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It is a question that many people want to know and a question which we are asked time and time again. In terms of how long a claim will take from us taking it on to you receiving a settlement cheque, it is always difficult to say as it depends on a number of factors.

We as a firm pride ourselves on being efficient; we move cases forward as quickly as possible. However, to an extent we do rely on others such as insurance companies, the courts, medical experts etc.

A claim is likely to go through quicker if liability is not an issue and if the symptoms are relatively minor so only one medical report is required. However every case is different and at the outset any time frames given by any Solicitor would be effectively a guess.
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We’ve all had those moments where we’ve been walking down the stairs and had a wobble; if we’re lucky we manage to save ourselves or if we do fall it is only a couple of stairs and the damage is limited to a temporary knock of our confidence. However, for all the people that don’t fall, there are plenty that do!

Statistics say you are most likely to have an accident on the stairs in your own home but there are many stair based accidents in the workplace as well. In fact there is a league table of the worst performing industries in terms of this type of accident with: Service/Hospitality, Manufacture and Construction being the three worst offenders.

This is not surprising when you think that these are the industries most likely to involve carrying heavy, bulky or hazardous items up and down stairways. Of course it could be the case that you are not at work and have a fall, for example if you were in the library or the bank.
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If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you are already aware of what foot drop, or drop foot (as it is also referred to) is. But just in case…

What is Foot Drop?
As a brief description, as I am lucky enough to have this deceptively simple sounding condition, foot drop is the inability to raise your foot up and move it left due to some form of problem a peripheral nerve; in my case, the Common Peroneal Nerve. It may sound like something small – but unfortunately, with this condition, you cannot walk properly without a corrective splint.
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Back in the days before Health and Safety was invented a fall in the workplace due to a trailing cable or wet floor was probably met with a response of “pick your feet up” or “watch where you’re going” or sometimes even laughter.

Even now some employers try and adopt the culture that falling over isn’t so serious (some comedians even make a whole career out of it) but for employees on the receiving end of these accidents it is no laughing matter.

Slips and trips in the workplace can result in anything from bruises to serious injuries. The fact of the matter is that your employer has a responsibility to keep you safe at work and if they have failed to ensure that there are proper procedures to look after your safety then they are at fault.
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Councils have many responsibilities that aid you in your day to day life, such as, the important ones for the topic of this blog: maintaining public spaces (such as parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, museums etc.) and the up-keep of highways, these are roads and pavements.

When the council provides these services it also takes on a responsibility to look after you when while you use them and to make sure that the services it provides aren’t defective or able to harm you if you use them properly. If you are using any of these services and you get an injury that could have been avoided had the council done a better job of maintaining that service you could be able to make a personal injury claim.

Parks, Playgrounds and Council Buildings
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The big wheel, hook a duck, and – my favourite – the dodgems, are all attractions you will often find at your local fairground. Fairgrounds attract a lot of people every year, and unfortunately, amongst the excitement, there is the strong possibility of an injury occurring.

The major areas that stand out as possible causes of injuries are poorly maintained rides, slips and trips from the area which the funfair is responsible for, and unfortunately food poisoning from the numerous food vans and onsite vendors. I will address each of these individually:

1- Poorly maintained rides – As some fairgrounds are temporary and therefore travel around the country, it is a possibility that rides are either poorly maintained or not set up properly and are therefore unsafe. For example; the harness on a ride may be loose and consequently not hold you in as safely as it should; I don’t need to say how serious injuries could be in this occasion. Another scenario can arise where parts of the ride have broken or come loose; for example; if a screw comes loose and is in the dodgems arena, this could then cause a dodgem to veer uncontrollably.
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As someone who can walk across a flat surface and fall over my own feet, the pavement outside can often be an obstacle course.

From broken, missing or raised paving stones, dodgy curb stones, to grates or manhole covers that are protruding or even caving in, these are all hazards that most of us face on a day to day basis on our streets.

Although tripping can sometimes be laughed off, most people do actually hurt and injure themselves.
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Swimming is a past time enjoyed by many of us – and with the Olympics just around the corner, I’m sure many of us will feel the urge to go to our local swimming baths and enjoy a quick dip! Whether you are lane swimming or just having a leisurely swim, the last thing you want to happen is to get injured whilst in or around the pool.

Injuries sustained whilst swimming can be serious as you have a larger amount of your body exposed than you normally would do. The first thing that comes into my mind is  that your feet are exposed and therefore any defects in the flooring are going to cause more damage than when you are wearing a shoe and step on something walking down the street.

Loose, broken and chipped tiles are often culprits in swimming pools that can cause cuts and slices to the skin, but there are also other potential hazards such as loose or uncovered drains.
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Tripping accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury claims. This is not surprising given the condition of many footpaths and roads nowadays.

Bad weather causes further damage to public footpaths and places an increased burden on local authorities to keep them maintained. Accidents are not solely caused by potholes – they could also be from removed or damaged drain covers, manhole covers, raised paving slabs, or building works for example.

Such accidents can cause injuries including cuts, bruises, ligament strains and broken bones. To make a successful in a claim for compensation there must be some form of defect with the ground in question to be able to hold the council or local authority responsible.
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I’m going to start by probably pointing out the obvious here – accidents and incidents in bars, pubs and clubs are all too common. When there’s lots of alcohol, lots of excitement, and lots of people all crowded together, the potential for accidents is inevitable. The focus of this blog is going to be on accidents as oppose to incidents however; for more info on that, look up criminal injuries on our main blog page.

So, aside from the fact that lots of alcohol means lots of people with less balance and concentration jigging around the place, there are plenty of other obstacles and hazards that could cause you some serious damage.

Slips
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