Car Accident claim - law firm seems to be stalling

smallzoo2

Not sure if this is the right forum

Back in Dec 2023 I was hit from behind by a car. The insurance company said the other party had admitted full liability and within a month I was sent to see a consultant who diagnosed whip lash and wrote the report to the solicitors. I later received another note from the solicitors (NEW LAW) who only use an online portal that the third party had admitted full liability so the case would then progress. I missed only 3 days of work so only put that in along with whatever the company deemed as acceptable for the whiplash.

All good..

Then after over 6 months of nothing I was then told they had a suffered a cyber attack so things would be delayed. Fair enough. Another 6 months went by and now they said they were waiting for the medical report. I had a copy date January 2024 !. A few months went by and they said they had all the information they required.

A few months went by again so I made a complaint and asked what was happening. A month later they sent back a standard letter saying they were doing their best and basically 'tough !'

They then said they were waiting for 3 years of company accounts which was plainly not what they said 5 months earlier.

Now when I go on their portal they say they are assessing all the information before going to negotiation.

Can I do anything or do I just have to sit and wait ?

thanks

Hoenir

Is your query in relation to the whiplash injury? 

smallzoo2

No.. just the fact they have spent nearly 18 months and nothing has happened. They keep on saying they have the info they need but then delay it again for no reason. Is this normal ?

Lomast

Seems to normal for them just look at the reviews on trust pilot, they all say the same as this post, if I were you, I would put in a formal complaint and refer it to the SRA as soon as you are able too

DullGreyGuy

 Whiplash was moved into the Small Track a few years ago and became a fixed tariff, because of that the money solicitors make from these types of claims is tiny. Factory firms were bad enough when they were getting a grand or two per case but now they only get a couple of hundred they have to increase fee earners caseloads to make it economical and/or find cheaper staff which typically will mean less experienced unless they are willing to relocate their operations. 

Ultimately you need to log a complaint with the law firm, you should have been given the details of their process for complaints at the beginning, often it'll be to one of the partners but again in factory firms it can sometimes be a department instead. 

smallzoo2

I have tried complaining using their process..no response at all

I have used resolver a long time ago. Is it worth using it in this case ?

thanks

sheramber

smallzoo2 said:

I have tried complaining using their process..no response at all

I have used resolver a long time ago. Is it worth using it in this case ?

thanks

Resolver only do what you can do. They do not pursue anything.

As you have had no reply to the complaint then follow the complaint procedure to escalate your complaint to SRA. 

MyRealNameToo

Or maybe the Legal Ombudsman

SRA doesnt look at delays or poor communication, thats the remit of the ombudsman 

https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/