Principle and practice

Suddenly, structured settlements are flavour of the month. The Chief Medical Officer’s working party has considered them; Baroness Scotland has announced changes in the law will be introduced to permit a court to order periodical payments; and, independently of all these, the Master of the Rolls instituted a working party to report as to possible changes of practice within the existing law. Structured settlements are not a one-size-fits-all panacea: indeed, they may sacrifice the very flexibility which many injured claimants both want and need from their damages award. However, they could be a very useful part of making provision for future income needs and ought to be seen in this context.