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Evening Post
January 12, 2002
Complaint to be made over leaflet
by Sean Scanlon
A Wellington psychologist is making an
official complaint against the Christchurch law firm which mailed leaflets
offering to help sexual abuse victims get lump-sum payments from ACC.
The flier, sent to all major centres earlier this week by Wakefield
Associates, has been described as inappropriate and misleading by ACC. The
leaflet says victims of abuse may be eligible for one-off payments of up to
$25,000 and ongoing sums in excess of $150,000 under new rules being
introduced from April 1. The firm charges 25 per cent of any lump sum
payment, plus all of the first quarterly payment.
Wellington psychologist Karen Frogley, who has
dealt with sexual abuse victims in Wellington
for about 20 years, said yesterday she was "horrified" by the
mailout.
"I have been inundated by people ringing me upset about the leaflet
because they thought they were being targeted. Most people are certainly not
entitled to the lump sums talked about."
People will not need a lawyer to get the payments.
"The worst thing is these people are trying to make money off other
peoples suffering. They are acting like pimps."
She was mailing the complaint to the Canterbury District Law Society
yesterday. ACC confirmed on Thursday it was considering laying a complaint.
Canterbury District Law Society president Robert Perry said a range of
sanctions from fines to expulsion could be used against a firm if a breach of
standards was found.
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