Compass Chambers offers early evaluation services to parties in personal injury and clinical negligence cases. These services can be used independently or in combination with mediation and / or arbitration.
Non-binding third party evaluation is a service in which the parties submit a joint bundle of papers to a member of Compass Chambers’ evaluation panel for an assessment of liability, quantum or both and for a non-binding opinion. Alternatively, they can agree on a counsel of choice. The parties can then agree to accept the opinion of the evaluator or have a joint settlement meeting to discuss resolution of the claim, whether by negotiated settlement; mediation or arbitration.
Early neutral evaluation is a similar service, offered in conjunction with arbitration. After the parties enter into an arbitration agreement and appoint an arbitrator from Compass Chambers’ arbitration panel, the arbitrator can be jointly instructed to give an early neutral assessment of liability, quantum or both, based on the papers. If either or both parties do not accept the early evaluation of the arbitrator, they proceed to arbitration in the usual way. The final award of the arbitrator is binding and enforceable through the courts.
Early evaluation is an entirely confidential, non-binding service which allows parties to maintain control over the litigation and affords very speedy resolution of claims.