Pages On: Public Place Accidents
Suffering an accident in a public place can be unsettling and unexpected. We try to go about our lives hoping to not run into health hazards, but it’s not always up to us to prevent dangers. Wherever you are, be it a hotel, store, or gym, businesses have a duty of care to our safety, when this duty lapses, and injuries occur, they are liable and can be sued. If you have suffered such an accident and feel you are not to blame, you could be entitled to occupiers liability compensation. It could, however, be public liability compensation, if it wasn’t a business you were injured in, such as a school or on a public pavement that was poorly maintained. Regardless, there is legal help for those who have been injured in a public place.
Golfer Sues for £50K in Personal Injury Damages Due to a Slip in the Shower
Posted: 26 July 2017
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
The Daily Telegraph recently reported how a man sued his golf club after slipping up in the shower. It makes for interesting reading, as cases like this could have an impact on how personal injury laws are used in the UK. Apparently the man, a Mr Avery, fell over after slipping up on a shower mat in the golf club’s changing room. He then sued for negligence asking for £50,000, with the case being on the premise that there were no non-slip shower mats in the changing rooms, and the surface…
Read MoreLeeds couple win compensation following honeymoon road traffic accident
Posted: 22 April 2016
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Bus Accidents, Hand Injuries, Leg Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A couple from Leeds have been awarded compensation following a head-on collision whilst on tour in Italy. The couple, Angela and Simon Howland, were on the holiday of a lifetime, cruising the Mediterranean when the collision occurred. Their tour bus was travelling between Sorrento and Pompeii and was travelling through a tunnel when it was forced to swerve to avoid a head on collision with another vehicle. The bus, which was transporting tourists from the cruise, then crashed into the tunnel wall, causing substantial personal injury to the driver and many…
Read MoreConcerns raised over lack of health insurance for winter sport holidaymakers
Posted: 2 January 2016
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Sporting Injuries
The Telegraph is warning skiers about the dangers of going on holiday without adequate insurance. Injury sustained whilst skiing or snowboarding tends to be serious, such as broken bones, dislocations and damage to ligaments and with many ski resorts being in remote locations, the price of emergency medical transport can be extremely high. The price of being caught without insurance, particularly in the US, can be exceptionally high and consideration must be given to personal liability, lost equipment, ski passes, lost days due to inclement weather as well as medical coverage.…
Read MoreMedical negligence victim wins £2m after losing eyesight
Posted: 28 December 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Sporting Injuries
A man from Saughall Massie has been awarded £2million in compensation after hospital staff failed to save the sight in his one working eye. 39-year-old Colin Fortune lost the sight in his right eye in 2001 following a sports accident. However, when doctors failed to monitor and treat his left eye, he was left completely blind. The father-of-four had already undergone an operation at Royal Liverpool Hospital when his remaining sight began to worsen, however it was not enough and the staff at Arrowe Park Hospital failed to save his…
Read MoreHospital trust fined over patient deaths
Posted: 20 December 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
An NHS trust has been fined after it was discovered that basic errors caused the deaths of four patients. The trust that previously ran Stafford Hospital, Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, admitted four charges relating to the deaths of elderly people between 2005 and 2014. Where the trust was originally fined £500,000 for the “blunders”, the Department of Health has agreed to cover the fine, and additional £35,000 in costs, seeing as the trust is now defunct and has no funds. Injected with penicillin despite allergy warnings The case was…
Read MoreCouncils pay out £2.4m in highways defects claims
Posted: 8 November 2015
Posted in: Pedestrian Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents
Recently released figures have revealed that councils have paid out millions of pounds in injury and compensation claims as a result of poor road and pavement conditions in Herts and Essex. In the last few years alone, thousands of drivers and pedestrians have reported injuries sustained as a result of road defects. Herts County Council (HCC) paid out a total of £1m in three years, where Essex County Council (ECC) paid out £1.4m, with hundreds of claims still unresolved. “we are continuing to invest heavily” Hert’s authority’s opposition leader, Liberal…
Read MoreMother calls for improved rugby safety following son’s brain damage
Posted: 25 September 2015
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, Sporting Injuries
