Roads are dangerous places – it’s a fact! And as safe as we make them with speed limits and the strict rules of the road, on occasions accidents just cannot be avoided. As specialist personal injury lawyers, we represent countless victims in traffic accidents – and we have seen some remarkable collisions over the years, believe you me!

But this next story really is remarkable! I can honestly say I have never heard of anything like it before! And thankfully, tragedy was averted.
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Animal attacks – they do happen! We luckily live in a country with a minimum of angry animals that could do us some damage. But the claims for canine injuries are common when it comes to animal attacks. And an injured victim has the right to claim for compensation they are legally entitled to for their suffering. But there can be significant difficulties in claiming for damages for dog attacks.

You may have noticed that in the last few months or so, dog attacks have been an issue in the press – with some breeds actively condemned for their potentially dangerous behaviour. So in light of this, the government have been debating on whether compulsory insurance is required to cover dog owners for such eventualities in the same way we motorists required to insurer our cars. But according to sources from the BBC, the government have ruled against the compulsory insurance just a week after suggesting the idea (source).
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It is a sad fact that in previous years many people have worked in unsafe environments in buildings where they have been exposed to Asbestos. An unfortunate side effect of this is that they may succumb to the illness Mesothelioma – a lung tumour caused by exposure to asbestos. The question is can they claim and if so how?

The situation in the case of Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services was exactly the same as the situation above and all the individuals claiming had contracted Mesothelioma through working for several different employers over a period of years.
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One of the blackest days in recent sporting history happened in April 1989 at Hillsborough Stadium during an FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest when officers with South Yorkshire Police caused the stands where spectators were sitting to become overcrowded which in turn caused 95 people (mainly Liverpool Supporters) to be crushed to death.

One the outcomes of this was a case called Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire which was heard at the House of Lords and is relevant in dictating who is allowed to bring a claim for psychiatric illness.
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At some point in all our daily lives we deal with professionals whether it be our local doctor or solicitor. In today’s blog post I will provide a review of the case which dictates (in legal terms) the level of service you should expect from professionals.

The case is Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee, and the facts of it were that the Claimant (Mr Bolam) was suffering from acute depression and was undergoing electric shock treatment to treat this. The unfortunate effect of this for Mr Bolam was that it caused him to have muscle spasms which were so severe it caused his pelvis to be fractured. As a result Mr Bolam sued the hospital treating him and argued that:
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The basic legal principles as to how you can bring a claim for injuries (particularly in product liability claims) were set down in the House of Lords back in 1932 some 78 years ago. Today’s article looks back at this case and how it still is relevant today.

The case stemmed from Mrs Donoghue visiting a cafe with her friend in Paisley. Her friend bought her a ginger beer float (which is a glass of ginger beer with ice cream floating on top) importantly the contents were contained in an opaque bottle. Mrs Donoghue proceeded to take a sip from the bottle and then when her friend topped up the drink the remains of snail came out of the bottle. As a result Mrs Donoghue said the sight of it made her ill.
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Cerebral Palsy is a collective term for muscle impairment disorders which are consequential to damage caused to the brains motor ‘area’.

Cerebral Palsy most commonly begins during pregnancy and it is often the case that you will not know your child has the condition until months, even years, after the birth. There are several causes and the majority of the time they cannot be prevented no matter how careful you are during pregnancy. You can take precautions by ensuring that you watch the level of alcohol and cigarettes consumed during the pregnancy.

However, there are a small percentage of cases which have been caused by clinical or medical negligence;
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I mentioned in my latest article (Dangerous Dozing Drivers) that road traffic accidents are not uncommon – and we at The Injury Lawyers take on a great deal of new road traffic accident claims on a daily basis. But what should you do if you have been in an accident that wasn’t your fault? Well here’s a little friendly advice for you: –

1. Don’t Panic!

I know – this is a lot easier said than done! And of course is rather circumstantial if you have been involved in a big car accident… But try not to panic and try to remain calm. It’s likely you are in shock from the impact, and may be feeling a little dazed and unsure what to do. This is probably the hardest part – but if you can keep your head together, then the next steps might be a little easier.
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Road traffic accidents – they’re the most straight forward of cases to run when it comes to personal injury claims. In the vast majority of instances, the blame is easy to establish. And there are many ways a driver can be negligent and cause an accident – so here’s an example from the Daily Mail today!

According to sources from the Mail, famous British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been allegedly involved in a multi-car head on collision after falling asleep at the wheel of his Jaguar (source)
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Picking up on the earlier article about parental indemnity settlements, I want to draw attention to the increasing trend by the other side’s insurer to make so called “pre-medical offers,” These offers come into play at an early stage of the claim if the other side admit fault for your accident they will often put forward an offer of anything between £1,000.00 and £2,000.00 (and sometimes several offers in quick succession) to bring your claim to an end. When I first began working in personal injury law nearly three years ago I noticed that these offers were rarely made by insurers but in the last year particularly almost every insurer will make an offer of this kind if they admit liability for your claim.

The rise of this tactic by insurers is probably a result of the fact that more people are becoming aware that they can claim for compensation from accidents and so many insurers are looking to cut their losses by throwing money at your claim which may not necessarily be a fair and accurate reflection of what it is worth.
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