header-logo header-logo

Trial & error

20 April 2012 / Nicholas Bevan
Issue: 7510 / Categories: Features , Personal injury
printer mail-detail

Successive governments have failed to protect RTA victims. It’s time to act, says Nicholas Bevan

Two recent conflicting Court of Appeal decisions throw our government’s failure to implement Community law into sharp focus. In the first case, the Court of Appeal applied the correct approach to interpreting our national law in the light of European Community law and revealed a longstanding inconsistency between the compensatory safeguards provided by our state and that prescribed under Community law. That issue was referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for guidance. In the second appeal, which was heard 11 months later, a differently constituted Court of Appeal failed to adhere to the principles applied in the first. In doing so it took a wrong path that ultimately lead to its erroneous decision.

The appeals feature three separate road accidents but each had the following in common: 
  • seriously injured passengers claiming against their drivers; 
  • third party motor insurance cover in place for the vehicles in which the passengers were riding;
  • the driver responsible was not covered to drive
If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
back-to-top-scroll