship were married. Whilst the law does now recognise civil partnerships it does not recognise couples who live together without going through a marriage or civil partnership. Contrary to popular belief in the eyes of the law there is no such thing as a “common law” husband or wife.

It is possible that somebody who has been part of a couple who have lived together for say 40 years but never married will not inherit under their partner’s estate if there is no will. Indeed the main beneficiary of the estate could be a distant relative.

As our lives and relationships become more complicated so the likelihood of problems caused by intestacy become greater. Those likely to suffer are unmarried couples or same-sex couples who have not entered into a civil partnership or children who parents have remarried but not made provision for them in their wills. Similarly somebody who has been married, has separated but has never divorced could leave everything to their former spouse whether they want to or not. Their new partner or their children may get nothing.

Similarly the law recognises adopted children; but were somebody treats their partner’s children as if they were their own but without adopting them, they will not be recognised by the rules.

In short the rules recognise marriage, civil partnership, divorce and adoption but where people act in the same way without going through the formal process, as often happens, the law will not recognise these situations.

The intestacy rules take no account of our personal relationships so a long lost relative could benefit despite the fact that somebody has been cared or lived with somebody not related to them for many years.

The answer to these dilemmas and more is simple, make a will.

Can’t Take It With You

2011-02-09T05:55:00.000-08:00

The BBC programme "Can't Take It With You" (Friday, BBC2, 9pm) highlights some of the issues people face when making their wills.

In the series Sir Gerry Robinson helps families torn over what to write in their wills and discusses why people put off making decisions about their wills.
Many of those featured in the show can’t agree on what to put in their wills so do nothing instead. Unfortunately this means that they will die intestate, i.e. without a will.

Martyn Brown, solicitor at Wirral firm, Integrum Law commented “many people are reluctant to make a will because they don’t want to think about it or they think they will get around to it one day. However there are others who don’t make their will because they don’t know how to achieve what they want or how to address difficult situations.

The answer is for them to speak to a solicitor who will be able to advise them on what they can or cannot do and may be able to suggest solutions to their dilemmas”.
In one episode of the programme a couple had put off dealing with their wills for 10 years because they could not agree how to deal with one of their children. They met a solicitor, discussed the options and then, after speaking to their children, were able to resolve their disagreement easily. Their wills were drawn up and signed.
Martyn adds, “the worst thing to do is to do nothing because you are likely to die intestate and therefore your affairs will be dealt with according to legal rules rather than in accordance with your personal wishes”.

Retirement Age Scrapped

2011-01-21T01:39:00.000-08:00

The government announced last week that from 1 October this year the default retirement age will be scrapped.

This means that employees who reach 65 years of age and are still capable of doing their job must be allowed to continue working. Nobody aged over 65 will be forced out of the workplace on the grounds of age alone, but will have to be dismissed for the same reasons as people under 65.

The government says that employees will benefit from choosing when and why they retire, while also benefiting the economy by paying tax and national insurance for longer.

However employers will be able to reduce expenditure by excluding staff aged 65 or over from company benefits, such as life and medical insurance, if the premiums become too expensive.

The move has been welcomed by employers who consider that scrapping the DRA will give them access to wider recruitment pools and help them retain the corporate memory. Research has also shown that mixed-age work teams bring increased customer satisfaction.

However employers who still expect staff to retire automatically at 65 may find themselves facing employment tribunal claims.

Martyn Brown, principal solicitor at Integrum Law commented “Any employers wanting to shed staff aged over 65 can no longer rely on their age, instead it is now up to employers to make a proper business case for retirement”.

Accidents Highlight Need for Caution Over Reforms

2011-01-05T06:58:00.000-08:00

As a recent government report criticises what it calls this country’s “compensation culture” two tragic local cases demonstrate why taking care of workers health and safety is still so important.

In Runcorn 54-year-old Alan Catterall died after becoming trapped in an oven at a canoe factory in Cheshire. Mr Catterall from Murdishaw was cleaning machinery at Pyranha Mouldings in Runcorn. He was discovered in the oven on 23rd December.
The same day a 39-year-old man was killed while working at Gaskells Waste Services in Kirkdale, Merseyside.

In October 2010 Lord Young , who later resigned because of comments made in an interview, released a review of workplace health and safety in the UK called "Common Sense Common Safety". Many commentators feel that some of Lord Young’s proposals could set back workplace health and safety at a time when workers are still losing their lives.

