ACCIDENT SPIES

Evening Star, Issue 21742, 9 June 1934, Page 2

ACCIDENT SPIES

" MODERN BODY-SNATCHERS " Comment on. “ a sort of modern bodysnatchers ” was made by Mr Justice Swift at Manchester Assizes recently. An action arising out of an accident at Lancaster in September, 1932, was brought by Michael Martin, of Bridge Lane, Lancaster, who was severely injured, against Harry Bannister, of Shelley road, Preston. Mr W. Gorman, K.C., for Martin, said there were two issues in the defence : (1) The issue of the liability for accident, and (2) that there had been an effective settlement of Bannister’s liability by payment of £IOO and costs. Mr G. J. Lynskey (for Bannister) said a Mr Coleman, a solicitor, of Liverpool, acted for Martin and, though Bannister denied liability, an agreement was reached between Coleman and a representative of the insurance company to settle the claim for £IOO and 35 guineas costs. A firm of M'Guigan and Hurst, described as insurance brokers and assessors, made a claim on Martin for 18 guineas. . The Judge: What are M'Guigan and Hurst? Mr Gorman; They are men- who are engaged in finding out when there has been an accident and getting the injured person in touch with a solicitor quickly. They do it themselves sometimes. The Judge: I am far from saying that you are right; but if by any possibility you are right, they seem to be a sort of modern body-snatchers. Mr Gorman: They have a reputation of following an ambulance. The Judge: Not too far behind the ambulance to bring their solicitor along. The Judge said later: Wherever a carcass is there will eagles be gathered together, and where you have a road smash nowadays you have the emissaries of everybody who can make anything out of it rushing towards it, and the last person who is considered is the wretched victim. I think it is horrid.