New Edition Of Judicial College Guidelines Published

The guidelines do not bring any significant changes to the level of damages for personal injury. Instead all brackets have been increased to reflect inflation (an increase of 4.8% since the last edition of the JC Guidelines).

A whiplash injury lasting 3 months will now be awarded between £1,200 to £2,150 (up from £1,160 to £2,050). However, insurers should also be alert to likely changes to the level of awards for whiplash injuries following the implementation of the Civil Liability Bill, which it is hoped will come into force prior to the next edition of the JC Guidelines.

Insurers in lower value claims may need to reassess their settlement offers in light of these increases to ensure they have sufficient costs protection. Indeed insurers may be subject to adverse findings in some Stage 3 hearings in the short term where 'insufficient' offers were made under the old Guidelines.