I’m sure we all remember the lessons we were taught in school about crossing the road safely. Stop, look, and listen! Whilst there are several crossing we can use, there are still accident claims that we take on on a daily basis that involve innocent pedestrians being hit by vehicles whilst using a safety crossing, such as a zebra crossing.

The thing is, zebra crossings are perhaps not as safe as a crossing where there are lights to stop traffic moving. There are those lovely big orangey / yellow balls which are usually clear to see; but apparently, drivers still miss them.

So, what can you do if you have been injured from being hit by a vehicle at a zebra crossing?
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At The Injury Lawyers, our experience of people who have been injured through no fault of their own in road traffic accidents is that they want to be compensated as quickly as possible. 

This is not because they are impatient, but because having a damaged or written off car is bad enough, and they are now further suffering as a result of their injuries, and just wish to get better and get back to where they were as soon as possible and forget about what happened.

Just short of two years ago, the compensation claiming process for road traffic accidents could be described as a little arduous.  This is because, even for straightforward accidents it could take nearly 4 months to get an admission of liability, and then several months thereafter to sort out a medical report and settle your claim.  Fortunately, since 30 April 2010, this has all changed: under a new protocol for low value injury claims arising out of road traffic accidents, being compensated has got a whole lot faster.  Here is a quick guide:
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If you have been involved in a road traffic accident which was not your fault then it is highly likely that, if you have been injured, you will be able to make a claim for compensation. 

For instance, if someone has collided into the rear of your vehicle and you have sustained whiplash then you will probably have a claim; or if you were a passenger in a car which was involved in a collision, again you are likely to have a claim.  In most circumstances it would be the Defendant’s, that is the negligent third party’ insurer who would pay you this compensation.  But what happens if the Defendant was not insured? Does that mean you cannot be compensated?

Well there is always the option of suing the Defendant directly, but in all likelihood they won’t be worth suing – in other words, they don’t have any money to recompense you with, and so it would be a waste of time.  There is, though, another option – to make a claim from a compensation fund held by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (‘MIB’).
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The weather in the first week of October was actually better than the summer season in its entirety in my opinion; but unfortunately, the British summertime ends officially at the end of this month.

The nights are rapidly drawing in and there is a chill in the air.  To make matters worse, the rumours that we will experience arctic weather conditions and snow falls before the month is out have already started.

For those of us who use our vehicles regularly, we should already be prepared for the inconvenience of the bad weather; but if you are a new driver you may want to start thinking about how you will cope with this.
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For most of us, claiming for compensation for injuries arising out of an accident which was not your fault is something we are unlikely to do.  This is because, although accidents are frequent, it is unlikely that it will actually be us that is involved in them; right?  That said, it could well be us in that situation one day.  How then, if we decide to make a claim for compensation, do we actually do this?

Fortunately there are a wealth of injury lawyers out there who will happily take you through the process and do almost all the work for you.  However, it is still important to know what happens, so here is a quick guide.

Once you have instructed an injury lawyer who you are sure will not charge you a penny for their work, will provide great service levels, and get you the maximum compensation you deserve, all you have to do is provide them with as much information about your accident as possible. 
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Personally, I never know whether to be a little saddened by the disappearing warmth and the fading of the lighter hours, or looking forward to the “C” word that we will be able to think about in the coming weeks! Although I think I answered this question last night when I was battered by those wet and cold blustery winds that attacked me as I escaped the outdoors last night…

One thing you should all be doing is taking the opportunity to prepare yourself and your vehicle for winter. I grabbed my thick patchwork camping blanket from my rucksack last night in preparation to wash it to be used as an emergency blanket in case we see a repeat of the arctic conditions we endured last year. I suggest you all do the same.

So, what should you do? Here’s my advice, based on what I’ve started doing:
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With the winter months almost upon us, we can still see the damage that last winter did to our roads and pavements.  On our daily journeys to and from home, it sometimes feels as if we are driving on an obstacle course, weaving around the holes in the ground, trying to avoid damage to our vehicles.

There is not just the issue of what damage a poorly maintained road can do to our vehicles, but there is also the issue of public safety.  A pothole can be a tripping hazard to pedestrians.  Motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles are extremely vulnerable to these defects of the road.  Any incidents involving these types of highway users could be catastrophic.

It is the duty of the Councils to keep our highways as safe as possible by carrying out regular inspections and maintenance checks. So – when are the counsels going to fix the holes properly and not just lay a bit of tar to cover the hole to get us through the next couple of months?
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As I am sure you are no doubt aware, your back is one of the most important areas of your body. It’s responsible for carrying the weight of the rest of you! As a result, it’s important to look after it – but it can’t be helped when you end up with a back injury as a result of someone else’s negligence.

That’s where we step in…

You are eligible to make a claim for compensation if you have ended up with a back injury that was caused through no fault of your own. Here’s a quick guide using the three step approach we have to claiming here at The Injury Lawyers to fill you in on your claim for back injury compensation:
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As specialist injury lawyers, dealing only in claims for compensation for personal injury accidents, we really believe we have seen it all. There is no accident claim that we will not have a look in to for you to see if we can help out.

One such specific type of accident is those involving forklift and pallet trucks. Normally, these are accidents at work; however, they can be from visitors to warehouses or perhaps at a large cash and carry type store.

But the main question on people’s lips is – do you have a claim for compensation?
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One of the questions that sometimes crops up here at The Injury Lawyers relates to claims against uninsured drivers.  The usual course of action in a road traffic accident is to pursue the insurer of the negligent third party driver who has caused your injuries. 

In most cases the other driver will have insurance and it really is a simple process of submitting a claim form online and receiving their admission of liability within a couple of weeks.  But what happens if the other driver is not insured?  Well you could pursue the other driver themselves personally, but in the vast majority of cases they will not be worth suing (in other words, they do not have enough money to recompense you).  Instead, what you can do is make a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (‘MIB’).

In 1946 the MIB was set up to provide compensation for those who have been injured by the negligence of an uninsured third party driver.  Instead of saying that they cannot be compensated because the other driver broke the law and drove with insurance, the MIB can dip into their compensation fund and pay out for your vehicle damages and injuries.  The reason they can do this is because each year every motorist contributes roughly £30 through their insurance premium to set up this fund.  Although you may not like the sound of that, at the end of the day, one day it could be you that requires this fund.  In fact, each year over 50,000 people are compensated by the MIB.
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