Passionate rugby player David Griffiths was only 16-years-old when he suffered permanent brain damage during a rugby match. The incident left him with severe memory, behavioural and concentration issues, to the extent that he required around-the-clock care. 13 years after the accident, devastated mother Mandy Griffiths has had her voice heard as she fights to see better safety precautions put in place at youth-level rugby. The incident happened when Mr Griffiths had been playing scrum-half for Pill Harriers RFC. He took a knock to the head, but continued to play.…
Read MoreSchool accidents and abuse costing half a million pounds in compensation
Posted: 7 September 2015
Posted in: Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
According to figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request, councils across the country have paid out almost half a million pounds to injured pupils in the last three years. Payouts included £21,845 to a student who suffered a playground injury due to ‘inadequate supervision’, and £13,358 to a pupil who suffered injury after having their foot trapped in a defective door. The largest payout went to a group of pupils over “sexual abuse by teacher”. A total of £426,283 was paid out by Suffolk County Council, with a spokeswoman…
Read MoreAudience member wins damages following set collapse
Posted: 24 August 2015
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Shoulder Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries
An audience member of the production Fuerzabruta has been awarded compensation after the set collapsed mid-production at the Roundhouse in London. Nicholas Mackay-Grant suffered serious injuries to his back and damage to his left shoulder when a spinning sail became dislodged and fell onto the audience in January of last year. He was treated in hospital following the incident, but his lawyer said that he continued to suffer for over a year from his injuries. The set for the show had been brought in specifically for the production of Fuerzabruta.…
Read MoreWrongly tasered man accepts settlement from police force
Posted: 22 August 2015
Posted in: Personal Injury, Public Place Accidents
A blind man who was accidently tasered when his white walking stick was mistaken for a sword has accepted an out-of-court settlement with Lancashire Police. The man, who remains anonymous by a court order, was involved in the incident in October 2012, and is still greatly affected by the memory of it. Following the incident, the man brought a claim for false imprisonment, assault and battery and breach of the Human Rights Act 1998 against Lancashire Constabulary. He said that the taser attack was completely unexpected, and has left him…
Read MoreGrieving mother suing Italian waterpark
Posted: 15 August 2015
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Car Accidents, Public Place Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries
A mother is suing an Italian water park after breaking her back on a waterslide while on holiday to grieve her dead son. 45-year-old Karen Mitchener went on holiday with her family to Italy after losing her son five years ago in a car accident, aged 18. During their time in east Italy, they visited the Acquaparco Verde Azzurro water park in Marche, but the day ended when Ms Mitchener broke her back on one of the slides. Almost five years since the accident happened, Ms Mitchener says that she…
Read MoreTeacher to receive £1.5m for workplace harassment
Posted: 22 July 2015
Posted in: Employer Negligence, School Accidents
A schoolteacher from Bishop Auckland is to receive £1.5million in compensation after years of suffering workplace victimisation. 43-year-old Karen Hall contacted Durham County Council chief executive George Garlick when the bullying became an issue, with the hope that he would take action. However, despite numerous letters and attempts of contact, he failed to acknowledge her plead for help. The former teacher of West Cornforth Primary School said she suffered eighteen individual instances of victimisation at work, which have left her with serious health problems. She said: “My health is still…
Read MoreLondon schools could be sued over air pollution illness
Posted: 29 June 2015
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
It was announced last week that schools could face legal action if their pupils fall ill as a result of air pollution. This comes as part of the Government’s plan to meet the EU limits on air pollution, with potential payouts running into the tens of thousands. Campaigners have argued that more than 1,000 London schools are within 150 meters of busy roads, which see the passing of at least 10,000 vehicles every day. This pollution greatly increases the risk of breathing and heart problems amongst children, something that parents…
Read MoreTesco employee claims over heavy lifting
Posted: 25 June 2015
Posted in: Shop Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A grocery manager who claims that heavy lifting caused him to suffer a back injury is taking Tesco Stores to the High Court. 36-year-old Damian MacLean accused the company of negligence, with the belief that his back injury was caused by lifting heavy delivery cages in the store. Tesco Stores admitted liability for the injury in a letter written in January 2013, however, now disputes the amount that Mr MacLean is claiming for, arguing that the medical evidence does not support his claim. Mr MacLean made the assertion that his…
Read MoreChild wins £250,000 in compensation after accident at school
Posted: 9 June 2015
Posted in: Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
