Pages On: Personal Injury

Death and Fatal Accident Claims in Leeds

Posted in: Personal Injury, Wrongful & Accidental Death

If a Fatal Accident has killed a close family member of yours, you need a legal team who will give you the friendly support required. As well as bringing those responsible to justice with the full force of the law. We can help you claim for an accidental death with our expert legal team. Our personal injury experts of Leeds will tirelessly pursue damages for your family to make life without them that much more bearable. Contact us on 01132 234 466^ to get a free claim assessment and hear about our…

Chest Injury Compensation Claims Leeds

Posted in: Personal Injury

Accidents leading to chest injuries are rare, but extremely dangerous. An injury to the chest can lead to organ damage, broken ribs, and even death. It is of the utmost importance that our heart and lungs continue to function uninterrupted, and chest injuries can jeopardise that. If you have suffered from a chest injury in Leeds, and are not at fault, you’re likely to have a strong case to claim personal injury compensation. We can help you do this on a no, win, no fee* basis. To find out if…

Personal Injury – claim compensation with our Leeds solicitors.

Posted in: Personal Injury

Our experts at Accident Claims Leeds are committed to helping you claim the compensation you are owed following an accident. We help the people of Leeds with not only legal representation, but also getting them the care required to get their life back. We offer a No Win, No Fee* service, so that there is less for you to worry about as we get you the damages you deserve. No matter how you were injured, contact us to start your recovery today on 01132 234 466^. Types of personal injury claims we can help…

Compensation Calculator

Posted in: Personal Injury

Head Skeletal/skull injuries Fractures of the frontal facial bones £15,500 – £24,100 Multiple facial fractures £9,750 – £15,750 Fractures of Nose or Nasal complex £1,125 – £15,200 These vary from simple fractures of the nose with full recovery to serious fractures involving multiple surgeries and/or permanent disability in breathing. Fractures of cheekbones £1,550 – £10,350 These range from simple fractures from which a complete recovery is possible to multiple fractures requiring surgery and which involve some level of disfigurement. Fractures of jaws – £4,250 – £30,000 These range from simple…

Product Liability Claims in Leeds

Posted in: Personal Injury

Have you, or a family member, suffered an injury or become ill as a result of a faulty product? If so, our Leeds-based product liability lawyers could help you win compensation today. We come into contact with products constantly throughout our everyday lives; they are used to entertain us, feed us and assist us. We put our trust into these products to not cause us any harm, or lead to serious injuries and lasting health problems. However, when products do become faulty and cause injury, our lawyers are here to…

Compensation awarded to prison officer forced to leave her profession

Posted: 1 May 2016

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A former prison officer, working in a London young offender’s institute, has been forced to quit her job after sustaining a debilitating injury whilst at work. The officer, who has chosen to remain unnamed, was eventually awarded the sum of £140,000 in compensation, following a six year battle with her ex-employer.  Her solicitors argued that the prison service was to blame following an altercation between two inmates that should never have been allowed to occur.  The officer had warned colleagues that the two inmates were on ‘separate unlock’, meaning that they…

Middlesbrough woman wins compensation case

Posted: 21 April 2016

Posted in: Leg Injuries, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A Middlesbrough woman has won her claim for compensation against her employer, Middlesbrough Council, following a fall that caused serious damage to her leg.  Mrs Linda Williams had been working as a kitchen assistant in a Middlesbrough primary school for 18 years.  The 58-year-old claimant had been walking through the dining room during the lunch time service to collect some kitchen equipment when the accident happened.  She slipped on a patch of wet floor which had just been mopped following a pupil urinating on it.  There was no notice to…

Fire fighter injured in the line of duty

Posted: 12 April 2016

Posted in: Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A fire fighter has been awarded an undisclosed amount of compensation from his employer, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, after sustaining a serious injury whilst fighting a fire at a house in Bickleigh, near Exeter.  The serviceman was pulling thatching off of the blazing house’s roof when a 120kg ladder toppled over and hit him on the shoulder.  The 39-year-old from Honiton, had previously warned that the ladder was not properly secured, stating that it needed to be bound by a rope to stop it falling over.  His…

£940000 compensation following freak accident

Posted: 4 April 2016

Posted in: Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A Manchester man has received £940000 in compensation after taking his employer to court following a freak accident at work. The accident, that initially seemed innocuous, left the employee with every bone in his wrist broken, rendering him unable to go back to work again.  The man in his forties decided to take his employer to court after his contract was terminated just weeks after the incident.  Having built up substantial skills over his working life, the claimant was able to earn a very good income.  After sustaining debilitating injuries…

