New!, Just in, an amusing cartoon gallery starring The Accident Group. Check it here!

Most people in Kirkby will choose to seek legal representation from a solicitor based in premises if the need arises. The people working for the Accident Group obviously have a financial incentive; each case which is recommended by them will lead to an increase in bonuses. Most of us are losers in the end though as the insurance companies will pass on the debts, incurred by the flood of accident claims, to you and me. It's damaging to the Country to encourage the 'drop of a hat' litigation mentality which sadly prevails. Other similar firms have been knocking door to door and from reports it seems that there are people who may well have signed contracts which are dubious and questionable though not with the Accident Group. It has to be said that many of our elderly and more vulnerable could be victim to unscrupulous firms if the practice of soliciting in the streets leads to even more firms door knocking. Relying on firms like the Accident Group for your potential legal needs is not wise as they are only geared towards a very limited number of legal services. Sadly, for a lot of Working Class people, the solicitors we end up with are not exactly the pick of the crop as it were. It has to be said that the presence of groups like Accident Group in Kirkby Town Center will possibly be taking away work from nearby solicitors. In fact, the Accident group does work in sight of three local solicitors firms. Kirkby Times advises anyone who has had an accident to seek legal advice from local solicitors direct. Its more comfortable than sitting on a bench.

Below, the Accident Groups former shambles of an 'Office' in the In Shops. An OAP is interviewed by one of their workers. Knowsley Council should ensure that The Town Center is not turned into an obstacle course where we spend our time interrupted by the likes of the Accident Group and more besides. Many people have reported to this author the nuisance factor of these modern day hawkers. Our shopping centres are becoming unpleasant places where we spend as much time dodging uninvited solicitations on the street from a variety of salespeople as we do shopping. The Accident Group is just one part of this growing problem.

Legal Notice!

Note: This Article was altered from the original after it was pointed out by solicitors acting for the Accident Group that there were sections of the article which may or may not have been interpreted as defamatory allegations. There has also been a request that the webmaster (this author) will have to apologise and pay the likely considerable costs incurred by the solicitors who took on the case. All of the facts on this website are correct; those that are not are genuine mistakes which are corrected as soon as it is made clear that there may be some dispute with the facts. However, the website also expresses opinions which are clearly opinion and not fact. It is this websites policy to comply with the human rights act and any complaints are always reviewed and possibly amended. Altering this article is not in any way an admission of the article being defamatory; but I have done so as a matter of courtesy and will need to evaluate the previous article by getting suitable legal advice which is very difficult for someone not rich or famous. If the points raised are deemed defamatory then I would obviously apologise on those points. Given my lack of knowledge in the extremely complicated legal area of defamation an apology would be an act of ignorance. For now, all the original 10 alleged points of contention have been suitably altered or taken out in their entirety.

This is a non profit website and offers a service to the local community by allowing people to report on local issues. The solicitors who actually acted on behalf of the Accident Group are a leading firm in the field of defamation and state on their websites homepage that they for, among other things, "Freedom of expression".

Have a laugh here at one of the UK's leading firm of Libel Lawyers, and sue someone online! We do satire too! Here look!

Other publishers who have reported on the Accident Group

Fortunately, this website is not the only publisher to actually to point out the Accident group, in fact the Accident group was subject to a documentary by the BBC's Watchdog who found that one of the Accident Groups potential customers made actual allegations regarding perjury. The Accident group worker secretly filmed was prepared to simply invent a claim involving a bus crash. Not content with this, the Accident Group worker then tried to invent a claim involving a trip over a kerb! Below is an excerpt from a recorded conversation with an Accident Group salesman……….

Accident Group Salesman: "Basically with trips what it is yeah?...it's guaranteed to go through, so we take pictures, like. It's like, no-one can tell you you've not fallen over there, no one can really fault you. No-one can say it didn't happen. We've got pictures of the evidence, that's how it works."

The salesman went on to explain that making false claims was common and stated "Off the record, my mates do it all the time..."

Oh Dear!

You can see the Watchdog article in its entirety here

Accident Groups Insurance Policy can cost around £900

Another organisation to look at Accident group are the Observer newspaper who explain how the companies' adverts "do not fully explain how the 'no win, no fee' process works. Accident victims who contact a personal injuries lawsuit specialist first have their claims checked. Once accepted, victims have to take out an insurance policy to cover the cost of legal fees. Only people who actually win compensation have to pay for their policies, but they often find the premiums excessively expensive. Claims Direct charges around £1,500, The Accident Group demands closer to £900, while Accident Line can charge anything from £300 to £3,000, depending on the value of the claim. In some cases, almost all compensation won is swallowed up by the premiums."

Below is an amusing piece taken from a website the 'Trivial Accident Group' which is in no way connected to Kirkby Times or the Accident Group itself. If a parody is illegal God help us all.

"Mrs Rita Cash of Norwich was hit by a shopping trolley in her local branch of Sainsbury's.

"The trolley nudged my arm as I was cruising past the tinned vegetable section. It was just a glancing blow, and I hardly noticed it at the time. It didn't break the skin, didn't even bruise, so I thought no more about it. But several weeks later, after seeing an advert for The Trivial Accident Group, I suddenly remembered that I had been having nightmares about the incident and had been unable to sleep for some time. Well, I came over all litigious. The Trivial Accident Group took up my case, and successfully sued the supermarket for £20,000."

Link to the trivial Accident groups website here

"Money - it's what we care about at the end of the day"

The Bristol Post infiltrated a Accident Group training week and stated - NEVER has the description "motley crew" been more apt than in summing up The Accident Group's latest recruits. Read about the very worrying people who were to be found working and training to work for The Accident Group. An Accident Group Regional manager,Ian McCormick was recorded as saying "Money - it's what we care about at the end of the day" He then goes on to add "The thing with road traffic accidents is if you get one, it snowballs. Think of it this way. How many people drive on their own? Answering his own question he said: "You have the driver, the passenger in the front seat and potentially three passengers in the back suit. This is the buzz you get." Check out the horror story here

Note: I witnessed the Accident Group in Kirkby Town Centre today Thursday 22 May 2003 and saw one eager salesman approach 6 people in a minute or so! If anyone thinks the Accident Groups presence on the streets and door-knocking is a good thing - please tell us. Most people find it annoying to be asked "Have you had an accident recently" Most of us find street salespeople to be a nuisance - even worse are the firms cold calling at doors which should be outlawed. No-one likes to be dragged from the few precious moments of quiet we have to be confronted by some smiling 20 something asking us questions as if they actually know us or have the right to disturb our leisure and relaxation time.

This article and the legal incoming fire will be reported on and updated as soon as we make sure that we can report certain facts and correspondence. The Accident Group and the solicitors who represent them make an interesting story which will be told soon.



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