26.8—(1) When deciding the track for a claim, the matters to which the court shall have regard include—
(a)the financial value, if any, of the claim;
(b)the nature of the remedy sought;
(c)the likely complexity of the facts, law or evidence;
(d)the number of parties or likely parties;
(e)the value of any counterclaim or other Part 20 claim and the complexity of any matters relating to it;
(f)the amount of oral evidence which may be required;
(g)the importance of the claim to persons who are not parties to the proceedings;
(h)the views expressed by the parties; and
(i)the circumstances of the parties.
(2) It is for the court to assess the financial value of a claim and in doing so it will disregard—
(a)any amount not in dispute;
(b)any claim for interest;
(c)costs; and
(d)any contributory negligence.
(3) Where—
(a)two or more claimants have started a claim against the same defendant using the same claim form; and
(b)each claimant has a claim against the defendant separate from the other claimants,
the court will consider the claim of each claimant separately when it assesses financial value under paragraph (1).