Personal Injury solicitor, Martyn Brown, commented “the government has latched onto the idea that we have a ‘compensation culture’ in this country when in fact workplace accidents are falling. Despite this the government want to do away with vital protection for workers which I fear will just lead to more tragedies like those in Runcorn and Kirkdale. The government need to think very carefully before rushing into any reforms based on the myth of a ‘compensation culture’”.

Integrum Law Opening Times

2010-12-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

We will be closed from 5pm on 24 December 2010
and will re-open on Tuesday 4 January 2011 at 9am

Please note that whilst our office is closed we will still be able to deal with e-mail enquiries and telephone calls.

What can you get for £99.00?

2010-11-25T07:18:00.000-08:00

A well known fast food chain advertises its menu by asking “What can you get for 99p?” but what can you get for £99.00?

Obviously you can get a lot of burgers, 33 Big Macs with 33p change to be precise.
You can also get a mobile ‘phone (but not the latest model), a complete Premier League replica kit – with your favourite player’s name on the back, 9 days parking at Liverpool One or you can make a will with Integrum Law.

Our single wills cost £99 plus VAT and should last you a lifetime. If you are half of a couple we will prepare two wills for £149.00 plus VAT (or £74.50 each).
Making a will is quick and cheap but it can save your loved ones a lot of time and money.

Proper estate planning can save you money on Inheritance Tax whilst even the simplest will can help prevent expensive disputes after your death.

A will not only decides who receives your money and assets but can also make provision for your children, your pets and your precious personal items, giving you peace of mind about the future after you are gone.
So what is it to be?

33 burgers or peace of mind for you and your loved ones?

Integrum Law participate in Will Aid 2010

2010-11-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

Wirral solicitors Integrum Law are currently participating in the 2010 Will Aid campaign which is running during the month of November.

Will Aid is a partnership between solicitors and nine UK charities. The solicitors will draw up basic wills free of charge and in return will ask for a donation of the fee that they would have charged to be made to the Will Aid charities.

The money raised is shared between the participating charities which include NSPCC, Save the Children, British Red Cross and Help the Aged.

Martyn Brown, principal solicitor at Integrum Law said “We are delighted to be involved in the Will Aid scheme, everybody should have a will and this scheme encourages people to make a will whilst helping some very worthwhile charities”.

If you wish to take advantage of the scheme contact Integrum Law during November.

Recommendation Success

2010-11-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

Just over a year ago Integrum Law launched its “Recommend a Friend” scheme as a way of thanking its existing clients for recommending its services to accident victims.

A year on and the scheme has proved to be very popular with clients old and new.

When a client knows somebody who has had an accident and they recommend them to Integrum Law that client receives £150.00 once the claim has been accepted and liability admitted, it really is that straight forward.

The payment is made in cash, by cheque or direct to the client’s bank account, not in vouchers like is sometimes the case. The £150.00 is not a payment on account nor is it deducted from the damages and is the client’s to keep regardless of the outcome of the case.

Martyn Brown, principal solicitor at Integrum Law, explains how the scheme came about. “Because of the high levels of client care that we offer; our clients have often been happy to recommend us to their friends, family or workmates so we wanted a way of thanking them for doing that”.

In addition any client who has recommended a friend can rest assured that their friend will receive an excellent service from the firm.

Since the scheme started in 2009 the firm has received many recommendations from satisfied clients and now clients who were recommended to the firm are recommending their friends and benefiting from the scheme.

Martyn concludes “We say to all of our clients that if they know somebody who has been injured in an accident, they just need to ask them to give us a ring or call into our offices and we will do the rest.”

Claims Management Companies - Explained

2010-10-27T03:53:00.000-07:00

Solicitors have been around for a long time but in recent years a new type of organisation has grown up – claims management companies.

But what are they and what do they do?

Claims Management Companies, or Claims Farmers as they are sometimes called, are companies who act as intermediaries between accident victims and solicitors handling their accident claims. These companies are not solicitors and are not subject to the same level of regulation as solicitors. Despite this they are often listed under “solicitors” in search engines and some try their best to look like solicitors by using names that sound like solicitors firms.

There have been some high profile companies like “Accident Group” and “Claims Direct” who have run into problems and had to close creating difficulties for their clients because, unlike solicitors, these companies were not required to carry professional indemnity insurance cover.

