Portrait of Luther writing seated at table surrounded by reformers in two rows behind; cardinal, devil, pope and monk in the foreground trying to blow out the candle of protestantism placed in the centre. c.1640 Etching. ‘The candle is lighted, it will not blow out’

Dear all,

Last week I announced that I will be launching 95 theses on 31 October 2017 (Reformation Day), just as Martin Luther did 500 years ago (see for the first announcement:( http://blog-maartentrompadvocaten.nl/advance-announcement-1-reform-through-95-statements/).  In this second announcement I will tell you more about the message behind the theses, as a plea for personal injury 3.0. But let me tell you something about the received reactions first.

Received fan mail: great (international) involvement

In response to the first announcement I received many enthusiastic reactions. I received reactions from lawyers, insurers, labour experts, claim adjusters and professors. The reactions vary from “Well done”, “Good action”, “Very thoughtful and original” to “I am curious, 95 statements that is quite something”, ” You are in better shape than the other Maarten” and “Maarten Luther, who’s that: left or right?”. I also spontaneously received (i) additional theses, (ii) ideas for debate, and (iii) suggestions for locations to “nail” my statements.

Just as Martin Luther in the above painting, I feel supported by all these reactions in my plea for personal injury 3.0, with a new creed: restoring the victim’s autonomy.

The great (international) involvement may also be evident from the fact that the first newsletter has been opened in many countries (more than 4.000 times in the Netherlands, more than 200 times in the USA, more than 100 times in the UK, more than 50 times in France, a little 50 times in Germany, a good 25 times in Spain and a few times in Africa, Australia, Greece, Turkey and even Russia).

The deeper message behind the theses

I would very much like to contribute to a more balanced, more efficient and – above all – fairer adjustment process in personal injury cases (the general name for personal damages and damages in case of death). With a wink to Martin Luther I have come up with 95 theses with which I hope to spark a broader discussion, and that contain a message for all persons and institutes involved. The underlying message behind these theses is the need for: (i) greater empathy for the victims and their survivors, (ii) better communication and (iii) a more and better collaboration.

Being the victim or their survivor is not an enviable position. From one day to the next, their world is turned completely upside down and they are expected to adapt to their new reality. The creed is: “placing the victim on centre stage” – yet we still often lose sight of the victims and their survivors. Furthermore, I am of the opinion that many institutes and professionals approach the situation too one-dimensionally; based only on their own field of expertise.

Holistic approach: from attitude towards assignment

By definition, personal injury cases require a more holistic approach. As there are several fields of expertise that come to bear in a personal injury case, the approach should focus more on collaboration. Only through collaboration will we be able to help the victims and their survivors attain new goals, which will stimulate a return to autonomy. It is from this perspective that I have drawn up the 95 theses, amongst which:

Statement 27: “Placing the victim on centre stage” implies an attitude of all the professionals involved. “Return to autonomy” implies an assignment for these professionals.

Of course you may already react on this statement and/or on this second announcement. We are happy to receive your reaction via secretariaat@maartentromp.nl. However, you may prefer to wait until the launching of all the theses.

The next and last announcement will be released on Sunday, 29 October 2017. In this I will tell you more about the when, where and how of the release of the 95 theses. By then, I will also explain what I would like to achieve with these statements. In that regard, I can already share with you that the theses will not only be launched digitally, but will also be handed over to several persons on 31 October 2017.

May I ask you to share this message (again) in your network? For that purpose, please use the social media buttons in this message. If you do so, could you please use the hashtag #Tromps95 in your tweet again?

Thanks in advance and spread the word!

Maarten Tromp & the team of Maarten Tromp Advocaten