If a claim has been settled by agreement and a binding discharge obtained, it cannot be reopened. Similarly, the law does not permit successive actions based on the same cause. If damages are awarded for bodily injuries based on medical evidence at the time, a fresh action cannot later be brought even if subsequent medical opinion reveals the injuries were more serious than originally agreed. Additionally, in the UK, a liability insurer who has secured a suitable discharge in the name of their policyholder has provided a strong defence against future claims arising from the same cause of action.