What they do is to simply sell on claims to solicitors – often to the highest bidder and often to a solicitor who is not local to the client.

Martyn Brown, principal solicitor at Integrum Law, comments “In my opinion Claims Managers add absolutely nothing to the claims process, they often expect to receive high fees for simply passing claims on and there is no reason at all why clients cannot instruct solicitors direct”.

Although the government recently brought in a system to regulate Claims Management Companies, many in the legal profession feel that they are quite simply unnecessary and should be outlawed. It has also been suggested that solicitors firms who pay these companies for claims have to cut costs to make end meet thereby having an adverse on the quality of their service.

Martyn adds “Integrum Law does not deal with Claims Managers, we do not see our clients as a commodity to be bought and sold. Our advice to anybody who has suffered an injury is to come direct to a local solicitor who specialises in personal injury claims and cut out the unnecessary middleman”.

Why Integrum Law?

2010-10-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

There are many firms of solicitors based locally or all over the county so why choose Integrum?

We are a local specialist firm of solicitors with a small but experienced team we treat all of our clients as individuals but at the same time make maximum use of technology to ensure that cases progress as quickly as they possibly can.
Many of our clients come to us having previous experience very large firms of solicitors and here are some of their complaints:-

“I can’t see anybody if I call into their office”.
- You are always welcome to call in at Integrum and we are open on Saturdays too.

“When I telephone I speak to a call centre”
- At Integrum we don’t use call centres – when you call somebody familiar with your case will usually answer the ‘phone.

“They send me letters that I don’t understand”.
- The legal process can be complicated but at Integrum we try to explain things in language you can understand. But if you are not sure about something – just ask.

“I can never get to speak to anybody and they put me through to voicemail”
- Integrum don’t use voicemail – somebody will always speak to you and we can usually answer most queries straight away.

“My case is being dealt with by somebody who doesn’t know what they are doing”
- At Integrum everybody has been involved in the legal profession for at least 10 years and all of our cases are personally overseen by a senior solicitor.

“They will only send me letters and I wait weeks for them to arrive”
- You can decide how you want to receive correspondence from us – by letter, e-mail or fax and, of course, we are always happy to telephone you too.

So if you are fed up of call centres, voicemail and inexperienced advisors why not choose to do things differently...see what Integrum can do for you.

Have you had an accident that was your fault?

2010-09-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

We often see advertisements asking “have you had an accident that wasn’t your fault” but what if it was your fault?

If it was a road traffic accident there may still be something you can do.

If you had passengers in your vehicle they may not have made a claim because they are your friends, your relatives or even your children and did not want to be seen to claim money from you. However there are a number of reasons why they should:-

1. If the other driver has made a claim against you, you will have already lost whatever no claims benefits you might have had so another claim isn’t going to make any difference.

2. Multiple claims from a single accident are still only classed as one accident.

3. If people in the other vehicle have been injured then there is a good chance that your passengers have been injured too.

4. Every year hundreds of people, especially children, who are passengers in the “at fault” vehicle do not claim compensation for their injuries.

If you recommend your passengers to Integrum Law then under our “Recommend a Friend” scheme you could receive £150.00 for every case we accept, which might help towards your next insurance premium which is bound to be going up. At the same time your passengers get the compensation they are entitled to.

So if you were the driver in a road traffic accident in the last 3 years that was your fault why not recommend your passengers to Integrum Law.

BEWARE OF COMPANIES OFFERING THEIR HELP.

2010-09-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

When you are involved in a road traffic accident you might find that you are contacted by lots of different organisations offering to help you.

This is because, sadly, many insurance companies and people involved in this field sell your personal information to claims management companies and solicitors.

Many claims management companies do very little to progress matters and simply sell on your claim to the firm of solicitors willing to pay the most for it. Whilst they add nothing to your claim they might pass your case to a solicitor in another part of the country who is not familiar with the area where the accident occurred and making it difficult for you to contact them.

Some companies promise to sort out your car repairs and provide you with a hire vehicle, sometimes this is done satisfactorily however often it is not. You might find that repairs take weeks and that your car is taken to a garage many miles from your home. Worse still if your car is deemed to be a “write off” some companies will make you a single offer for your car. If you are not happy with their offer or if you want the car repairing instead they will take back any hire car, send you a bill for their services and your are back to square one.