Civil servant receives £20k compensation following fall in workplace

Posted: 22 March 2016

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

An employee of the Department for Work and Pensions has been awarded £20,000 after a fall she took at work, leaving her disabled. 50-year-old Alain Sargent from Kent town, Westgate on Sea, decided to press for compensation after being left disabled when she had her shoe heel lodged in a faulty step causing a debilitating accident.  Ms Sargent sued Dalkia Plc for neglect, the company who maintained the building of her employer, the Department of Work and Pensions, who admitted liability and settled the claim out of court. “difficult to…

Tour operator responsible for tragic deaths

Posted: 7 March 2016

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A tour guide from a Vietnamese tour operator is being questioned by police, and the tour operator has been suspended, following the tragic deaths of 3 British tourists on Friday.  24-year-old Beth Anderson and her sister 19-year-old Isobel Squire died, together with 25-year-old Christian Sloan, in the Da Lat area of Lam Dong when they were swept away by fast flowing water and swept over a waterfall.  The sisters, from Sheffield, and Mr Sloan from Kent, had entered the water at an unauthorised area, and it was later confirmed that…

Man jailed for causing road death

Posted: 2 March 2016

Posted in: Car Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A Southport man has been jailed for two years and banned from driving for two years for causing the death of Lancashire man, Andrew Birch, in January of last year.  Mr Birch, 46, from Scarisbrick was the passenger in a Peugeot Horizon being driven by his 80-year-old mother.  58-year-old Kenneth Grisedale admitted causing the death of Mr Birch, and the serious injury of two other people, by driving dangerously in his BMW.  “a clear message to anyone who carries out dangerous manoeuvres” Liverpool Crown Court heard that Grisedale dangerously overtook…

Diabetic could have been saved

Posted: 1 March 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Type 1 diabetic, 27-year-old Lisa Day, could have been saved if an ambulance had arrived sooner, a coroner has stated.  Ms Day, from Saffron Walden in Essex, was with her friend Luke Halliburton when she fell ill in September of 2015.  She was living in West Hampstead in north London when she became ill.  The inquest heard that she had to wait almost five hours for an ambulance to arrive, during which time she suffered a heart attack and became unconscious.  Ms Day never regained consciousness.  Struggling to cope with…

Wall collapse seriously injures two children

Posted: 15 February 2016

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries

Two young children, a boy aged four and a girl aged seven, were badly injured when a 10 foot wall collapsed as they were walking to school with their mother during Storm Imogen.  It is thought that the children were walking a little ahead of their mother when the garden wall in Bretforton, near Evesham in Worcestershire, fell on top of them. The children were pulled from the rubble and air lifted to hospital where they were treated for injuries to their legs, backs and faces. Due repairs Speaking on…

47-year-old dies as a result of undiagnosis

Posted: 9 February 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A coroner’s inquest into the death of 47-year-old Jeanette Scully heard that she had made 58 medical visits in the five months leading up to her death. Ms Scully died from an aggressive form of cancer and was in extreme pain due to the rare malignant tumour that spread throughout her pelvis and abdomen.  The hearing in Sunderland Civic Centre was told that Ms Scully had first approached her GP in 2012 suffering from abdominal pain and rectal bleeding.  She was also experiencing pain in her back, hip and thighs. Diagnosed…

2 dead following undiscovered fire

Posted: 20 January 2016

Posted in: Personal Injury, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A serious chip pan fire that was missed by fire-fighters left two people dead at 11:00 on Saturday.  Neighbours of dinner lady Keli Morgan, 44, and her husband Joe Morgan, 41, had called the fire services upon smelling smoke.  Fire-fighters attended the report and searched for 25 minutes to find the source of the smoke, however they could not find any source of fire and left after isolating the electricity to one of the light fittings.  During their first time in the house they carried out a thorough search, which…

Shoreham airshow disaster victims could be in line for payouts

Posted: 11 January 2016

Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

It has been revealed following the tragic Shoreham air show crash that injured spectators could be in line for very large compensation payments. This has come as a result of the aircraft’s owners admitting liability for the accident, which saw eleven killed and fourteen seriously injured. The Hawker Hunter 1950s RAF jet crashed during an aerobatics display on 22 August 2015, causing it to fall out of the sky in a fireball and smash into several cars on the ground. Former RAF pilot Andy Hill was flying the aircraft at…

Shopping centre fined £75,000 for severing a man's toe

Posted: 31 December 2015

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents

A shopping centre in Nottingham has been fined £75K after a customer was severely injured on an escalator. 27-year-old Michael Reddington had been shopping in the West End Arcade when his foot got trapped in an escalator, resulting in the loss of his big toe. The incident happened on 15 March 2012 when Mr Reddington had been trying to pick up his mobile phone after dropping it. It was heard that the sound engineer had accidentally placed his left foot inside a missing part of the escalator’s steps, which he…

