Qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) relates to which type of claims?

• A. All civil claims
• B. Commercial disputes
• C. Property disputes
• D. Personal Injury claims only

Answer: (D)

QOCS is a costs rule that protects claimants in personal injury litigation from having to pay the defendant’s legal costs if the claim fails. The protection is specific to personal injury claims, so if the dispute is commercial or about property, the usual rule—where the loser pays the winner’s costs—applies and QOCS does not. There are limited exceptions where costs can be recovered by the defendant, such as if the claim is found to be fundamentally dishonest or is dismissed for abuse of process. This combination of shield and exceptions is what ties QOCS to personal injury claims only.