A personal injury firm with ambitions to open 50 outlets this year is offering a £1,500 cash advance for accident victims who make a claim.

GT Law, which has also applied to be an alternative business structure, will require a medical report and insurer’s admission of liability before paying clients. The firm says clients will not have to refund any money if the settlement comes to less than £1,500.

GT director Gordon Tucker (pictured) said that the move was one way of dealing with government attempts to rein in claimant firms. ‘Some people will say "they’re trying to encourage more personal injury claims" but they miss the point,’ said Tucker.

‘Insurers are in complete control of this industry and we can’t compete with the money they spend on publicity. We’re just trying to get clients to come to us as opposed to their insurer.’

Tucker said that clients could use the advance to meet short-term needs such as rehabilitation or public transport. The money will, in effect, replace payments currently made to claims management companies and insurers in referral fees.

Tucker wants GT Law, which has offices in Essex and Liverpool, to open branches in 20 locations by the summer and 50 by the end of the year.

A finance director has been recruited to help with the expansion and the firm is at stage two of its ABS licence application.