Solicitors ‘do not delay cases’

THE Law Society has rejected suggestions that solicitors are primarily to blame for delays in bringing personal injuries cases to conclusion in the courts.

While welcoming proposals by a court review committee for measures to speed up cases and keep a lid on costs, Law Society director general Ken Murphy warned the nature of many cases meant they could not be fast-tracked.

"What often delays personal injury actions, particularly serious ones where we are talking about the High Court, is the fact that the injuries have not settled sufficiently for a clear prognosis to be made," he said.