Press Release: Midlands law firm to provide legal aid

A Warwickshire law firm has won the right to administer clinical negligence actions on a legal aid basis. 
Legal Services Commission (LSC) funding, formerly known as legal aid, is only awarded to firms that demonstrate a wealth of experience and expertise in the area of clinical negligence law. 
And Leamington-based Wright Hassall has been named as one of a select few legal firms to provide the service until the government’s proposed withdrawal of legal aid in 2015.Jeanette Whyman, partner and head of clinical negligence and personal injury at Wright Hassall, said: “It is vitally important to provide legal help to anyone who has suffered due to poor or inadequate treatment. “Recent reports on treatment and care show the NHS still has a long way to go before patient safety reaches the expected standards. “If someone has suffered due to lack of care, this can have far reaching consequences both financially and emotionally and that person should have all the appropriate support needed to seek redress.” But while this is good news for anyone seeking to bring a claim for poor treatment, it is important to recognise that the distribution of aid by this process could be a thing of the past come 2015.
“The removal of legal aid will not adversely affect Wright Hassall because we can offer funding on other bases which will ensure there is no cost to the client,” Jeanette said.
“However other firms who are reliant on LSC funding to pursue clinical negligence actions will feel the effects, should this proposal go through.”
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