Peter Thompson QC assesses the impact of Jackson on the reasonable person
The man on the Clapham omnibus is as likely as anyone to be involved in a road traffic accident and what follows applies equally to the child in the back of a Clapham mini-cab and the young woman on the pillion of a Clapham motor-cycle. They are all victims of injury caused by some insured person’s tortious behaviour. They will all have acted reasonably: they will have worn a seatbelt or helmet where appropriate, they will not have been out drinking with the driver and will not present exaggerated or fraudulent claims. All are entitled to access to justice if a settlement cannot be reached in correspondence.
Our Clapham claimants, just described, have a particular interest in the Jackson reforms that come into force on Monday. The purpose of this article is to assess their impact on the reasonable man, or woman, who is injured and entitled to redress.
At the bottom end, the small claims limit for personal injury claims is still £1,000, despite a strong
