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A Repetitive Strain Injury, or RSI as it is informally known, is an umbrella term which can cover a whole host of injuries. The injuries it covers are those which are caused by the repetitive use of parts of the body.

It is an extremely prevalent disorder affecting as many as 1 in 50 workers. This comes as no surprise, as not only can it affect manual workers, but also those desk workers who are typing away all day long.

The Types of RSI
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The Telegraph has recently reported that a study by The Association of British Insurers has shown that 1,200 claims for whiplash are made every day, which equates to three-quarters of personal injury claims in the United Kingdom, and is six times as many claims as those for accidents at work. 

In fact, it is the United Kingdom which sees the largest volume of whiplash claims within Europe.  As a result, the Telegraph writes that the NHS spends approximately £8million a year helping people with whiplash injuries, and insurances companies are paying out an estimated £2billion a year in compensation for these whiplash injuries.

So – what is whiplash? Whiplash is normally a neck, back, and shoulder injury caused by the soft tissue in the spine being forcefully jerked – e.g. from the impact of being hit behind by another person’s motor vehicle.  So, how do I know if you have whiplash?  Here are the common symptoms:
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Can a child bring a claim for compensation? On their own, no.  With a litigation friend, yes.  So – what is a litigation friend?

Where a person has suffered an injury and they are under the age of 18, they are required by law to have a litigation friend to conduct their claim on their behalf.  A litigation friend is therefore a responsible adult who acts on a minor’s (a person under the age of 18) behalf.  In most cases a litigation friend will be a child’s parents or guardians; but equally it could be a family friend or some other trustworthy adult.

The law recognises that a child of the age of say four or five may have a genuine claim for compensation having been injured through no fault of their own, but that this child does not have the capacity to proceed with a claim on their own.  In other words, a child does not have the ‘legal capacity’ to conduct legal proceedings.  This is also similarly applied to persons deemed a ‘protected party’ under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.  They too will require a litigation friend to conduct their claim for them.
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At The Injury Lawyers, we have a huge number of clients suffering from the symptoms of whiplash.  We hear on a daily basis of the pain the condition causes, and the devastating effect the injury can have on all areas of a person’s life. That is why we treat whiplash with the utmost seriousness and give it the importance it deserves.

Causes

Whiplash is caused by a sudden jolting to the neck, which causes it to move beyond its normal range.  This can lead to damage to the tendons, ligaments, and muscles in the neck area, causing the condition.
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Supermarkets are a place where we can spend a lot of our time, which is why it is crucial that they are safe places where everything reasonably possible has been done to reduce risks to our health and safety.

You may feel that bringing a claim against a supermarket is a hopeless task, as they are often enormous corporations, and you are acting as an individual. I am here to tell you that all claims are run in the same manner, whether they are against a huge business, or the small individual –that is why you have lawyers like us on your side fighting your corner. Bringing a claim does not only mean that you may be able to recoup your losses and claim for your injuries, but also that health and safety standards are tightened up so the same thing does not happen to someone else.

Supermarkets, have to keep to strict health and safety regulations – plus they must also ensure that their staff are well trained in implementing and maintaining these standards. This training could be to ensure shelves are stacked safely to avoid items falling on customers, check aisles for items left in walk ways to avoid causing a trip hazard, or to have regular checks for spillages to avoid slip hazards to customers.
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Road accidents that take place prior to 30^th April 2010 can take a considerable amount of time to run their course. These claims allow the other side 21 days to respond to a Letter of Claim, and a further 3 months to investigate it – so it can take nearly 4 months just to find out whether you have liability admitted or denied on your claim. Getting an admission of liability means that the other side admit fault for your injury, and so is a major hurdle to get over in the course of your claim.

This may mean that many of the straight forward road traffic accident claims are taking a long time to come to a conclusion; meaning claimants are left waiting for information, and claims are left sat on desks waiting to be worked on.  In recognition of this fact, the Ministry of Justice have set up a new system of dealing with road traffic accident claims after the aforementioned date.

This new system is all based around an online portal where correspondence is sent and received instantaneously. This means letters are not taking an age to arrive in the post, and gives the other side no excuses to claim they have not received something. The system is based around 3 stages.  Your claim begins with a Claim Notification Form being sent out which sets out the accident circumstances.  Upon this being sent to the other side, they have 15 business days to respond with an admission or denial of liability (this is in stark contrast to the previous system of nearly 4 months).
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Product liability is legal jargon for claiming compensation for a product that has caused you harm in some way, through no fault of your own.

Product liability claiming can be a complex matter, so it is advisable to get the advice of a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible. The reasons why it can be complex are that firstly, there can be some dispute as to who is responsible for the product – either the manufacturer, or the retailer; secondly, if it is the manufacturer, they can be difficult to locate – so that issue can require some investigation. The product may also need to be tested, which may mean sending it back to the Defendant in the matter – this can be a tricky business as you want to know that you will get it back and get it back in its original state as it is a key part of your evidence.

At The Injury Lawyers, we run many product liability claims – I have listed 2 of the main types below:
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Road accidents are common – we secure compensation for countless road accident victims on a daily basis. You get the more obscure types of road claims, but there are a few common ones that we see a lot of. The thing with accidents on roundabouts is that they can include any (or more) of the common circumstances below; which can all happen any other road accident situation. On a roundabout, they can occur more frequently.

• Rear end collisions – other drivers failing to stop at the entrance of a roundabout, or failing to heed the traffic on a roundabout
• Negligent drivers pulling out on to a roundabout whilst you’re already on it
• Negligent drivers changing lanes on a roundabout when they realise they aren’t in the correct lane – something you should never attempt to do!
• Drivers failing to give way to their right, as per road regulations, and causing a crash with you
• A whole range of motorbike accidents where drivers aren’t looking hard enough for smaller road users

They’re quite common – perhaps many drivers find roundabouts, particularly multi lane ones, rather complicated to negotiate.
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After an accident, making a claim for compensation may be the last thing on your mind, as all you want to do is relax and recover. However, once that initial shock period after the accident is over, there may be a few reasons why you should consider making a personal injury claim:

Compensation

Compensation is ultimately the main reason why many people bring a claim for personal injury.  Compensation is meant to place you back in the position you would have been in financially had the accident not have happened. You have been injured through no fault of your own – so justice must be seen to be done. You may not only claim compensation for your injuries, but also for other financial losses incurred as a result of your accident. These losses can make up a large proportion of a claimant’s case; especially if they have been absent from work, unpaid, or on a reduced pay, as a result of the accident.
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Whiplash can be a very frustrating and debilitating condition.  At The Injury Lawyers, we hear from our clients on a daily basis about the devastating effect it can have on their lives, and the severe pain that it can cause. It makes it all the more frustrating for our clients that this injury has been caused due to an accident through no fault of your own; but rather down to the negligence of another person or company. I am writing this blog to inform you of the reasons why you should bring a claim for your whiplash injury.

Compensation

Claiming compensation can bring back the feeling that justice is being done. Compensation is meant to put you back in the position you would have been in had the accident not have happened. This is why it is crucial that the law firm you choose does not make any deductions from your compensation; allowing you to receive 100% of it all.
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