People can have mixed feelings regarding work. They can love their work or they can dread it – when work only becomes a means to making up the cost of living.  Whatever your feelings regarding work I can hazard a guess that it is the last thought on your mind that you will suffer an accident at work which was not your fault.

Many clients come to us after having gone through the trauma of having, what maybe, a serious accident at work. More often than not they are worried about claiming against their employer due to potential repercussions. We always advise clients that employers could get into a lot of trouble if they treated you any differently due to you claiming against them.  Also, that is why firms like us here at The Injury Lawyers are here – to act on your behalf within the claim.

If you suffer an accident at work that was not your fault then you may have a claim for compensation. After suffering an accident at work it is important to report it to another member of staff as an accident book record needs to be completed. You should also seek medical attention for your injuries; this not only assists with your injuries but also allows the medical professional to make a note in your medical records.  Check for any witnesses to the accident as they may be able to provide valuable support to any later claim you may have. Lastly, you should seek the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer. This is best done as soon as possible after the accident whilst the events are still fresh in your mind; many sorts of cases have a 3 year limitation period, whereby after 3 years from the accident date you may not be able to bring your claim.
Read More

Whiplash is a common injury which many clients approach us with after having experienced the trauma of a road accident. Having said this, however, whiplash can be experienced from accidents such as a fall. Basically, whiplash is caused by a sudden jolting of the head which causes your neck to move past its normal range of movement. So any type of accident which causes this jolting can cause whiplash.

Symptoms

The symptoms of whiplash can include:

• Tenderness, pain or stiffness to the neck
• Swelling to the neck
• Lack or even no mobility of the neck
• Headaches

Read More

You’ve probably seen the adverts in the past where people have slipped on a wet floor and caused themselves an injury. The idea of slipping on a dangerous floor has even become the punch line of many jokes for those that either don’t understand or misconceive the concept of claiming for compensation.

If you have slipped over and injured yourself in a premises owned by someone else, you may have a claim for compensation.

Ultimately, an injury from a slipping accident is not a nice thing to endure. In fact, it can be the cause of serious injury – which is why the rules and regulations are in place to ensure owners take proper responsibility for their premises.
Read More

It seems that many more people are becoming aware of their rights when it comes to claiming for a personal injury.  This may be due to the increased amount of advertisements on television and radio heightening awareness for people who have had an accident that was not their fault.

With the above in consideration, many clients still come to us entirely unsure and unconfident in the fact they have a valid personal injury claim for compensation.

Claims for personal injury can stem from all sorts of different accidents and types of personal injury; I have listed some of these below:
Read More

You may see many personal injury referral agents or law firms advertising personal injury claims stemming from road traffic accidents, and so you are probably aware that if you suffer from a road traffic accident arising either driving in a car or being driven that you may have a claim for compensation.  However, what you may not have realised is that if you have been a passenger on a bus or coach and suffered a personal injury, you may also have a claim for compensation.

The personal injury as mentioned above could have happened in any number of ways whilst being a passenger on a bus or coach. Firstly, and maybe most obviously, is that the bus or coach may have been in a general road traffic accident. This may be due to fault on the bus driver’s part or on another motorist, adverse weather conditions, or a mechanical fault with either the bus or another vehicle. A second reason could be that you have fallen in the gangway of a bus; this could be due to the bus jerking suddenly to a stop, due to tripping over on an item negligently left in the path, or due to a spillage negligently left uncleaned.

If you have had an accident on a bus or coach due to any of the reasons above then you may have a claim for compensation. It must be of note that the above list is not exhaustive and if you have any accident which was not your fault then you may have a claim.
Read More

BBC News has reported that a police sergeant has been awarded nearly £400,000 in compensation having suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident.  It is said that Mr Steve Ball, who was on duty at the time, was involved in a head-on collision with another motorbike back in 2006.  He spent nearly two weeks in hospital having had to have surgery after losing the use of the right side of his body.  Despite his operations, Mr Ball still suffers from the effects of the accident, that is, he is still in a lot of pain and has restricted movement.  In fact, Mr Ball has had to retire early due to the severity of his injuries.