Many insurance companies will try and persuade you to use their Legal Expenses Insurance suggesting that if you do not you will be charged by your solicitors. This is simply not true. They actually want you to go to solicitors that they choose so that they can receive a payment from them. The suggestion that you will be charged is nonsense as most solicitors who deal with this type of claim will offer their services on a “no win no fee basis”.

Martyn Brown, principal solicitor at Integrum Law, comments “I have been dealing with claims arising out of road traffic accidents for over 20 years and during that time I have seen a massive increase in claims or accident management companies. They will often harass people who have been involved in accidents by sending letters, making ‘phone calls and even sending texts promising large amounts of money.”

Unfortunately there are now many companies who are more interested in lining their own pockets than helping you to get your life back on the road. However everything that these companies offer can be done just as well, if not better, by a local solicitor who specialises in this type of claim.

Martyn adds “we are often called upon to try and sort out the mess and confusion caused by these companies but my advice is that if anybody contacts you after you have had an accident – tell them that you are not interested”.

Celebrating one year in business

2010-08-03T01:15:00.001-07:00

Birkenhead based Solicitors Integrum Law is celebrating one year in business. The firm opened on Monday 3rd August 2009 with solicitor Martyn Brown at the helm.

Martyn and the rest of the team Amanda, Chris and Fiona had all previously been with long established Wirral firm Fanshaw, Porter & Hazlehurst before leaving to set up Integrum Law.

The ethos of the new firm was to combine traditional values of professionalism and integrity with a modern accessible way of working. The firm makes maximum use of information technology to speed up its cases and many of the firm’s clients now receive correspondence by e-mail.

Commenting on the firm’s first year Martyn said “when we opened the firm we wanted to provide quality legal services in an innovative way and I am pleased to say that we have achieved this”.

Martyn added “since opening we have had numerous recommendations from clients old and new, and there really is no better endorsement of the quality of the firm’s work than this”.

The firm is particularly proud of its “Recommend a Friend” scheme whereby anybody who recommends a family member, workmate or friend who has been involved in an accident will receive £150.00 if the claim is accepted.

New Law Firm is Greener

2010-07-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

Birkenhead based Solicitors Integrum Law opened in August 2009 with the aim of trying to be a little greener in everything they do. As the firm reaches its first anniversary they are proud of what they have achieved in just a year.

Solicitor Martyn Brown commented “when we opened the firm we hoped to be able to do things a bit more green and I am pleased to say that we have”.

The firm recycles most of its waste. Waste paper is shredded and re-cycled and used envelopes and packaging are all re-cycled, even the tiny paper disks from hole punches are put in with our paper for recycling. The firm also recycles its cardboard, toner cartridges, plastic bottles and anything else it can.

Martyn adds “What is more we even turn our tea bags, apple cores and banana skins into garden compost, so very little of what we use ends up in landfill”.

The firm also makes maximum use of e-mail to communicate with clients and opponents. Martyn comments “We think that e-mail is the greenest way to communicate, there is less printing – so less paper and toner is used and there is no fuel used to deliver an e-mail unlike traditional mail”. There is another advantage to the firm’s use of e-mail as not only is it greener but it is also much quicker as a result of which the firm is able to process cases more quickly for its clients.

Martyn concludes “we will continue to look at greener ways of doing things whilst also getting the best results for our clients”.

Compensation for a Ruined Holiday

2010-07-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

A recent decision by the Court of Appeal has set out useful guidance on compensation levels for ruined holidays.

The case brought against Cunard, the owners of the Queen Victoria liner, followed a holiday that went wrong on the luxury liner’s maiden voyage.

Mr & Mrs Milner, the couple who brought the claim, had spent a staggering £59,051.20 on a 106 day cruise, described by the court as “the experience of a lifetime”. Unfortunately things went wrong and the Milners left the cruise after just 28 days.

Overall the Milners got back over £60,000.00 but in making this award the court set out guidelines for damages for distress and disappointment. That is damages paid above any refund made or expenses refunded.

The court said that the most serious cases were those where a wedding was to take place. In those cases compensation should be between £4,360.00 and £4,406.00. In the case of Mr & Mrs Milner they were awarded £4,000.00 and £4,500.00 respectively suggesting that the courts will treat very expensive “one in a lifetime” holidays like wedding holidays.

