Reforms could lead to major rise in costs, fleets warned

FLEETS are drastically under-estimating the effect the Woolf Reforms will have on their work and could be hit with massive court costs as a result, warn solicitors Amery-Parkes. The changes, which recently came into effect, are designed to speed up the legal process and cut court costs for cases including motoring injury accident claims.

The aim of the reforms is to encourage settlement of cases before they have to come to court to cut down on the cost of bringing legal action in the event of an accident. But, if a fleet manager misses strict time limits for replying to claims or providing evidence, beginning with a 21-day deadline for giving details of the driver's or fleet's insurance company, then courts have the power to impose damaging penalties.

David Faithful, a partner with Amery-Parkes Solicitors, said: 'I don't think many fleet managers have cottoned on to what is happening and how important it is to understand the changes.'