It just goes to show that your day can be totally different from how you imagined it would be.  The negligence of another motorcyclist has jeopardised Mr Ball’s career and life.  It will simply never be the same again.  If you have similarly had a life-changing experience as a result of the negligence of another person then you are more than likely due compensation to help place you back in the position you would have been had you not have been injured.  That said, even if your injuries are not as bad as Mr Ball’s you may still be entitled to make a claim for compensation; though the amount of compensation you receive will likely be significantly less.  Simply put, if you have been involved in an accident through no fault of your own and as a result you have been injured, no matter how serious, you have a potential claim.  The key thing is that you have been injured; you cannot make a claim if you have no injury. This means that if you have been injured and you may be somewhat to blame, you may still have a claim for compensation.  It is therefore best to get in touch with a professional injury lawyer with years and years of experience in dealing with these sorts of claims who can advise you as to whether you potentially can win compensation.

At The Injury Lawyers we do our utmost to make sure you receive the proper advice that you deserve, and should you have a claim, we will do all we can for you to make sure that you get the maximum compensation you deserve.  In fact, we go further than most other law firms and make sure that you always receive 100% of this compensation.  We always make it clear that we will never take any of your compensation away from you, and put this in writing in the agreement; it is all yours.

Road traffic accidents can happen anywhere on our roads at any time. We put our trust in others on the road to drive safely; thus keeping other road users safe. However, as I was reminded on my way to work this morning – this is not always the case. On the M1 today (Thursday 9^th March 2011) at around junction 29, a lorry had crashed through the central reservation colliding with a number of cars in the process. As a consequence five people were taken to hospital; two of which with serious injuries.

The above incident serves to make us all the more aware of the dangers of driving on the motorway.

Many people can love motorway driving due to the ease and the increased speed you can get to places. However, on the flip-side, many people can dread motorway driving as it is a type of driving which requires increased concentration, due to the high speeds involved, and even a heightened experience of driving in order to become more confident within the motorway environment.
Read More

The term ‘Product Liability’ within a personal injury context means a product which has caused you harm through no fault of your own. As consumers we put our trust in the products we buy, the retailers who stock the product, and the manufacturers that make the product. I can hazard a guess that most of us would not anticipate that a product we purchase could cause us harm, and on the most part they don’t; however, for a number of people this is not the case.

Faulty Products

Products which end up on the shelves of retailers usually go through a number of safety checks to ensure they are safe for the public use. However, as we have seen from many of our clients, these checks may not be thorough enough, or an item may have missed the usual checks. If you have suffered an injury due to a faulty product then you may have a claim for compensation. It may be the case that the faulty product is a chair which when sat on collapsed, or a hot water bottle which burst causing burns to you.  The product may also be a food item which was contaminated with something and caused you illness and/or injury.
Read More

What is No Win No Fee? What does it mean? Is it true that it does exactly what it says on the tin? I know it’s a common term nowadays, but do any of you understand what it actually involves?

There are actually multiple answers to this question – but realistically, it all comes down to which lawyer you choose to represent you.

What Happens if You Lose?

If your compensation claim fails to succeed, under a No Win No Fee, you should not be liable for any of your lawyer’s fees. The reason I say should is because there are lawyers out there who are prepared to be sneaky and may try and get something out of you.
Read More

We all use equipment at work – ranging from the trusty pen in the office, to a pneumatic drill on a building site. With any work equipment that is potentially dangerous, there are health and safety rules and regulations that you and your employer need to abide by in order to prevent an accident at work occurring.

If you are injured due to work equipment provided to you by your employer, you may have a claim for compensation.

There are several areas this covers –

• The provision of suitable work equipment where necessary
• The regular inspection and maintenance of work equipment you use – which ranges from handled tools to factory machinery
• The replacement of any outdated or overly used equipment
• Training in how to use work equipment safely

Read More