Always reliable and accurate, with a good turnaround speed.
Paul Bunting, Partner, Aspinall Wright Solicitors
Following on from the recent 'Civil Form Completion Guidance for Solicitors', the Legal Services Commission will shortly be issuing check lists to be used when completing claim forms to help avoid rejection. There will be separate check lists for POA1, CLAIM1/1A and CLAIM2 forms and they are currently being trialled by the LSC. They are encouraging providers to work through the check list before submitting a claim ticking off each section and then the caseworker will initially work from the same check list.
Copies of the proposed forms have been provided to representative bodies for further comment. According to Resolution, the LSC are providing two pieces of guidance to caseworkers:
Needless to say there are areas where @John_M_Hayes believe these forms could be improved to provide clearer guidance on certain issues; however the indication is that they will be made available in the next few weeks and even in their current format will be a useful way of checking that you have avoided some of the most common reasons for rejection.
In the mean time you can preview each form
Contacting the LSC about incorrect billing rejects
The LSC have recently established a national 'Civil Claim Fix' email address that can be used any time you dispute a rejection. The LSC will respond within 24 hours (apparently) and it seems every request will be logged so that feedback can be provided to caseworkers on errors made and records kept of the types of issues that are causing problems (horse, bolt, door, open.....) but definite progress! When an error has been made by the LSC, we will receive an email back apologising and attaching a priority return slip to ensure the prioritisation of the claim upon resubmission. E-mail now on lsccivilclaimfix@legalervices.gov.uk
Thursday 15th November 2012