A Leicester pupil has been awarded £250,000 in compensation for their serious injury at school. The case was brought forward following a Freedom of Information request, yet Leicester City Council has refused to provide any information on the case, including who the child was, what school it happened at, and the extent of the injury. The authority said that providing any information whatsoever could damage the anonymity of the child. What the Freedom of Information request did uncover is that the incident happened in 2008, and that compensation was only…
Read MoreSlips, Trips, and Falls in Bristol – Claim Compensation
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip
If you have been hurt after slipping over, tripping up, or have had a fall in Bristol, then you could be due some form of personal injury compensation. Our solicitors** work on a no win no fee* agreement and with one call to us, you could find out how much you could be owed. Call our Bristol number now on 01174 534 375^ to talk to an accident claims expert with a free consultation. If there is a slip, trip, and fall claim to be made, then we will tell you the…
Read MoreShop Injury Compensation Claims in Bristol
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents
If you injure yourself whilst in a store in Bristol, then you could be eligible to make a shop injury claim. Slips, trips, and falls in stores can cause serious pain and injury, and in most cases it won’t be your fault. In cases such as these, Accident Claims Bristol can help you claim for the compensation that you deserve. Shop Injury Compensation Claim Types Most cases that our experienced solicitors** have dealt with when it comes to shop injury claims tend to involve slips on the floor. These will typically result…
Read MoreHoliday Injury Claims for Bristol Residents – Compensation for Accidents Abroad
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Public Place Accidents
Holidays should be a time to relax and have fun. Becoming ill on holiday, or having an accident, or being injured can be stressful and frightening. Our holiday injury claim specialists for Bristol residents are ready and waiting to take your call. If you believe that you could be due some form of compensation, then one quick, no-obligation discussion with our team will let you know whether you are eligible. If our solicitors** believe that you are owed holiday accident compensation, then we will work on your behalf on a…
Read MoreHotel Injury Claims in Bristol & Abroad
Posted in: Hotel Accidents, Public Place Accidents
With Bristol being a hub for tourism, we have a higher than average concentration of hotels, B&Bs, and guest houses. Accidents can happen in hotels, whether here in the city or whilst on holiday abroad, and when they do, guests should be able to claim for hotel injury compensation. If you have been unfortunate enough to have an accident at a hotel as a guest, resident, customer, or employee, then you could be eligible for personal injury compensation. To find out more, call our claims experts, who will be able…
Read MoreEquestrian Accident Claims in Bristol – Horse Riding Injuries
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
Get in touch today if you would like to discuss compensation. Our personal injury solicitors** can represent horse riders who have been injured whilst riding, or working with horses. We can also support those that have been involved in an equestrian accident with a horse out on the road or countryside – we fight tirelessly to ensure that our clients receive the compensation they deserve. Because we work on a no win, no fee* agreement, it means anyone in Bristol can get effective legal representation for an equestrian accident. Call…
Read MoreGym Injury Compensation Claims in Bristol
Posted in: Gym & Leisure Centre Accidents, Public Place Accidents
Have you been hurt whilst at the gym in Bristol? If you have, then it might be possible for you to claim for gym injury compensation. Our team is available now to take your call and offer a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim. Working on a no win, no fee* basis, we are the leaders in gym injury claims in Bristol. Most gymnasiums are safe with well-trained instructors. Gyms are at their most popular in terms of national memberships, with nearly five million UK residents actively visiting…
Read MoreFood Poisoning Compensation Claims in Bristol
Posted in: Food Poisoning, Public Place Accidents
Our personal injury solicitors** can help you to claim for food poisoning compensation in Bristol, providing we can prove that your illness was due to the negligence of a third party. We will also need proof of your illness, so please make sure that you see a doctor or hospital if you have been affected. You can become ill on holiday or on a cruise ship. In most Bristol food poisoning cases, the victim will have become ill after eating at one of the following types of venues or activities.…
Read MoreWe Can Now Handle Sports Injury Compensation in Bristol
Posted: 6 May 2015
Posted in: Sporting Injuries
At Personal Injury Bristol we are pleased to announce that we are now able to support people with sporting injury claims for compensation. With new panel solicitors added to our roster of partners, who all have sports personal injury claims experience, it means we can now offer expert accident claims on a variety of sports all of which can be seen on our newly dedicated Bristol sports injury compensation page. Referee and Player Assaults It’s a sad state of affairs, but assaults on referees and players around the UK are…
Read MoreRugby Injury Claims in Bristol – No Win No Fee Compensation
