THE rise of the compensation pay-out culture has been disquieting over recent years and hardly led to an improvement in the public respect of lawyers.

Yet the landmark case involving Richard Gipps – whose wife and toddler son were killed following a road accident in Tackley – goes toward redressing the perception that it is not all about a cash-and-grab mentality. As part of the settlement with the driver’s insurers, Mr Gipps has won a payment to cover the cost to Helen & Douglas House Hospice of caring for little Joe before he succumbed to his injuries.

It establishes a vital principle that, even though the hospice is there as a charity, there is a responsibility towards such organisations for those guilty of negligence that injures others. In truth, the number of cases are hardly going to be large. And Helen & Douglas House, which has done immeasurable good for many families over its 30 years, is never going to turn anyone away or “bank” on getting its costs back.

But it does mean that the money it raises from its funding sources and donations will go further to help those facing the worst times in their lives. And that, surely, was the kind of positive outcome lawmakers intended.