These figures drop to £321.00 to £1,890.00 for holidays which are honeymoons and £264.00 to £1,161.00 for other “special holidays”.

For ordinary holidays compensation levels for distress and disappointment should be between £83.00 and £876.00.

If you have had a holiday ruined or you have suffered an injury whilst on holiday contact Integrum Law for a free no obligation consultation.

NEW PROCESS COULD MEAN QUICKER CLAIMS

2010-05-17T01:44:00.000-07:00

The Ministry of Justice has recently launched an online system designed to streamline the handling of the majority of Road Traffic Accident claims.

Any car accidents occurring after 30th April with a value of less than £10,000.00 must now be handled through the new RTA claims portal which provides a secure link between Claimant Solicitors and Insurance Companies.

Commenting on the new scheme Integrum Law’s Martyn Brown said "As a firm we always try and make use of electronic communication simply because it is quicker, however we often find that Insurance Companies are unable to cope with handling claims as quickly as we would like. Under the new process there will be costs sanctions if Insurers don’t deal with claims within very strict time limits".

Martyn added “We hope that for the majority of Road Traffic Accident claims the new process will mean that injured parties receive their compensation more quickly and here at Integrum we are already geared up to use the new process for the benefit of our clients”.

Good News for First Time Buyers

2010-03-24T09:48:00.001-07:00

The Chancellor Alistair Darling has suspended stamp duty land tax on some house purchases for first-time buyers.
First time buyers buying for under £250,000 before 25th March 2012 will no longer have to pay stamp duty.
Previously they would have faced a stamp duty bill of between £1,250.00 and £2,500.00 depending on the value of the property.
Martyn Brown, principal solicitor at Integrum Law warns “this measure will undoubtedly help the property market but, as always there are strings, this only applies to first time buyers and there are several conditions which must be met if the saving is to be made”.

The rules, which will be introduced in the Finance Bill 2010, will only to provide a relief from Stamp Duty where:
• an individual or individuals jointly purchase a major interest in land which is wholly residential, and
• the price is more than £125,000 but not more than £250,000, and
• that individual (or all of them) intends to occupy the property as his/her or their only or main residence, and
• has or have not previously purchased such an interest or its equivalent anywhere in the world ,and
• the date of completion of the purchase is on or after 25 March 2010 and before 25 March 2012.
Finally as well as help for first time buyers the Chancellor also has some bad news for sellers of more valuable properties. Stamp duty on residential property sales over £1m will increase from 4% to 5% from April 2011.

Have I got a valid accident claim

2010-03-03T10:48:00.001-08:00

10 MYTHS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT LAW (OR ESSENTIAL READING FOR ANY EMPLOYER)

2010-02-25T07:53:00.001-08:00

There are a great many myths about employment law. Many employers still do not have proper documentation in place and do not follow the correct procedures, if that could be you...read on.

Having the correct policies and documents in place can save employers a lot of time and expense in dealing with difficult, but often avoidable, employment situations.

Here are ten commonly held beliefs about employment law, how many are you aware of?

1.There is no contract of employment if there’s nothing in writing.
Even a verbal contract is a binding agreement and if there is no written contract an employee has statutory rights which may be more advantageous.

2. Employees paid a monthly salary are entitled to one month's notice.
The minimum legal notice period is one week for every year of service to a maximum of twelve weeks, it does not matter how frequently someone is paid. Contracts can provide for significantly longer periods.

3. Employees with less than one year's service can be dismissed for any reason.
There are now over 20 grounds where an unfair dismissal complaint can come from an employee with under one year's service.

4. Making someone redundant is easier than dealing with the real issues relating to performance. This risks an unfair dismissal finding especially if the worker is replaced shortly afterwards. Employers must show reasonable justification for any redundancy.

5. You can sack someone on the spot for gross misconduct without following any procedure.This is very risky, leaving the employer open to an unfair dismissal claim. Workers should be given an opportunity to explain themselves at a properly conducted meeting before decisions are made.

6. Casual, agency or temporary workers never have employment status.
Such workers may be classed as employees, especially if under your control or working as part of your organisation, and therefore gain full employment rights.

7. If an employee resigns without serving their necessary notice they are entitled to outstanding wages or holiday pay.
The employee may be due outstanding wages or holidays which cannot be withheld without a written agreement signed by the employee.

