Plan to reform injury claims law
Friday, 4 July 2003 18:17
Justice Minister Michael McDowell has announced plans to radically reform the law on personal injury claims.
Under proposals published today, exaggerating a claim in a court action would become a criminal offence and a plaintiff guilty of such actions would lose his case irrespective of the merits of the original claim.
Under the new law, claimants would be obliged to swear an affidavit verifying the details of their injury. A new offence would be created of swearing such an affidavit falsely.
Other provisions would include mediation between parties with a view to minimising costs of court actions.
Launching the new Bill, which is expected to become law before the end of the year, Mr McDowell said the cost of compensation actions had to be tackled as it had become a deterrent to employment creation.
