The answer…yes (dependent on the circumstances of course!)

To clarify; you wouldn’t be able to claim for the shock or ‘snap’ you feel from the static on your carpet or when you shut your car door now and again. If you had misused a product in an unreasonable manner which had caused the shock to arise then again it is unlikely you will be able to make a claim.

But what if a product you have purchased is faulty and caused you a serious electric shock? What if your apparatus at work is faulty and you have experienced a shock which has resulted in severe injuries?
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So you have been to the hairdressers expecting to come out with brilliant results, and you expect to be fully satisfied. However, something went wrong and you really don’t know what to do about it and you’re a little confused as to why it’s happened. You went into the hairdressers expecting it to be a simple and straightforward process. After all, everyone goes to the hairdressers; surely it’s an easy enough process to have something like your hair dyed when you are in the hands of a “professional”.

Anyone who has happened to suffer in the hands of a hairdresser is far from alone. Hair dressing problems are much more common than people realise and the majority of the time the issues occur as a result of poor techniques or incompetence on the hair dressers part. Hairdressing is a profession that is actually by far under regulated in this country.

The chemicals used for bleaching, straightening, colouring and perming hair all consist of very strong substances, which if used incorrectly can go very wrong indeed – often leading to burns, hair loss and in very severe cases, permanent damage. There are also risks with hair extensions if they are misused leading to semi permanent and even permanent damage. Also, dermatitis through contact is fifteen times higher than the national average.
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It’s always sad to hear of instances where people are seriously hurt in accidents or incidents that were not their fault; and even more so when the victims are infants or children. But what’s nice to hear is when justice is finally served, and the victims of negligence receive the payouts they duly deserve!

So in a combination of the above, does anyone recall the Maclaren buggy cases? We at The Injury Lawyers have actually authored a few blogs on this story, and we are pleased to report that according to sources from Sky News, UK victims of the defective pram – that caused the infant users to sustain serious lacerations, fractures and in some cases complete amputation at the end of the finger – from the dangerously exposed hinges of the fold up push chair will receive compensation for their suffering!
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My colleague today wrote an article on this very same subject – dog attacks and the consequences they have on the lives of the victims involved. They seem to be quite common in the news recently, and today I came across a story of a violent dog attack in which the owner and his accomplices actually joined in the assault!

According to sources from The Mirror (source/), 41 year old Scott Lomas suffered severe injuries when he attempted to stop a Staffordshire bull terrier from fighting with a dog tethered outside a newsagents when this vicious and unprovoked assault began. The unleashed animal ran up to the tethered dog when the owner and his accomplices, rather than stopping the fight, approached the tethered dog and proceeded to kick it, according to the wife of the victim, Michelle. “My husband tried to stop them and told them to get their dog on a lead.” She said, “As he got in the car, they slammed the door on his leg. He confronted them. My husband was jumped on by one as all three moved towards him. He bit Scott’s face on the eyebrow, almost ripping it off.”
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On 28th April 2010 people all over the country gathered at events, rallies and services to mark the UK’s first officially recognized Workers Memorial Day which is held in memory and recognition of all the people who have been killed or suffered injuries in accidents at work.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people all over the world are killed or injured in accidents at work due to poor health and safety standards in the work place and the negligence of employers. Support for Workers Memorial Day has grown in recent years and is already recognized and supported by many other countries throughout the world. This year is the first in which the UK will officially recognize Workers Memorial Day and it is hoped that official recognition will increase awareness further and lead to greater improvements in health and safety standards in the workplace. A member of safety group Hazards Campaign stated that “every year more people are killed at work than in war. Most do not die of mystery ailments or in tragic accidents. They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn’t a priority”.
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Football legend and current Argentina world cup coach Diego Maradona has undergone surgery after being attacked by a dog. The dog, believed to be Maradona’s own pet, bit him on the face leaving him requiring 10 stitches.

The number of dog bites in the UK is increasing every year with NHS figures showing that there were over 3,500 attacks by dogs in 2008 ranging from minor bites and scratches to serious wounds and in some cases even death. Many attacks are now being attributed to non-illegal breeds and family pets and the RSPCA has stated that the Dangerous Dogs Act now needs to be changed to try and curb the increase in attacks which has actually tripled since the act came into force in 1991.
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We have all experienced that ringing or buzzing sound in our ears at some point; whether it’s after a concert, being at a club or at a party. It’s rather annoying for the time it hangs around but generally by the following morning it’s gone and you wonder what all the fuss was about.

But what if that annoying little buzzing or ringing stayed around for longer? What if it was with you continually, day and night and you just can’t shake it?

I don’t know about you but I can only imagine that it would be nothing more than torturous.
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In today’s society it is encouraged that we exercise more and avoid using our cars where possible to reduce our carbon foot print. Many people make good use of bicycles, using them as an alternative means of transport to and from work and also simply for recreational purposes. It’s a brilliant method of getting out and about in the open. Whilst there are many plus sides to using bikes, they come with their disadvantages especially; for pedestrians it seems.

The statistics for injuries to pedestrians is higher than you may think. In 2009 the government released figures showing the cases of people injured due to bicycles (source). Pedestrians are 263 times more likely to be injured by a motor vehicle than they are with a bike. Over the past ten years figures show that 29 people were killed by bicycles and 7,600 were killed by motor vehicles.  364,000 people were injured by motor vehicles, 76,000 of those people being seriously injured and just over 2,600 people were harmed by bicycles.
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And the answer is… It’s completely up to you!

It’s a big question! And it’s one you might ask as part of your decision making process when it comes to who you want to represent you for your claim for compensation. But to be honest, it doesn’t really matter if you choose a solicitor miles and miles away from you! And here’s why:

The claims process involves us specialist lawyers dealing with a lot of third parties; and they really are dotted all over the country! Firstly, are the defendants’ insurers. They may be anywhere in the country – it’s usually completely dependent on who they are insured with! A lot of the larger companies have main offices dotted all over the place, so  in dealing with them – us solicitors will be corresponding with them by phone, email, fax and post.

And if the claim needs to be fought a little harder, then it’s likely the insurers will nominate solicitors to act on their behalf. And again, their solicitors could be anywhere around the country; again it’s completely dependent on who their solicitors are.
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It’s quite surprising how many accidents occur due to the state and condition of Britain’s pavements. It seems that many slips and trips for the general public are the result of poorly maintained surfaces, pot holes (which can be very hazardous!), and ill fitted man hole covers. It’s crucial that pavements are maintained on a regular basis to avoid the cost of accidents.  It’s often very important to write letters of complaint to your local council should you feel an area of pavement is unsafe to use.

According to statistics published by Unison (source – please be aware that this a link to a PDF page), slips and trips are responsible for 33% of all major accidents at work which have been reported to the HSE. Sources quote that 20% of absences at work for a period of longer than three days are due to slips and trips. They also make up 50% of all accidents reported by the general public. Slip and trip accidents occur once every three minutes and 95% of major slips and trips result in broken bones.
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