8. Employees must always be given Bank Holidays off work or receive extra pay for working them.How you deal with Bank holidays depends on the contract of employment. There is no automatic right to have Bank Holidays off nor for extra pay.

9. Holidays do not accrue if the employee is on long-term sickness absence.
Recent cases say that, even if the contract says otherwise, workers continue to be entitled to accrue and take holidays, even if off sick or on Maternity leave.

10. An employer does not have to give the right of appeal if there is no one higher to hear the appeal.Failure to offer any appeal will render most dismissals unfair. Even if there is nobody else to hear an appeal allowing a review is sensible and allows any misunderstandings to be cleared up.

Surprised? If the answer is “yes” and you are an employer you need to contact Integrum Law – we can provide you with the documentation and advice on procedures that you need to help you avoid claims by employees. We offer tailored practical solutions at an affordable price.

Beware of unregulated Will Writers

2010-02-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Research published recently shows that a worrying 67% of consumers wrongly believe that all will writers are solicitors, when in fact they are not. The survey also revealed that 82% assumed that training and qualifications are required before someone can become a will writer. The truth is that anybody can set themselves up as a will writer with no qualifications or training what so ever. A badly drafted will can lead to confusion and disputes which is liable to result in unnecessary distress and potentially massive legal costs. Martyn Brown, solicitor at Wirral law firm Integrum Law warns consumers “There really is no substitute for a properly and professionally drawn up will and for that you need to see a solicitor . We wouldn’t take our pets to an unqualified vet or trust our life savings to an unregulated bank, so why would we gamble with our wills”. Because will writers, unlike solicitors, are unregulated there is no guarantee that they will have had any training at all; and if they do not carry proper insurance you may have no come back if things go wrong. Martyn concludes “my advice is that if you have made a will with a will writer you should get it looked at by a solicitor sooner rather than later and if you are considering making a will you should see a solicitor, do not take a chance on will writers or on a do-it-yourself will. Either way it could leave you or your loved ones in difficulty”.

Report Recommends Deductions from Damages

2010-01-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

A report presented to the government has recommended reforms to the accident claims system which many lawyers feel would be harmful to innocent accident victims and could spell the end of “no win, no fee” claims.

The report by Lord Justice Jackson makes a number of recommendations for reform of the rules for lawyers dealing with accident claims. The effect of these recommendations would be that some legal costs would be deducted from damages awarded for injuries.

Martyn Brown, solicitor at Integrum Law and Senior Litigator with the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers commented “As everybody knows damages for injuries in this country are not particularly generous, so to suggest that a person who has been injured should pay back some of those damages in legal costs is grossly unfair”.

Many lawyers who act for accident victims have complained that Lord Jackson has taken too much notice of the powerful insurance industry lobby who have long argued for some of the reforms proposed.

Martyn agrees that insurance companies are behind the calls for reforms and points out “the insurance industry lobbied for, and got, the removal of Legal Aid from accident claims, this was replaced by no win no fee arrangements and now they want to effectively abolish those too. I suspect that the insurance industry won’t be happy until innocent accident victims are left with no means of accessing justice at all”.

January Sale

2010-01-04T04:45:00.001-08:00

Not to be outdone by all of the January sales going on Integrum Law will also be having our own January sale in 2010.

During the month of January we will be slashing the price of our standard wills by 25%. This means that our single wills will be only £74.25 plus VAT and two wills for couples will be just £111.75 plus VAT. Make it a New Year’s resolution to make a will with Integrum. Offer ends 31st January 2010.

VAT Reminder

2009-12-09T06:23:00.000-08:00

Don’t forget that VAT will be going back up on 1st January 2010. The standard rate which was temporarily reduced to 15% in December 2008 will go back up to 17.5% on New Year’s Day.

This means that if you are planning any large purchases which attract VAT you might want to make them before the end of the year. If you are out seeing in the New Year you don’t need to worry about the increase affecting your bar bill because the Treasury have said that the increase will not take effect until 6am on 1st January (unless you are out very late!)

'Crash for cash' might affect honest victims

2009-10-23T05:45:00.001-07:00

News of the jailing of Mohammed Patel could have a detrimental effect on innocent accident victims.
The 24-year-old from Bolton was jailed for four-and-a-half years after admitting his part in a £1.6m "crash for cash" conspiracy in Greater Manchester. He had deliberately caused at least 93 car crashes in three years, charging £500 a time to stage the “accidents” which enabled car owners to claim bogus damages from insurers.

