I applied for a secondment at ACSO as part of my employment as a Litigation Paralegal at Admiral Law, which primarily works for claimants who have suffered personal injury as a result of a road traffic accident and is an ACSO member.
My work in litigation means that I while I experience civil justice first hand, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the system more widely and how this may potentially affect my clients.
My experience with ACSO did exactly this and also afforded me insights into the broader legal landscape, exposing me to a wide array of stakeholders and interests.
The bulk of my work at ACSO involved a report on so-called mixed injuries, which I believe will help to facilitate an open discussion regarding the valuation of these following a road traffic accident. Notably, the report focuses on the imminent Supreme Court case of Hassam v Rabot, which will provide clarity on how claims involving both whiplash tariff and non-whiplash injuries are assessed. The outcome could reshape the motor personal injury sector, impacting consumers, law firms and insurance companies alike.
From this work, I was able to meet with various medical reporting organisations who are also ACSO members, analyse their data, and produce the report based on this. I was also able to build on my own understanding of the motor personal injury market and better understanding the commercial impacts that the Civil Liability Act 2018 has had on firms like Admiral Law.
I am grateful for the responsibility I was trusted with and the support and encouragement from the ACSO team.