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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An increasing number of women are choosing home birth, the perception being that it is safer, cleaner and a better birthing experience. In some circumstances this can be true and after careful consideration by a doctor or a midwife this service can be offered through the NHS. However, some women are turning away from the perceived failures of the NHS and putting their trust into independent midwives.

Whilst some women are getting the experience they hoped for, others are not. In one recent high profile case, the independent midwife who delivered J K Rowling’s two children recorded a high foetal heart rate of 190 beats per minute, over 30 beats over the accepted safe rate, and yet failed to act upon this result. Instead, she continued with labour as normal and only checked the heart rate again after another hour had passed. Eventually, having recorded a dangerously high foetal heart rate on 5 occasions and realising the baby was in the wrong position, an ambulance was called for and the independent midwife then left the mother to wait for the arrival of the paramedics alone.
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Accidents at work are a very common occurrence, probably more so than people think. However it goes without saying that a lot of minor accidents at work are often unreported and even ignored.

This is often because employees are scared to make a fuss over such instances.
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