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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Tragedy strikes South Africa for a group of Leicestershire students just a couple of days before England kick off their World Cup tournament.

The students from Brooksby Melton College in Melton Mowbray were on an organised field trip which had been arranged through travel company Chameleon Worldwide. The students were nearing the end of their trip as they were due to be flying back to the UK.

Sky News has reported that a bus carrying 22 students from the college and 1 member of staff overturned after the driver lost control on Bulembu Road in Barberton. An officer from the local police told reporters that the roads in this area are ‘treacherous’ and have caused many fatal accidents in the past.
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On Saturday 5th June 2010, ambulance and police officers were called out to a house in east London after the fox mauled the 9 month old twins. It has been reported that the fox crept upstairs and attacked the girls after entering the house through an open door that had been left open for ventilation due to the hot weather. Their mother, Mrs. Pauline Koupparis has described how she heard her daughters crying and upon entering the room found the fox stood over them. The two girls suffered arm and serious facial injuries and a police statement said that they were in a stable but serious condition in a London hospital.

After the attack, the fox was caught by the RSPCA and later destroyed humanely. The incident is similar to one in 2002 when a fox injured a 14 month old boy in Kent, however news of the attack has surprised wildlife experts and, despite the number of foxes in urban areas increasing over the last few years, fox attacks on humans are extremely rare. One wildlife expert said “Foxes are among the most amenable, least aggressive mammals you could share your environment with. It’s very rare for a fox to be brave enough to face even a cat.” He also said that foxes have been known to steal the odd item of clothing from human residences but they usually do anything to avoid a confrontation.
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I think the majority of people out there have a basic understanding of what personal injury is about. But I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people who have never made a claim perhaps share a miss-guided view of what personal injury means.

I read a lot of stories and hear a lot of people discussing their grievances against claims for personal injury in public. The old stereotypes of people tripping over curbs, falling off ladders, or slipping on a wet floor and getting thousands of pounds, and the solicitors pocketing tens of thousands of pounds in legal fees, I often hear about. But is this a fair view of personal injury claims? Well, here are a few things to consider:
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If you have had an accident at work that wasn’t your fault, you may have a potential claim for compensation. This is because whilst you are at work, your employer had a duty of care to ensure that you are not exposed to dangerous working conditions. There should be health and safety measures in place to stop a work related accident from happening.

If you are unsure if you have a valid claim, we suggest you try speaking to an independent firm of personal injury solicitors. A personal Injury solicitor will be able to assess your situation and advise you accordingly as to whether you have a successful claim or not.
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