Cold callers from “no win no fee” companies harangued two
men hours after they were released from hospital following a head-on car crash.
 

Kieron James and Scott Shaw, both 37 and from Brighton, were
injured in a head-on collision in Falmer Road in Woodingdean.
 

But just hours after being discharged from the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton,  Mr Shaw was contacted out of the blue
by a company who offered to try and seek compensation for their
“personal injuries”.
 

The company said they were working with insurance companies, although this has not been confirmed.
 

Mr Shaw thought the caller was genuine and passed on Mr James’s
number.
 

But he said he had no idea how the callers initially got his number
after the crash, which happened on Monday, February 24 at 3.15pm.
 

He said both men’s details were only provided to Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire and Rescue, the hospital and their insurance companies.
 

Mr James, who now needs physiotherapy and said he is “emotionally and physically traumatised” following the collision, recorded one call and
released this to The Argus.
 

The caller – who only gave her name as “Leanne” – initially said
he could be in line for a payout.
 

She said she worked for a company called RTA, who have seemingly no internet presence, and added she was based in Manchester.
 

She made vague suggestions she was linked to a legitimate company called RTA Solutions.
 

RTA are genuine but have confirmed they did not make any calls and do not cold call people as it is against strict industry regulations.
 

Mr Shaw spoke to a manager, who gave his name as Denver Digby.
 

Mr Digby refused to say where he got Mr James’s number from.
 

He confirmed he was looking to represent Mr James in a “no win
no fee” personal injury claim before adding he would take 25% commission.
 

Mr James said: “It has really annoyed me. Scott was really ill and thought it was legitimate.”
 

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokeswoman said: “Any suggestion of malpractice will be investigated by us and can lead to enforcement action – in the past two years alone we have closed more than 1,000 rogue claims
management companies.
 

“We are also bringing in new and tougher rules, expanding our enforcement team, raising regulation fees for claims firms and introducing fines, so companies that waste everyone’s time are made to pay.”
 

Both Sussex Police and Mr James’s insurers, Tradewise, con firmed they did not pass on details.