A revised version of a code of practice to promote rehabilitation in the claims process has been drawn up.
The rehabilitation code aims to encourage insurers and personal injury lawyers to work together to consider the needs of the claimant at an early stage.
A key element of the new code is the introduction of a timetable to speed up the implementation of the various stages of rehab-ilitation. Insurers now have 21 days to respond to a claimant’s solicitor where the insurer has been notified of the need for rehabilitation.
The revised version was drawn up by a group within the IUA-ABI rehabilitation working party chaired by Ian Walker, former president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (Apil).
Walker said: “The problem with the old code is no one had to do anything within a specific time frame. This one makes clear to the claimant solicitor that it is best to get in touch with the compensator [insurer] sooner.”
But the code is still not enforceable.
“It is a voluntary frame-work and we can only hope that insurers and solicitors agree to the code,” said Walker.
