Slater and Gordon "Accident" Solicitors

[gman1967]

Saw the current Slater and Gordon advert championing how they seek compensation for those injured through no fault of their own. All in support of that, when legitimate.

 

My own experience however paints a slightly different story and the classic "whiplash claim" that pushes all our insurance premiums up.

 

About 2 years ago my wife had a minor accident in a supermarket carpark. Reversing out mother and daughter space with 1 yo in child seat, she nudged a car that drove behind her after she moved. Unfortunately she got out and accepted all blame. 2009 Citreon had a dent in rear door. We were advised of repairs and cost (£950 did seem bit steep for door on car of that age but hey thats what insurance is for).....

 

Should have been end of it but no. Months later, letter from Slater and Gordon advising that "their client" and driver of the car was seeking compensation for whiplash following the accident. I took exception to this and called them to ask how the driver can get whiplash, from a side impact at 3mph max on rear of car. "Cannot discuss details as it is ongoing claim" BS was answer. Then weeks later, identical letter but this time for front seat passenger. 

 

End result was two con artists got claims of around £1k each, not sure what Slater and Gordon took as a cut and our premium went up.

 

Whilst they may do good job with people genuinely imjired through no fault of their own, this was fraud as far as I am concerned. Anyone similar experiences?

[gadgetman]

Didn't you have legal cover? 

 

Why didn't you direct them to your insurer? 

[gman1967]

1 hour ago, gadgetman said:

Didn't you have legal cover? 

 

Why didn't you direct them to your insurer? 

Of course they went to our insurer. Who advised us that there was no point arguing it as due to amount of claims it would go through anyway... Which is partly my point. S and G knew it was bogus but knew how to get cash out and their fee. 

[gadgetman]

20 hours ago, gman1967 said:

Of course they went to our insurer. Who advised us that there was no point arguing it as due to amount of claims it would go through anyway... Which is partly my point. S and G knew it was bogus but knew how to get cash out and their fee. 

I would take issue with the insurer if they paid up regardless. 

 

Trouble is whiplash is hard to prove and there isn't any tests which prove or disprove so it's easy money to claim 

[gman1967]

Indeed it is hard to prove or disprove but the actual facts and nature of the accident should point any rational thinking person to same conclusion. If anybody was likely to suffer whiplash from it, it would have been my wife who was looking over her shoulder with neck twisted.

 

And believe it or not, she was contacted by "claims specialist" and told she could claim too!!!!! Obviously we are too honest as she told them where to stick it.....

[Jfhuk]

Just been through this dilemma, two years back someone ran in to the back of me and then tried to claim whiplash via Ambulance chasers .com via my insurance. My insurance give them there due is having none of it, but it’s now coming up for the third hearing, as each occupant of the other vehicle try’s it on. The next hearing will be interesting as the judge is the same as the first one and she gave the driver of the other vehicle and his representative a very rough time at the first session.

[Aspman]

4 hours ago, Jfhuk said:

Just been through this dilemma, two years back someone ran in to the back of me and then tried to claim whiplash via Ambulance chasers .com via my insurance. My insurance give them there due is having none of it, but it’s now coming up for the third hearing, as each occupant of the other vehicle try’s it on. The next hearing will be interesting as the judge is the same as the first one and she gave the driver of the other vehicle and his representative a very rough time at the first session.

 

They must think they have a strong case to keep pushing it. Most no fee lawyers will only take on cases that have a high chance of success. Maybe they're in too deep and need to double down now.

[MickA]

 Slightly off topic...

I can't ever remember having calls from these accident claims bods before I had an unfortunate fall and needed hospital treatment. The accident occured whilst I was supervising my then 2 yr old granddaughter at a theme park, I had a nasty fall and we all (family) thought it best I went to the local hopital, it was one of those small hopitals who run a small minor injury  type of A&E's. Well I must have spent 40 mins telling them who I was, what I'd done who's this, what's that I was wondering when they were going to stem the flow of blood coming from my head and arm, I was the only one in there. All this info I relayed to them was typed it seemed in great detail onto there records on the PC.

Anyways  after all that I got treated and we headed off home. Two weeks later I was bombarded with accident claims people, never had anything like it before and I wondered why? It dawned on me the hospital visit!... All that info they had gleened and the word "ACCIDENT" sticking out like a sore thumb to them, talk about ambulance chasers, who were they going to claim off, my then 2yr old granddaughter,  I fell over chasing her?

Edited 1 August, 2018 by MickA

[Jfhuk]

12 minutes ago, Aspman said:

 

They must think they have a strong case to keep pushing it. Most no fee lawyers will only take on cases that have a high chance of success. Maybe they're in too deep and need to double down now.

 

They've gone through three different chaser.com, but interestingly they all use the same law firm.

[KenONeill]

Which, in turn has reminded me of my Mum getting calls "about her injury claim" from them following a road accident. The accident in question was mirror to mirror, and the other driver quit the scene without even stopping.

[Robjon]

...which, in turn has reminded me of the calls I received "about my injury claim" after the electronic handbrake on my neighbour's Passat failed and his car ran into the back of mine - with no-one inside either car.  My neighbour paid for the repairs but out of duty, we both informed our insurance providers.  We were both left wondering whose insurance provider had contacted chaser.com

Edited 1 August, 2018 by Robjon

[Guest]

.... which in turn.... 

 

My wife is petit mal epileptic. Her journey to work is 40min by train to Glasgow or 2 1/2 hours by train and bus to Edinburgh. I've regularly had to travel in to Glasgow to collect her when ScotFail live up to their reputation, and very occasionally when she's had an episode at work. She doesn't expect 'special treatment' but stress can exasperate her condition. 

 

Few weeks back I received a telephone call at home from someone wishing to speak to my wife about her  'accident'. 

 

According to the Accident Claims Company, my wife who has never driven since passing her test 20 years ago, who is medically not allowed to drive, and doesn't even own a car, was involved in a head on collision a few weeks back. 

 

I explained the above to them, stating due to the combination of them claiming she had been involved in an accident and her medical condition, they had caused me unnecessary stress and alarm. 

 

Their response? 

 

"I'm very sorry about that..... 

 

Have YOU been involved in an accident recently??" 

 

Click! Brrrrrr......... 

[Aspman]

I think a lot of them are actually scams to extract information from you for exploitation. As opposed to ambulance chaser scams to extract money form a 3rd party.

[P6bJOHN]

I love them, I had one young lady sounding very concerned for my health and saying,

"I hear you've been involved in an accident?" 

" Oh yes" I replied, "It was very serious."

The conversation went back on forth regarding the serious accident until I eventually told her I was a retired divisional accident investigator. Such language from a lady!