Lucy Tolond, a partner with Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP (now BLM LLP), is very upset. Perhaps even very, very upset. In an email sent to the personal email address of the CEO of WireNews, Tolond threatened legal action over an article published today by WireNews.
The article, BLM to Represent Hastings Insurance Against Allegations of Fraud, provides a brief overview of a claim made against BLM's client, Hastings Insurance Services and announces the appointment of BLM as that company's lawyers. Shocking stuff.
Tolond objected and with a straight face suggested that readers might think that the WireNews article was written by BLM.
Hastings Insurance Services, based in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, faces a claim over failing to settle a vehicle claim as agreed. According to a source familiar with the details of the claim, who spoke to WireNews on the condition of anonymity, a lawsuit alleging fraud has been filed with the Preston County Court.
Hastings, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (register number 311492), proposed a payout to its insured on a rear-end accident in July that was clearly the fault of the other driver, Hastings wrote to its client, confirming 'no-fault'.
Hastings' client, who stopped at a zebra-crossing was rear-ended by an elderly driver, who was driving without his hearing aid and who slammed his car into Hastings' client at nearly 50 MPH, writing off the car.
Objecting to negative media attention following a WireNews article that was published and read by several of Hastings' employees, according to the IP addresses captured, Hastings Insurance sent an email to their client saying that they had 'voided' the insurance policy from 1 May 2018 (before the recent accident) without giving a reason.
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