Cyclist awarded £105K after being hit by a car

Posted: 28 December 2015

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Leg Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents

A cyclist who was left wheelchair-bound for four months after being hit by a car has been awarded £105,000 in compensation. The 48-year-old, who remains unnamed, had been cycling on a roundabout near his home in Corfe Mullen when a car sped past him, knocking him off his bike. Following the accident in May 2010, the cyclist was forced to spend 10 days in hospital recovering; he then spent the next four months in a wheelchair. The driver’s insurance company originally offered the claimant a compensation package of £56,000. However,…

Pensioner wins compensation for a fall in a supermarket

Posted: 10 December 2015

Posted in: Arm Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents

Supermarket giant, Sainsbury’s, has paid out a five-figure sum to pensioner Jean Annis, 79 from Alsager, following a compensation claim.  Mrs Annis tripped on matting in the Sainsbury’s Local store causing four fractures to her right arm, which has left her unable to use her right hand.  She also sustained injuries to her eye, lip and chin.  The injury to her arm has left Mrs Annis, who is also carer to her husband Norman, aged 89 and suffering from dementia, unable to carry out simple daily tasks such as cutting…

Banning of whiplash injury cash payouts

Posted: 30 November 2015

Posted in: Neck Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Whiplash Injuries

A recent statement has announced government plans to end right to cash compensation for whiplash claims. Where whiplash claims alone cost the insurance industry £2bn a year, an average of £90 a policy, the government has come up with a plan to bring car insurance bills down by as much as £50. They have proposed the banning of cash payouts for whiplash claims. George Osborne put forward the idea of ending the right to cash for minor whiplash injuries in the autumn statement. He said that this would prevent responsible…

‘Human error’ caused Alton Towers crash

Posted: 28 November 2015

Posted in: Knee Injury, Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents

Staffordshire theme park, Alton Towers, have announced that the accident that occurred on 2 June of this year, seriously injuring several people, was due to human error.  The park confirmed that staff had misunderstood a shutdown message and restarted the ride, causing the carriages to collide with stationary carriages on the track.  It has been confirmed that there were absolutely no mechanical or technical issues with the ride. 16 people were seriously injured, 2 of whom had legs amputated, when the Smiler ride crashed into an empty carriage.  Leah Washington,…

Jeremy Hunt announces plans to halve baby deaths in UK

Posted: 16 November 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

According to a 2011 study by the Lancet Medical Journal, it was found that England has higher figures than the rest of much of the developed world for stillbirths. As a result of this, and subsequent studies, Jeremy Hunt has announced plans to halve the number of stillbirths and new born deaths in the UK by 2030. On top of this, the health secretary also stated that the Government has committed to reducing the number of brain injuries sustained during or after birth. The Lancet Medical Journal’s study found that…

Farm owner fined over worker accident

Posted: 8 November 2015

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A Northumberland farm owner has been sentenced after one of the farm’s workers suffered severe leg injuries after a concrete panel fell onto him. It was heard at Mid and South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court that on the 4th August 2014, the worker, who remains unnamed, and one of his colleagues, were using a telehandler with a fork attachment to build cattle troughs. The troughs were being made out of reinforced concrete panels weighing approximately 1.5 tonnes. Six fractures to lower right leg The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told…

Experimental heart surgery causes death

Posted: 2 November 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A judge at London’s High Court has awarded damages of £13,686 to the daughter of a man who died as a result of experimental surgery on his heart in 2007.  Mr William Ewan, 86, died in Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital of complications during a key-hole operation which caused him to bleed to death.  Mr Ewan’s daughter, Gabriele Shaw, from Cheshire, was awarded the compensation by Mr Justice Warby after a two day hearing.  During the hearing, the court heard that Mr Ewan had been an “intelligent and active” man who could…

Mother awarded £725,000 over birthing complications

Posted: 25 October 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, Shoulder Injuries

The mother of a baby that was left permanently disabled following birthing complications has been awarded £725,000 in compensation. The woman, who remains anonymous, claimed that Sister Rosemary Murphy at Law Hospital’s maternity unit failed to deliver her baby son properly in 1999. It was heard at Court of Sessions in Edinburgh earlier this year that Sister Murphy had delivered the baby in a way that caused him to suffered a severe shoulder injury. It was heard that a student midwife had initially attempted to deliver the baby, yet when…