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
The scrum can be a high risk area for injury. At Accident Claims Bristol many of our solicitors** are keen rugby fans. We know the game, the risks, and what can happen whilst on the pitch or during training. If you are a player, referee, coach, fan, or spectator and have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, then there could be compensation for your rugby injury claim. Our solicitors** all work on no win no fee* so you don’t have any financial risk when making a rugby injury claim in Bristol.…
Read MoreFootball Accidents in Bristol – Claim for Compensation
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
Football is played by millions of people each and every day around the UK. It’s especially popular in Bristol. As one of the most popular sports in the city, it’s played by men, women, and children. So much so, we have two teams; Rovers and City. Due to the significant amount of people playing football in Bristol, we have seen a surge in football accidents, leading to personal injury claims. All levels of football can result in claims. Of course, football is a high intensity contact sport, and accidents and…
Read MoreSports Injury Claims Bristol – No Win No Fee Compensation
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
With Bristol being a hub for sport, it’s no surprise that we are one of the cities in the UK that have more sport injury claims for compensation. With hundreds of people taking part in sports each week – such as football, rugby, horse-riding, and other high intensity activities – the risk of injury is high. Sports Injury Claims in Bristol – What Can You Claim For? Contact sports are high risk categories for injuries. If you have been injured whilst playing sports in Bristol, and it wasn’t your fault,…
Read More4 years for dangerous driver who killed schoolgirl and injured several others
Posted: 2 May 2015
Posted in: Car Accidents, Leg Injuries, Pedestrian Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, School Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Robert Blackwell, 19, from Hayway Lane, Bampton, Oxfordshire, has been given a 4-year jail sentence after admitting dangerous driving resulting in the death of schoolgirl, Liberty Baker, 14, on 30 June. Blackwell’s car mounted the pavement, killing Liberty and injuring 2 of her friends as they walked to school in Witney, Oxfordshire. Blackwell admitted causing death by dangerous driving and inflicting serious injury by dangerous driving, and admitted to having smoked cannabis on the day before taking to the road. The incident took place in Curbridge Road and also involved Paul Cracknell…
Read MoreDerby school for deaf ‘inadequate’
Posted: 2 May 2015
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
Following an inspection carried out by Ofsted last December, the residential Royal School for the Deaf in Derby has been put into special measures. This follows the discovery by inspectors that children were being put at risk of grooming and that pupil safety was not being prioritised. Following December’s inspection, a week long, unannounced inspection carried out in March found that recommendations for improvement had still not been implemented, and that “emergency safeguarding systems put in place by leaders” since the December inspection were “unsound”. December’s report found the school…
Read MoreWaterpark owners fined following death
Posted: 15 March 2015
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The company that runs a water park in Gloucestershire, where a teenager drowned in 2010, has been ordered to pay £240,000 in costs and fines. 15-year-old Kajil Devi, from London, died after slipping and falling into the water at Cotswold Country Park and Beach in 2010. The company in charge of the water park, WM Active, admitted to failing to ensure the health and safety of the public – a charge enforced by Cotswold District Council. WM Active was forced to pay £150,000 in costs and an additional £90,000 in…
Read MoreMan wins compensation over faulty gym equipment
Posted: 7 March 2015
Posted in: Gym & Leisure Centre Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents
A man has been awarded £1.3million in compensation after faulty gym equipment left him blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other. 46-year-old Muaro Carneiro had been using the equipment at David Lloyd Leisure, founded by the former British tennis star, when a fitness resistance band came free from its fasting and hit him in the eyes. David Lloyd Leisure admitted failing to discharge a duty contrary to section 30 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Teeside crown court. It was heard in court…
Read MoreInjuries abroad proving expensive for uninsured brits
Posted: 3 March 2015
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Head and Brain Injuries, Leg Injuries
A new study has found that the most expensive places for an uninsured Brit to suffer an injury are the US and Canada. The study looked at winter sports particularly, with treatment for a broken leg costing £26,000 (USD$40,000) in the US and £15,000 (CAD$28,000) in Canada. After America and Canada, Austria and Switzerland came next in the rankings. The study, which was commissioned by Allianz Global Assistance UK and the Ski Club of Great Britain, studied all the claims made in the US and Canada by uninsured Brits. The…
Read MoreMan seriously injures three strangers
Posted: 30 December 2014
