GENERAL ADVICE – JUNE 2019

Why Would You Use A Broker?

I use the term “broker” in a specific way. I am referring to companies dealing in the personal injury arena and acting as intermediaries between lawyers and expert reporters.

The lawyer approaches the broker and requests that his or her plaintiff is reviewed by a relevant expert and seeks the production of a report to form the basis of a claim settlement.

I recognise that this does ease some of the difficulties experienced by lawyers. The lawyer is not always confident about the specialty or specialties involved, does not always know who provides a good report and who doesn’t and is similarly not footing the bill. The plaintiff has to do that.

The broker does provide a solution for all of these problems, but does so at a cost. Unfortunately, that cost is ultimately absorbed by the plaintiff or the defendant.

The medical and legal fraternities within the State of Queensland are small enough for us to do without these brokers. You probably already know the gamut of subspecialties that exists in medicine, the expert reporters within each subspecialty and those reporters who are good and those who are not so good.

That extra bit of effort expended by you can bypass the middle man, go straight to the horse and secure the report without delay.

Our indemnity insurance system is expensive, subject to misuse and finite in its resource. Greater efficiencies in time and cost will assist to allow our current system to prosper.

Make no mistake, these brokering firms are making a killing. You should think twice before you feather their nests.