So the Norwich Union thinks that an apology and a bunch of flowers is adequate recompense for injuries that would ordinarily attract an award below £1,000 (see [2004] Gazette, 9 December, 3). If its further proposal to scrap claimant's costs for cases up to £5,000 were accepted, its claims handlers would be encouraged to identify a lot more cases where the services of Interflora would suffice.


I have just concluded a case for a client who suffered an 'everyday bump' in her local supermarket when its negligent employee pushed a container into her. After my client was helped up, she was offered the flowers.


Two days later, she wrote to the company about the incident and received £25 of vouchers in return. When she rang to express her feelings about this she was offered £100 as a goodwill gesture.


At this point, my client decided to utilise her union's legal services and we recovered £3,500 for her. Value added? About £3,400 I would say.



Mark Turnbull, Thompsons, Manchester