South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck backs call for ban on injury compensation calls and texts

It comes as new research showed almost half of the people (48%) in the North East received a call or text about personal injury claims in the last year.

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), which commissioned the research by YouGov, wants a complete ban on such messages and now has the support of Emma Lewell-Buck in its campaign..

“It’s now been three years since the Government’s introduction of measures to curb the practice, which we warned at the time would not work,” said Mike Benner, APIL chief executive,

“Injury calls and texts have still been the biggest cause of complaints to the Information Commissioner’s Office in the last three years – and each year by a considerable margin,” he said.

Emma Lewell-Buck said: “My office has had to deal with countless cases of cold calls about personal injury claims, especially amongst my elderly constituents.

"They are left confused, scared and vulnerable in their own homes. This needs to stop. I am fully supportive of APIL’s campaign to ban them completely.”

Mr Benner added: “Nine out of ten people feel annoyed, angry, anxious, disgusted, or upset when they receive a call or text about making a claim for compensation for an injury. It is no surprise with such strong emotional responses, that the people of this country want this practice to end.

“It generates the false perception that obtaining compensation is easy, even when there is no injury. It brings an often very serious issue – needless injury and the need for redress - into disrepute,” he explained.

“Solicitors are banned from cold calling for personal injury claims and we fully support this. Unfortunately, claims management companies are still free to contact people provided they have given consent. Both plain common sense and this research tell us that no-one will agree to be called about a personal injury claim,” he said.

“An opportunity was missed to impose a proper ban on these tasteless and intrusive calls and texts, but it still could be put right”.