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With all of the congestion on the roads, and the pollution that it is causing to our environment, a lot of us now choose to cycle to work. It’s becoming a more and more popular way of commuting.

Unfortunately as a cyclist you are extremely vunerable when using the roads. If you were to end up in a collision, especially with a motor vehicle, then you would have very little protection.

If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident on the road as a cyclist, and it is not your fault, then you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
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Do you know your rights when you are a passenger in another vehicle? If not then what you’re about to read maybe crucial to whether or not you have the right to make a claim.

When a driver makes the choice to carry passengers in their vehicle the life of those passengers then becomes the drivers responsibility. It is their duty to drive responsibly, and make sure that they don’t cause their passengers anything that may cause them injury.

The driver also has a duty to end the journey in a place where passengers may safely leave the vehicle. For example, stopping on a motorway or in the middle of a duel carriageway is not a safe place.
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If you’ve been unfortunate enough to have been involved in a road traffic accident then you may have an injury compensation claim to make.

Unfortunately as a pedestrian you are at the biggest risk if you do become involved in a road traffic accident, especially if it involves a motor vehicle.  That’s why as a pedestrian you should always be given the right of way by motorists.

What to do

If do become involved in a motor accident it is best to get as many details as possible. Try to get the name of the driver, the registration and make of their vehicle, along with a contact number and the name of their insurance company along with their policy number.
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A 33-year-old woman has been charged after a 10-year-old girl was savaged by two Rottweiler’s in Dundee.

According to a report from Sky News the 10-year-old girl was playing on her bike outside her Grandma’s house when the attack took place. Rhianna who suffered from a fractured jaw, injuries to her right arm and left leg and bite marks to her face needed three hours of plastic surgery to repair the damage.

A week before this attack the BBC News ran a report, and released CCTV footage of a woman’s guide dog being savaged by another dog at a railway station in north-west London.
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Potholes, protruding pavements, and poorly maintained pathways; they are all things that local authorities have a clear duty to ensure to protect the public from. But what is the extent of the duty the council has, and when can a claim be brought against them? To be honest, it can be somewhat of a grey area…

If a person is injured due to the state of the highways, then it is possible that they have a claim for compensation. Generally speaking, the defect has to be sufficient enough to warrant action from the local authority. It’s difficult to gauge – but if a hole is deep enough or a pavement is raised enough, and work clearly needs to be done, then a claim can be brought against the relevant authority.

So, what are the ins and outs of what has become the big battle between lawyers and councils?
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Bipolar disorder is a relatively common mental illness that is characterised by periods of very low moods or depression, contrasted with very high moods or mania. Many people have become increasingly familiar with the disorder due to its portrayal in the Stacey Slater character in the popular soap “Eastenders”.

One of the drugs used to stabilise the mood is Lithium. This is an extremely effective treatment and a number of patients remain on lithium for many years. However, it is important that the blood level does not get too high as it can then become toxic. As the level becomes higher, the patient may suffer with symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, confusion and dizziness. If the level becomes higher still, the patient may suffer seizures, pass into a coma and suffer irreversible neurological damage. For these reasons, it is very important that levels of this drug are monitored with blood tests, especially after starting new medicines.

In a case from the MPS casebook, a patient in her forties (Mrs L) was newly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and started on lithium by her psychiatrist. When her lithium levels were stable, after several changes in dose and regular monitoring, she was discharged back to her regular GP, Dr G.
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Most people know that before they have any pre-planned surgery, they ought to be properly consented by the surgeon. In order to consent to the operation you must be advised of the possible risks and the procedure itself should be explained. If this has not occurred and you believe that surgery took place when you did not have the information to make an informative decision as to whether to go ahead or you were not aware of the extent of the operation then you may have a claim for medical negligence.

In one incident last year, a 31 year old woman with 2 children went to her GP with lower abdomen pain. After some investigation it was discovered that she had a cyst on her left ovary which needed removing. To remove the cyst, she would need a left Oophorectomy, the surgical removal of her left ovary. She was therefore referred to a consultant Gynecologist for the operation.
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Taxi accidents are more frequent than people realise and it often leaves the passengers in what feels like a very awkward position, as after al,l they may wonder what they can do as they were only a passenger. Well it is possible to make a claim for compensation for the injuries you have suffered.

The claim you chose to make will be placed against the party at fault in the accident, they should have insurance to cover them for any accidents. The insurance will cover any amounts of compensation that you are entitled to.

Taxi accidents can be very serious like any other road traffic accident; you may have been rushed to hospital and suffered from many injuries. If that is the case then it would be advisable for you to place a claim for compensation to help you manage your injuries and losses.
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Motorcycle accidents can be common and disastrous. Motorists must always ensure to take extra care to look out for motorcyclists; but it’s not just other road users that can cause a rider injuries.

You can pursue a claim for compensation if you have an accident, or sustain an injury, from a defect in the road surface. Generally, cars can get away with driving over potholes or divots, usually unscathed. But a motorcyclist hitting a pothole or a road defect is an entirely different situation…

Rather obviously, a defect in the road could lead to a motorcyclist coming off of their bike – which could end up being disastrous on a busy road. I’ve said it before, and I shall say it again; riders don’t enjoy the added safety a car offers. The injuries sustained could be serious, especially on a busy road with cars around. If you’re lucky enough to manage to stay on your bike, you could still end up being injured. The defect could shake the bike to the extent that the rider could end up injured from the impact.
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Most people enjoy going abroad on holiday and now is a popular season for taking holidays abroad. When you arrive at your destination, the least thing you expect to happen is to be involved in an accident. Usually, whilst you are on holiday, especially if you have gone as part of a package deal, you will find that you’re well looked after but sometimes, on the unfortunate occasion, you may have found that this hasn’t happened which has led to an accident.

In many instances, when you have had an accident it is because of something i.e. you fell and sustained injury because you fell over an object. If you have had an accident in the hotel complex because something was negligently left unattended then you may have a claim for compensation.

Your travel provider should have insurance to cover any accidents that may occur whilst you are abroad, this insurance covers the travel provider should you make a claim for compensation and the insurance is where your compensation fund is claimed from.
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