Delays by defendants are driving up the costs of personal injury and clinical negligence claims, an academic report has suggested.

The study, carried out by the University of Lincoln and commissioned by claims referrer National Accident Helpline (NAH), suggested that the average daily cost of defendant delay is six times more than the cost of delays caused by claimants.

Analysis of nearly 20,000 cases supplied by NAH found that defendant delay costs on average £57.83 a day, compared with £8.49 a day for all other causes of delay.

Lincoln Law School professor John Peysner said: ‘Our analysis suggests a clear link between defendant delay and disproportionate costs.’