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Head and Brain Injuries, Restaurant Accidents
A man has been charged after punching three strangers in the face as they left a bar in Plymouth. 25-year-old Dominic Shorten assaulted the individuals in an unprovoked attack, knocking one of them unconscious. Mr Shorten admitted the three counts of assault against Mr Alexander, Ross Pettitt and James Spingnall on 17 September at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court. Claire Tresidder, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said that the three men had been walking towards Boomerangs at around 10pm when the assaults happened. Mr Shorten confronted the men and punched Mr Alexander in…
Read MoreStandards not met by duck boat tour operators
Posted: 18 December 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Public Transport
Incidents involving duck boat tours in Liverpool and London have highlighted serious failings. A recent report found that the incidents were caused by both poor maintenance and a general failure to meet standards. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said that the company behind the amphibious duck vehicles is “extremely fortunate” that no one was hurt in either of the incidents. One incident happened in June 2013 when the craft sank in Liverpool. 31 people, including children, had been on board the vehicle at the time, and 27 people required hospital…
Read MoreCouncil paid out £70,000 for pothole damage
Posted: 14 November 2014
Posted in: Pothole Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents
Suffolk County Council has paid out £70,000 to claimants for pothole damage over the last two years. The figures were released under a Freedom of Information request, which uncovered the sum to be made up of personal injury compensation, vehicle damage, legal fees and other costs. The council received 173 claims in the financial year 2012/13, which rose to 353 last year. Of these claims, a total of 78 were successful. Where the number of claims increased, the amount paid out by the council decreased. In 2012/13 they paid out a…
Read MoreNurse wins compensation following holiday slip
Posted: 28 October 2014
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Foot Injuries, Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents
A former nurse has been awarded £225,000 in compensation after she was forced to leave her job following a serious fall on holiday. 58-year-old Kathleen Powell had been a nurse for the army when she went on holiday to Tenerife in 2006. The accident happened during a salsa dancing class when she slipped on a wet floor, around which were no warning signs. Ms Powell suffered three broken bones in her leg and two broken toes. She is still in pain eight years after the accident happened. The mother from…
Read MoreNo charges following nightclub crushing deaths
Posted: 19 October 2014
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
It has been decided that no criminal charges will be made following the deaths of two women in a nightclub crush in 2011. 22-year-old Nabila Nanfuka and 19-year-old Laurene-Danielle Jackson were both out at Lava & Ignite in Northampton on the 18th of October 2011. Around 1,500 had been in the nightclub when the crush happened during the “Wickedest Wickedest” event. Most of the clubbers had been university students who had travelled to the event on coaches. Three years following the incident, it has been ruled that no charges can…
Read MoreOutcry over dog destruction
Posted: 28 September 2014
Posted in: Animal Attacks, Shop Accidents, Workplace Injuries
A wave of public anger has overcome the Derby community after a destruction order was placed on a dog forced to bite a shop assistant by its owner. Tia, a “pitbull or Staffordshire” type dog, was forced by her owner, Jessiah Johnson, to attack a shop assistant in November last year. Magistrates ordered the destruction of the dog following the incident, which has resulted in a public outcry with people arguing that the dog should not be held responsible. Tia was ordered to bite the assistant by its owner, after…
Read MoreCouple finally wins £20k payout for life-changing gastric illness contracted on holiday
Posted: 23 September 2014
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Food Poisoning
A couple from Bristol have finally been awarded compensation after a holiday organised by Thomas Cook went terribly wrong. Mark Bidwell and Nicola Greathurst had been on a two-week long holiday at the four-star Bahia Principe Hotel, in the Dominican Republic; a few months before they were due to have a baby. However, only five weeks into the holiday, Mr Bidwell fell severely unwell with a gastric illness. He suffered abdominal pain, diarrhoea, lethargy and serious weight loss. The father-of-two described the holiday as a “nightmare”. His wife, Nicola (38), was 24 weeks pregnant…
Read MoreWoman breaks spine abroad
Posted: 19 September 2014
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Road Traffic Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries
38-year-old Joanna Rose was left with life-changing injuries after a car hit her during her honeymoon in Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca. She suffered a broken spine, five broken ribs, internal bleeding and serious bruising. The accident happened when her and her husband were walking along the side of the road and a car hit her from behind. Mrs Rose is now seeking compensation for the rehabilitative treatment she will require. Following the accident, Mrs Rose was rushed immediately to hospital in Torrevieja where she spent two weeks. Then she was transferred to Pinderfields…