Initial investigations into Patel’s activities were carried out by AXA insurance, one of the companies affected by the scam. The concern for those who act for accident victims is that they and other insurers will assume that all accident victims are fraudulently claiming unless they can prove otherwise.

The possible consequences are delay in claims being processed by insurers and false accusations of dishonesty against innocent accident victims.

Martyn Brown, of Wirral solicitors Integrum Law commented “Nobody who deals with genuine injury claims wants to see this sort of activity, however we must not let this type of case overshadow the fact that the vast majority of injury claims are 100% genuine”. He adds “the clients who we see in my firm would much rather they have never been injured and certainly don’t see the unpleasant injuries they suffer as a way of making money”.

Anybody who is unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident should always consult a reputable local solicitor to pursue their claim.

2009-09-19T11:17:00.001-07:00

If you have been the innocent victim of a road traffic accident you will very quickly find yourself being pushed towards claims handlers, repair centres, hire companies and solicitors who you have not chosen and who you do not know.
Firstly your own insurer may have “sold” your claim to a firm of solicitors or claims handlers; this could be any firm anywhere in the country or even abroad. You do not have to pursue your claim through a firm like this and not doing so will not affect your position with your insurance company. If you have been injured your claim should be dealt with by a member of APIL (The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) who will be a specialist lawyer who represents only accident victims.
Your insurer might also want you to use their repair centre or their car hire company. Again you have the right to have your vehicle repaired by a garage of your own choice provided the garage meets industry standards and the costs are agreed and you can choose your own car hire company provided their rates are reasonable. Choosing a garage or hire company you know and trust will not affect your claim.
Secondly the other party’s insurer will also want you to use their repair centre and their car hire company; again you are not obliged to do this. More worryingly many insurers will now suggest that your claim can be settled without going through a solicitor. Injury claims are complex and many solicitors fear that claims that are settled direct by the other party’s insurance company will be settled at undervalue, you must remember that insurance companies are working for their shareholders not for you.
Some insurance companies might tell you that going through them will be quicker, easier or is the only way to get a hire car; this is just not the case your solicitors can normally arrange car hire and will deal with your claim just as quickly. The difference with instructing your own solicitor is that they act for you and only you so will always act in your best interests.

If you have an accident you need to remember:-
• There is no requirement that you use any solicitor, garage or car hire company offered to you by your own insurer.
• There is no requirement that you use any garage or car hire company offered to you by the other party’s insurer.
• You have the freedom to choose who deals with your vehicle and with your claim.
Our advice is:-
• If you are offered a solicitor by an insurance company – tell them that you do not wish to use their services.
• If you know or have been recommended to an experienced injury solicitor - use that solicitor.
• If you know a reputable garage or there is a garage familiar with your car – use that garage.
• If you are approached by a claims handler there is no need to go through them to make a claim.

£150 Recommendation Scheme

2009-09-01T04:00:00.001-07:00

Integrum Law launches recommendation scheme.

Integrum have launched a new scheme to thank its clients for referring new accident claims to it.

Announcing the initiative principal solicitor Martyn Brown said "We know that a personal recommendation is always best and want to thank our clients for recommending our services"

For every new client with a valid accident claim that clients introduce to Integrum the firm will make a payment of £150.00.

Clients can introduce their friends, family or workmates and once Integrum have accepted their claim and liability has been admitted the introducer will receive £150.00 paid straight into their bank or if they prefer in cash or a cheque. Integrum don’t issue vouchers like other firms.

Martyn added "just ask anybody who has had an accident to contact us and tell us that you have introduced them, once we have accepted the claim we will let you know and once liability has been admitted you will receive £150.00, it really couldn't be simpler".

Find more details on the firm's website www.integrumlaw.co.uk

Integrum Law opening

2009-08-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

Integrum Law offers a new type of legal service to businesses and to the public.

We are a firm of solicitors and as such our clients have all the reassurance of knowing that we will act with integrity and professionalism, that we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and members of the Law Society. However we have combined traditional values with a modern innovative approach to problem solving.

At Integrum we make maximum use of information technology to deliver a quick and cost effective service. Our clients can receive updates by e-mail, fax, telephone or letter and we are currently developing a bespoke system to allow our clients can log on 24 hours a day to view progress on their case and check documents.

See what Integrum can do for you.