The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers has walked out of talks on extending fixed costs in personal injury cases, in an unprecedented move for the organisation.

The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has begun a mediation process to produce industry-agreed fixed costs for all ‘fast-track’ road traffic accident, industrial disease, employer’s liability and public liability cases worth up to £25,000.

Fixed costs are already in place for road traffic cases worth up to £10,000, but APIL opposes the extension.

The mediation was set up at the request of Lord Justice Jackson, who is putting together proposals for changing the civil justice system.

John McQuater (pictured), APIL president, said APIL had been forced to pull out of the talks because the CJC had ‘made it very clear that key principles affecting claimants and issues relating to the claims process are not for discussion in the mediation. The only subjects for discussion are the figures themselves’. He added that he was not prepared to ‘play poker’ with the civil justice system.

CJC chief executive Robert Musgrove said it was ‘disappointing’ that APIL had left the talks. He added: ‘The process is necessarily constrained by the timescales of the Jackson costs review, and although this may create tensions, the facilitation process will continue with adequate representation from those who represent claimant and defendant interests.'

The walkout is the first time APIL has withdrawn from talks in this way.

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