Fourteen years ago Lord Woolf advocated a fast track for low value claims. Inherent in his proposals was the idea of a matrix of fixed costs for all claims within the track limits.
Fourteen years ago Lord Woolf advocated a fast track for low value claims. Inherent in his proposals was the idea of a matrix of fixed costs for all claims within the track limits. In the end, however, he was persuaded to proceed with only limited fixed costs (for trial fees). Implementation of any further fixed costs since 1999 has been minimal.
It is no surprise Jackson LJ has set out to redress this, again advocating fixed costs in all fast track cases. The surprise may be that he has gone much further and has produced a matrix of figures for all personal injury accident cases within the fast track, with a commitment to extend this to employers’ liability disease cases within a few months.
This may not be the most controversial of his recommendations, but it will be seen as