Solicitors join to change uninsured drivers rules

Three solicitors' groups have joined forces to make it easier for victims of road traffic accidents with uninsured drivers to obtain compensation.After two and a half years of negotiations, the Law Society, the Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS), and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) have won concessions to the 1999 Uninsured Drivers' Agreement (UDA) from the Motor Insurers' Bureau.Nick Jervis, associate at Bristol firm Lyons Davidson and part of the MASS negotiation team, said: 'The 1999 UDA created dozens of hoops the injured victim would have to jump through before recovering compensation from the bureau.

'Now we have agreed to amendments with the bureau, although MASS will continue to push to get the situation the same as for claiming against insured drivers.'The key changes to the UDA - which will be backdated to 15 April when it is finally signed off by transport secretary Stephen Byers - include extending the period for notifying the MIB from seven to 14 days, and reducing the number of additional requirements over accidents with insured drivers.A Law Society spokeswoman said: 'All three organisations have put a great deal of effort into negotiating an agreement to ensure that victims of traffic accidents are compensated where they are entitled to it.

'We are pleased that we have been able to agree the terms of an agreement with the bureau, which is in the consumers' interest.'Andrew Towler