Taking back the PI claims market

For many solicitors, the demise of The Accident Group - which went into administration last week following the unseemly spectacle of text message sackings and reports of office looting - will be a cause of celebration.

The 700 or so law firms on its panel will undoubtedly be inconvenienced, to say the least, but most personal injury lawyers around the country will have read the reports with glee.

Now that TAG joins the former Claims Direct on the scrap heap, it would appear that the tide has turned against the so-called claims farmers.

The recent decision by Senior Costs Master Hurst - which more than halved the amount of TAG's recoverable premium - probably delivered the coup de grce.

It appears now that the market is left clear for more acceptable faces, such as the Law Society-backed claims referrer Accident Line.

Indeed, the time may be right for solicitors to take the market back for themselves rather than relying on intermediaries.

One way to do that, as the innovative burgeoning marketing network Injury Lawyers 4U shows, is to co-operate.

Ultimately, there appears to be a good case for some government intervention.

Other claims farmers are on the scene and regulation of the unqualified sector might help to avoid a repeat of recent events.

Ministers have long been ducking this thorny problem.

One of the lessons of TAG is that they may not be able to do so any longer.