Finding out the outcome of a civil case

[Mark Goodge]

A local "character" has announced that they are suing a well-known company
for compensation in a personal injury claim. If they win, then I am sure
they will loudly trumpet that fact. However, I would be extremely surprised
if they were later to admit that they have lost.

Is there any way to find out the result of a civil claim, if neither party
decides to publicise the outcome? I don't expect the defendant will, even if
they win - they're a big company and for them I expect it's just business as
usual for their litigation department. But I'd be interested in knowing how
it turns out, either way.

Mark

[TTman]

Post by Mark Goodge
A local "character" has announced that they are suing a well-known company
for compensation in a personal injury claim. If they win, then I am sure
they will loudly trumpet that fact. However, I would be extremely surprised
if they were later to admit that they have lost.
Is there any way to find out the result of a civil claim, if neither party
decides to publicise the outcome? I don't expect the defendant will, even if
they win - they're a big company and for them I expect it's just business as
usual for their litigation department. But I'd be interested in knowing how
it turns out, either way.
Mark

Attend court on the day as a 'public viewer'. You just need to watch
court dates on courtserve.net. Just register and go.

[The Todal]

Post by TTman

Post by Mark Goodge
A local "character" has announced that they are suing a well-known company
for compensation in a personal injury claim. If they win, then I am sure
they will loudly trumpet that fact. However, I would be extremely surprised
if they were later to admit that they have lost.
Is there any way to find out the result of a civil claim, if neither party
decides to publicise the outcome? I don't expect the defendant will, even if
they win - they're a big company and for them I expect it's just business as
usual for their litigation department. But I'd be interested in knowing how
it turns out, either way.
Mark

Attend court on the day as a 'public viewer'. You just need to watch
court dates on courtserve.net. Just register and go.

Most cases don't reach trial, though.

Probably best not to name the defendant. But if you can describe the
nature of the claim we might be able to discuss whether it is likely to
succeed. And anyone running a claim as a litigant in person is rather
less likely to win than if he was competently represented.

The most likely outcomes are: (a) Claim struck out at an interlocutory
stage for being incoherent or disclosing no valid cause of action or (b)
claim settled out of court for a sum that won't be publicised unless the
claimant publicises it in social media. Unlikely that any newspaper
would regard it as worth publicising.

If the case is in the High Court the interlocutory decisions might be
available on the Bailii website. But most aren't.

[Mark Goodge]

Post by The Todal

Post by TTman

Post by Mark Goodge
A local "character" has announced that they are suing a well-known company
for compensation in a personal injury claim. If they win, then I am sure
they will loudly trumpet that fact. However, I would be extremely surprised
if they were later to admit that they have lost.
Is there any way to find out the result of a civil claim, if neither party
decides to publicise the outcome? I don't expect the defendant will, even if
they win - they're a big company and for them I expect it's just business as
usual for their litigation department. But I'd be interested in knowing how
it turns out, either way.
Mark

Attend court on the day as a 'public viewer'. You just need to watch
court dates on courtserve.net. Just register and go.

Most cases don't reach trial, though.

Indeed. I suspect that the defendant, being a large organisation, may well
make a "shut up and go away" offer of a sufficiently large sum of money to
persuade the claimant to drop the case. If I were being even more cynical
than I usually am I might even suspect that this is precisely what the
claimaint wants.

Post by The Todal
Probably best not to name the defendant.

The claimant and defendant have both been named by the local media. I did
think about posting a link to the press report, but I wanted to pose the
question more generally before doing so.

Post by The Todal
But if you can describe the
nature of the claim we might be able to discuss whether it is likely to
succeed. And anyone running a claim as a litigant in person is rather
less likely to win than if he was competently represented.

The claimaint claims to have been injured by the negligent actions of the
defendant's employees in September 2022. The claimant has provided a medical
report - from an examination which took place in June 2024 - which shows
some damage. I am not qualified to comment on whether the injuries are
consistent with the account of the incident.

Post by The Todal
The most likely outcomes are: (a) Claim struck out at an interlocutory
stage for being incoherent or disclosing no valid cause of action or (b)
claim settled out of court for a sum that won't be publicised unless the
claimant publicises it in social media. Unlikely that any newspaper
would regard it as worth publicising.

Indeed. My expectation is that the defendant will make a settlement offer,
without admitting liability, and the claimant will then claim that this
represents a complete victory.

Mark