Read MoreCouncil pays out to injured boy
Posted: 28 August 2014
Posted in: Hand Injuries, Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents
Hull City Council is to pay compensation to a five-year-old boy after he tripped and fell on an unsafe drain. Jayden Willby, from east Hull, suffered injuries after tripping on an unsafe drain nearby his home last November. The drain was highlighted as a hazard to the council on the day of Jayden’s injury, but nothing was done to mend it. Five months later, Jayden’s mum, Candice Gilchrist, decided to take action, arguing that children frequently walk to school on that road. Jayden had been walking to school when he…
Read MoreDangers of sloping train station platforms identified
Posted: 20 August 2014
Posted in: Hip Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Public Transport
It has recently been identified by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) that the platforms of many train stations slope towards the tracks. A spokesperson from the branch said that the rail industry has not identified this as a problem, despite it having caused numerous accidents. With reports ranging from a child in a pushchair to a wheelchair user rolling onto the tracks, the majority of the reports laid the blame on the passengers involved. In September 2013 a baby in a pushchair had been left parallel to the track on…
Read MoreFamilies of injured children take legal action
Posted: 5 August 2014
Posted in: Bus Accidents, Leg Injuries, Neck Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, School Accidents
The families of 28 injured schoolchildren have launched legal action just over a month after two buses collided during their school runs. The accident happened in County Durham on the 3rd of June when one bus, taking children to Tanfield School, crashed into another bus that had been taking children to St Bede’s School. The two buses crashed head-on in Lanchester, with two drivers and 28 children taken to hospital as a result. The accident happened in Shield Row Lane, near the junction of the A693. One law firm is due to…
Read MoreInjured teachers receive record £26m in compensation
Posted: 20 April 2014
Posted in: Arm Injury, Foot Injuries, Head and Brain Injuries, Neck Injuries, Pedestrian Injuries, Pothole Injuries, School Accidents, Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries
Newly released figures have revealed that school staff have been awarded a record of £26 million in compensation. One teacher received £110,000 after tripping on a pothole in the driveway of the school she worked at. She is just one of the hundreds of school staff who have claimed for a work-related injury. The NASUWT teaching union assisted many of its members in claiming compensation, winning teaching staff more than £20 million in 2013. This figure was up a third on the previous year, with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)…
Read More‘Guillotine gate’ injures six-year-old
Posted: 5 April 2014
Posted in: Finger Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
After a gate was found to be potentially dangerous by a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report in 2004, a young boy has lost three fingertips in the gate described as a “guillotine”. The six-year-old boy, who suffered with learning difficulties, got his hand trapped in the hinges of the gate, cutting off three of his fingertips. Salford City Council has been fined £20,000 for the accident that happened at Springwood Special Educational Needs Primary School in Swinton. Even though the gate had been highlighted as dangerous in 2004, the council took…
Read MoreFamily seek compensation for cyclist son
Posted: 25 March 2014
Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Shoulder Injuries
A Gloucestershire family is currently seeking compensation for their 15-year-old son after he suffered severe injuries when his bike went into a pothole during a charity ride. Ollie Pike, from Malmesbury in Wiltshire, smashed his head and broke his collarbone in the accident on the 9th of March. He said that he swerved to avoid one set of potholes, but as a result went crashing into another. He was then thrown to the ground after being propelled over his handlebars. He had been riding on the roads near Cirencester when the…
Read MoreCouncil paid out £150,000 compensation in last five years
Posted: 15 March 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Workplace Injuries
Recently released figures have revealed that Thanet Council has paid out around £150,000 in compensation to personal injury claimants in the past five years alone. The figures were attained as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request made by the Gazette newspaper, finding that a total of 70 claims had been made against the council in the last five years. In only the past year, a total of 13 claims were made, with a total of £28,298 being paid-out The highest payout in the last year was £22,6802010 was the…
Read MorePlayground cuts could cause more accidents
Posted: 3 March 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents
