Accidents happen on a daily basis and are often unpredictable. If an accident occurred when you were travelling on a train and the accident was in no way your fault, you may have a potential claim for compensation. In the eyes of the law, passengers are seen as innocent parties as usually they have not contributed to the accident.

If you or a family member has been involved in an accident on a train line, first of all it would be very useful for the accident details to be recorded. For example: try to record the time and location of the accident and also the circumstances of the accident. In all accident situations it is always advisable to attend hospital or visit your GP no matter how minor your injuries may seem. This also means that a log of details will be kept on your medical records which could prove to be very useful should you choose to pursue a claim for compensation.

It is advisable to place a complaint with the train company so that the circumstances of the event can be investigated and hopefully prevented from occurring again. It also provides a record for the insurers to investigate.
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The NHS – it’s no secret that they’re fighting a losing battle. And I come across too many stories in the news of NHS failures that have lead to serious consequences for the victims involved. Although it’s a struggle enough for them, there are still instances of such minor failures that can have big impacts; and it begs the question – how do such little errors end up being made?

Well, this next story may shock you a little. Although the consequences haven’t been too serious, the potential for disaster is evident. According to sources from The Daily Mirror, 63 year old cancer patient Alan Campbell was refused an appointment over the phone… because the surgery claimed he is dead. Yes, that’s right; the NHS Operator refused him an appointment because, and I quote from the source, “Our records show you are deceased”. They could help no further.
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According to several sources I have heard from, including the TV, the radio, and BBC news, a review of the current drink drive limit may result in the current legal limits being lowered. According to one report from the BBC, this kind of law change could be set to save hundreds of lives (source).

The review from Sir Peter North has suggested that lowering the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg per 100ml would be a life saving move. This would actually put us in line with most of the rest of Europe; but including the 12 month ban, it would actually push us in to the harshest category for punishments! He has also suggested that the 12 month mandatory driving ban should extend to the new lower limit of 50mg.
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Have you ever been to a beauty salon or hairdressers expecting to receive a professional treatment but actually the results you got were very different from what you thought you would receive? If you have been harmed in any way i.e. you have been burnt, you have had a chemical reaction etc.. you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. You should not have to suffer at the expense of someone else’s mistake or unprofessionalism.

All beauty salons should have insurance which covers them for any type of accident that may occur; if something has gone wrong when you have had a treatment, this insurance policy should cover you for any loss or injury you may have sustained.

Depending on the severity of your injury you may be entitled to a sum of compensation. Always seek medical advice first of all – this will provide evidence that you have sustained an injury and it may later be relied upon. It’s a good idea to record in your own words exactly what happened; that way if you choose to pursue your claim you will have all the details to hand and there will be no risk of forgetting any of the events. Try to take some photographs to show the extent of your injury. Again, the photographs can be very useful evidence as the extent of your injury will be easier to assess.
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It has been released recently that NHS hospitals could face financial penalties if a patient is readmitted as an emergency within thirty days of leaving hospital. These changes have been unveiled by the new Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley. Hospitals will receive payment for initial treatment but not for any related problems if the patient is brought back within 30 days, sources from the BBC have confirmed ( source). This seems to be in an attempt to stop patients from being released from hospital early in an attempt to free beds, as figures show that between 1998 – 99 and 2007 – 08 readmissions increased from 359,719 to 546.354.

If you have ever felt that you have been negligently treated by an NHS hospital, you could potentially have a claim for compensation. Depending on the circumstances of the incident, you may be entitled to claim for an amount for any suffering caused by a hospitals negligence. Hospitals have certain procedures that are in place to ensure that the patient is given adequate care and treatment. If something has happened to you because a member of the NHS hasn’t completed their job properly, they are negligent, and you are within your rights to pursue a claim against them.
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A 78 year old man has died after being trampled to death by a herd of cows at Hopping Farm in Middleton-by-Youlgreave.

It is understood that the man, named as Mr. Timothy Stephenson, was out walking his pet Labrador through the fields when the tragedy struck and he was later found by a rambler with multiple injuries and still surrounded by the cows. Mr. Stephenson was still alive when found and was rushed to Stoke-on-Trent hospital for treatment, however he did not recover and he died the next day from his injuries.

Mr. Stephenson told the rambler who found him that his dog had spooked the herd causing them to turn aggressive and charge. He tried to get away but it is believed that he tripped and a wall prevented him from escaping.

This tragic accident has led to safety experts making a public warning of the potential risk of cows and other farm animals to members of the public, particularly those walking with dogs.
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If this story was 20 years ago, I think it’s safe to say all Englishman would be on the edge of their seats right now! According to sources from Sky News, English football legend Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne has been injured in a car accident (source).

It may also come as a bit of a surprise to you that he wasn’t driving; not that I would speak negatively of the ex-England international and Newcastle and Tottenham star, but he has had a fair few run ins in the past with drink driving, amongst the varying off-field incidents Gazza managed to land himself in! According to the source, the 43 year old was a passenger in a car that, according to eye witnesses, appeared to screech around a corner at speed before crashing in to Newcastle city’s historic guildhall, taking out a lamppost and a taxi stand sign in the process. A 36 year old woman has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, and has been released on police bail.
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If you have recently been involved in a taxi accident you might be entitled to make a claim for compensation. This is because as a passenger in a taxi, it’s most unlikely that you did anything to cause the accident and so you are seen in the eyes of the law as an innocent party.

Thousands of people use taxi’s everyday and although most taxi drivers are experienced, accidents still happen. Most taxi accidents involve one or more passenger who may have sustained injuries.

At the scene of the accident, if possible, you should: Take details from the taxi driver – his/her name, the name of the firm he/ she works for, their registration number, and their vehicle registration number. Take the names and vehicle registration numbers of any other parties involved. Take names and addresses of any witnesses. Try to sketch a drawing of the scene of the accident or take photographs if possible. All this information will be very useful for the police and also if you choose to make a claim for compensation. It is easy to forget things like the positions of the vehicles and this can be crucial when determining liability so photographs are an excellent source of evidence.
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Dog attacks can be unprovoked incidents that can be extremely traumatic both physically and psychologically. If you or your child has suffered injuries as a result of a dog bite, you could be entitled to claim for compensation with the help of a personal injury solicitor.

Dogs can often attack when they are frightened or feel threatened; after all, they are animals and their behaviour can be hard to predict. If you wish to pursue a claim because you have been bitten by a dog, it would be most advisable for you to seek the help of an independent firm of personal injury solicitors. This is because they will seek to recover the maximum compensation for you – only the experts will never charge you for their work under a genuine no win no fee agreement.
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Every year thousands of people are injured when they are involved in road traffic accidents with uninsured drivers, or worse, drivers that are untraceable because they don’t stop at the scene of the accident. Uninsured and untraced drivers cause many problems to normal law abiding road users, such as the loss of their no claims bonus and increased insurance premiums, and to many, particularly in today’s financial climate, this can put them under a lot of financial pressure.

So what happens if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or untraced driver? What can you do? Well, first of all do not despair because you can claim back compensation through the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The MIB is a non-profit making organisation set up and funded by all motor insurance companies and the UK Government to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers for injuries and financial losses sustained as a result of an accident. The MIB typically deal with around 50,000 claims every year involving untraced or uninsured drivers.
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