A government transport minister has attacked the ‘abhorrent’ practices of ‘ambulance chasing’ personal injury lawyers who deal with road traffic accident (RTA) cases. The Law Society has hit back at the claims.

Giving evidence to the transport committee’s inquiry into the cost of motor insurance premiums last week, road safety minister Mike Penning said that Britain risked adopting a US compensation culture.

He spoke of the ‘huge burden’ that fraud and personal injury claims were putting on motor premiums, but said he had no power to legislate on personal injury costs. Penning said he was discussing these issues with the Ministry of Justice.

He said: ‘I find it abhorrent. They [lawyers] are ambulance chasers. We are going to end up with a situation like they have in America if we are not careful: literally where these people are going to be turning up at road traffic accidents and saying, "Will you sign this form because I will represent you?" You have only got to listen to commercial radio stations [in the UK]. Every day, all day, all you hear is, "If you’ve had an accident, we’ll get some money for you."’

Penning said he would like to introduce a minimum speed under which whiplash claims cannot be made – a system recently introduced in Germany.

Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson said Penning’s ‘irresponsible remarks’ were ‘offensive to the profession’. He said it was the ‘backbone of the British legal system’ that those harmed by others’ negligence should be entitled to compensation and he offered to meet with the minister and Ministry of Justice to offer a ‘clearer picture’ of solicitors’ work.