With a newly proposed plan to save money by reducing “weekend park duties” in Brighton and Hove, the GMB union has argued that this will greatly increase the number of accident and compensation claims made on behalf of injured children. Brighton and Hove City Council has already paid out £23,500 to children injured in its playgrounds in the last five years. Its proposed budget aims to save £40,000 by cutting weekend inspections of playgrounds, known as “weekend park duties”. In addition to compensation claims going up, the GMB union has…
Read More19-month-old cut by H&M security tag
Posted: 27 February 2014
Posted in: Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents
The mother of a 19-month-old boy is furious after her son suffered a serious cut on his leg as a result of the security tag being left on his trousers purchased at H&M. Emma Lipscombe had been trying to dress her son in the newly purchased trousers when he began to scream in pain. The security tag had been left inside one of the trousers’ pockets, with the sharp pin cutting into the leg of the boy as his mother tried to put them on. The security pin, applied to clothing…
Read MoreCouncil putting ‘lives at risk’ along river avon after another student death
Posted: 31 January 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A councillor has highlighted the potential dangers of the River Avon seeing as safety measures have still not been implemented following a report published three years ago. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) produced a report in 2011, which highlighted numerous areas for improvement following the death of university student James Bubear. Three years on, safety measures have still not been installed, with broken ladders and submerged grab lines putting “lives at risk”. Independent councillor Dave Laming said that even though a safety railing was installed following…
Read MoreRedbridge council sees highest payouts for accidents at school
Posted: 25 January 2014
Posted in: Finger Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries
New figures have revealed that Redbridge Council has paid out almost £100,000 in compensation to people involved in accidents at school. Out of all of London’s 32 boroughs, Redbridge Council sees the 5th highest amount of payouts, with neighbouring Waltham Forest compensating as little as half of Redbridge Council, with only a third of the claims. The figures showed that over the last five years, the council has received 61 personal injury claims that relate to children, staff, parents, visitors, and contractors. Figures uncovered by the freedom of information disclosure…
Read MoreBromley and Hackney have safest schools in London
Posted: 15 January 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
With London’s schools having paid out over £1,609,000 to injured children in the last five years, figures have uncovered Bromley and Hackney to have the safest schools in the city. Health and safety experts ‘Employment Law Advisory Service’ (ELAS) released the figures through a ‘Freedom of Information’ request, showing that over 1,010 personal injury claims were made against the city’s schools since September 2008. The figures not only highlighted Bromley and Hackney as having the safest schools, Enfield was recognised as the least safe, with a total of 18…
Read MoreConcerns raised over compensation culture in UK primary schools
Posted: 13 January 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
Figures released yesterday have revealed that hundreds of primary school pupils are receiving record payouts. The last five years has seen the funding of £3.3million worth of compensation in school injury claims, with injuries spanning from slipping on wet floors to hitting heads on goalposts. Even though calculations lead to the figure of £3.3million, experts believe that the true cost is much more. These figures, obtained by the Employment Law Advisory Service, involve schools across England’s three biggest cities: London, Birmingham and Manchester. Health and safety consultant Wayne Dunning, however,…
Read MoreOAP wins Starbucks payout
Posted: 31 December 2013
Posted in: Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Restaurant Accidents, Shop Accidents
An OAP that slipped on the floor in a Midland branch of Starbucks coffee house has won a four-figure payout from the multinational chain. Seventy-one-year-old Rosemarie Duggan from Perry Bar had been at the chain’s Bescot Retail Park outlet in Walsall when she slipped on the ‘greasy’ floor. Mrs Duggan suffered a torn hamstring in the fall, despite other customers already having complained about the dangers of the floor condition. Mrs Duggan was immediately taken to Sandwell General Hospital where she was provided with crutches, anti-inflammatory cream and strong analgesia…
Read MoreGo-kart firm fined following girl’s death
Posted: 7 November 2013
Posted in: Neck Injuries, Personal Injury, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The company responsible for the recent death of 18-year-old Suzanne Cornwell has been fined £10,000 for breaching health and safety laws. When Miss Cornwell’s scarf became tangled in her go-kart in December 2009, she suffered “critical” neck injuries and was unconscious when paramedics arrived at the Cambridgeshire raceway. Miss Cornwell, from Hardwick, had been at an out-of-hours go-karting session with friends when her scarf became tangled in the axle of her kart. The company – Peterborough Raceway Ltd – and the manager at the time – Paul Shinn – both pleaded…
Read More40 defibrillators donated to school
Posted: 27 October 2013
Posted in: Personal Injury, Public Place Accidents
