The new RTA Portal introduced by the Ministry of Justice is now receiving claims through the system.

The Law Society Gazette reports that the RTA Portal – set up to speed up the process of dealing with low value road traffic accident (RTA) personal injury claims – has hit a few teething problems since it was launched at the beginning of May. However, of the first 617 claims submitted using the RTA Portal, liability was admitted in 386 cases and 48 progressed to stage two of the claims process.

Delays occurred, however, some companies were unable to process some claims fully because software testing on the RTA Portal was still taking place – and some solicitors using the system had not received their login details or could not access the details of insurance company concerned because the list of insurers was still being uploaded.

Solicitors using web browsers to access the portal were more successful than those who had case management software.

Fraser Fundell – the chief executive of IDSL, the company that currently manages the RTA Portal – said that teething problems were being ‘addressed’ and a dedicated helpline had been set up to help solicitors using the RTA Portal.

A total of 1,450 solicitors and 81 insurance companies had registered with the portal in the first three weeks of its launch.

Fraser Whitehead from the Law Society said that neither solicitors nor those claiming compensation for road traffic accidents had been affected by the teething problems.

‘The underlying IT system is working well with no reported problems,’ said Mr Whitehead.

‘So far there has been nothing but support for the system itself. Solicitors whose claims have been accepted within the first 15 days of the programme will shortly be receiving their cheques for stage one fees.’

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