A Manx heart charity has donated 40 defibrillators to primary schools on the Isle of Man after raising over £60,000 in recent charity events. Paula Lunt founded the charity donating the defibrillators – Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation – after her son died of an undiagnosed heart defect in April 2005. Since then the charity has been working hard to equip schools and sports clubs across the island with the potentially life-saving equipment. Last year the charity donated 55 defibrillators to schools and clubs on the Isle of Man, and on top…
Read MoreWorst street in country for potholes identified
Posted: 13 October 2013
Posted in: Pedestrian Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents
A street in Leeds has been labeled the worst stretch of road for potholes in the country after more than £500,000 in compensation has gone out to those that have sustained injuries on it. Kings Lane was found to be the worst street after a YEP, Yorkshire Evening Post, investigation uncovered the fact that Leeds City Council bosses have had to payout a total of £526,449 to personal injury claimants over the last four financial years. Also during these four years, Leeds City Council, (which is already strapped for cash) received…
Read MoreCouncil fined for elderly lady’s fall
Posted: 7 September 2013
Posted in: Public Place Accidents
An 82-year-old dementia sufferer has sustained severe cuts and bruises after falling into an open sewer at her care home in Doncaster. The council has been fined over £7,000 for leaving the 2 meter-deep manhole unguarded at Oldfield House in Stainforth. An apprentice plumber had been working at the site, leaving the hole open and unattended after completing his work. Doncaster Borough Council have apologised for breaching health and safety legislation. Fined a total of £7,040 The recently qualified workman left the hole briefly unattended while he went inside, also…
Read MoreScientists reveal link between rugby and dementia
Posted: 5 August 2013
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Sporting Injuries
Although early onset dementia has only ever been associated with boxing, Dr. Willie Stewart – a brain injury specialist – has revealed a worrying link between the illness and many other high impact/injury sports, including rugby. A recent BBC interview heard Dr. Willie Stewart discussing research that he had carried out with a former rugby player over the last few months. He examined tissue sections and discovered abnormal proteins that are usually related to dementia and head injuries. Only now becoming recognised The examined player’s brain showed abnormally high levels of the…
Read MoreDeath in the Lake District provokes warning for swimmers
Posted: 14 July 2013
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
After the recent death of 21-year-old Matthew Joseph, a warning has been issued regarding the dangers of open-water swimming. Cumbria’s Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) pleads that swimmers avoid swimming in reservoirs, rivers and lakes. Matthew Oliver Joseph was airlifted to hospital earlier in the month after getting into difficulties swimming in the Lake District. Originally from Romford, London, he was rescued from Coniston Water after he was seen “in distress” when swimming with his friends. Friends tried to rescue him but were unable to get him out of the water. Mr. Joseph…
Read More£150,000 injury compensation paid out to Gloucestershire pupils
Posted: 8 July 2013
Posted in: Personal Injury, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
It has been recognised that over the last five years, more than £150,000 in personal injury compensation has been paid out to school pupils across Gloucestershire. With the largest payout standing at £18,000, the council has been forced to look into the underlying cause of such payments. A Freedom of Information request by the BBC discovered that Gloucestershire County Council awarded 29 pupils with payments between 2008 and 2013. One of the recognised claims was for an incident that happened ten years earlier. The figures taken by the BBC found that £27,000…
Read MoreDozens trapped on thrill ride
Posted: 17 June 2013
Posted in: Public Place Accidents
Around forty people had to be rescued from one of Chessington World of Adventures’ biggest rides yesterday after its electrics failed. Suspended at 20ft, emergency services reached the theme park an hour after the ride’s breakdown – during which both adults and children were suspended in the air. ‘Rameses Revenge’ is a top spin ride which suspends two rows of riders over water jets, before hurtling them to the ground. When the electrics stopped working, an automatic safety mechanism was activated which brought the ride to a controlled stop. Fire…
Read MoreFirm fined after pedestrian is struck by falling masonry
Posted: 6 March 2013
Posted in: Pedestrian Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents, Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A Portsmouth firm has been fined for safety failings after a member of the public was struck by masonry during unsafe overhead work in Surrey. The 29-year-old passer-by cut and bruised his shoulder and experienced muscle spasms as a result of the incident. Guildford Magistrates’ Court heard that the firm was undertaking work above shops to clean stonework and install pigeon spikes. A mobile elevating working platform (MEWP) was correctly being used for the task, but as it was being repositioned it struck a building and dislodged a chunk of…
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