How professionals value their body parts

Posted: 30 September 2015

Posted in: Arm Injury, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A study carried out by insurance brand There found that where a builder’s leg is worth around £1.1million, an engineer’s eye is worth £3.4million. The study asked 2,000 professionals across a total of 20 different industries to put an insurance value on their different body parts to show their impact on earning potential. Engineers came in at the top of the table, placing an insurance value of £3.4million on their eyes, followed by electricians and plumbers at £3.1million and telecom workers at £2.6million. The study came about when it was…

British Airways passengers take legal action

Posted: 23 September 2015

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Arm Injury, Public Transport

Passengers that were left with physical and psychological injuries after a British Airways plane caught fire earlier this month have decided to take legal action. A total of 157 passengers had been onboard the aircraft when it set on fire on the runway at Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport on 8 September. Of those 157 passengers, a total of 40 passengers have taken legal advice for their injuries. One of the passengers, Steve Bingham, had been on the London-bound flight when the accident happened, leaving him with a severe arm…

Undiagnosed injury case settled

Posted: 7 September 2015

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Robert McCartney has been awarded compensation after his tendon injury went undiagnosed for several weeks. He brought the medical negligence claim against his GP after he was turned away and told to rest despite his clear symptoms of a ruptured tendo-achilles. In April 2010, Mr McCartney had been outside his home when he slipped backwards off a step and experienced a ‘snap’ sensation in the back of his left ankle. When it became swollen and the pain increased, he applied ice packs and rested his ankle that evening. The next…

Schools payout £1.5m in compensation

Posted: 24 August 2015

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents

It has been revealed, following a recent Freedom of Information request, that schools paid out £1.5million to pupils last year through personal injury claims. The total figure went out to 150 pupils, including one claimant who won £4,000 after suffering burns from an icepack following a playground fall. The pupil received compensation from Gateshead council, and was said to have suffered the burns due to the lack of instructions on the pack. Of all the payouts made by Local Education Authorities in England, the majority of them were claimed as…

Dog to be destroyed following severe injuries

Posted: 15 August 2015

Posted in: Animal Attacks, Arm Injury, Head and Brain Injuries

A dog has had a destruction order placed on him after biting a four-year-old girl at a rugby match last year and causing severe injury. Paddy the collie had the destruction order put on him last week at the Guildford Crown Court after his owner, John Trodden, pleaded guilty to owning a dangerously out of control dog that caused injury in a public place. The little girl, who remains anonymous, has been left with serious facial scars following the attack last year. It was heard in court that the incident…

Hogweed victim battles for damages

Posted: 24 July 2015

Posted in: Arm Injury, Finger Injuries, Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents

The case of a 7-year-old boy who suffered life-changing burns from a Giant Hogweed plant has been taken to court. The young boy, who remains anonymous, suffered severe burns to his upper body, arms, feet, and chest after he came into contact with the plant while on holiday in his family’s static caravan in a holiday park in Wales. The boy’s case is thought to be the first of its type in the country. The boy had been playing with friends when he picked up a branch of the highly…

Cancer Misdiagnosis leaves mother with days to live

Posted: 20 July 2015

Posted in: Hip Injuries, Leg Injuries, Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

33-year-old Kaley Fitzsimmons has issued an appeal after doctors blamed the symptoms of her cancer on ‘over-exercising’ after giving birth. Ms Fitzsimmons gave birth to her daughter in April of last year, after years of thinking she would be unable to have a baby due to kidney failure. She finally underwent a successful kidney transplant at the age of 15. Ms Fitzsimmons said: “I had always wanted to be a mother and was grateful that my transplant had made that possible. We were over the moon.” Ms Fitzsimmons, a fitness…

Company denies safety breaches following death

Posted: 4 June 2015

Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

37-year-old Martin McGlasson was killed in 2011 when he fell down a flight of concrete stairs in Cumbria. Mr McGlasson had been polishing the newly built staircase when he collapsed and suffered fatal injuries. When paramedics arrived at the scene of the incident – ACP Concrete in Workington – Mr McGlasson had already been assisted by colleagues, but died before an ambulance arrived. ACP Concrete pleaded not guilty to three health and safety breaches at Carlisle Crown Court this week, prompting a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation. A trial…

Man’s helmet ‘muffled’ train sound

Posted: 1 June 2015

Posted in: Motorcycle Accidents, Public Transport, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A man was killed in May 2014 after failing to hear a train approaching at a level crossing because his crash helmet ‘muffled’ the sound. 37-year-old Paul Martin, from Stroud, had been crossing a train track in Gloucestershire on his trail bike when an oncoming train hit him. A report drawn up by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) following his death found that the nearby signage did not explain that trail bike riders were prohibited from using the Frampton level crossing. The RAIB said that Network Rail must greatly improve…

Cycling legend awarded payout

Posted: 27 May 2015

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Shoulder Injuries

British cycling legend 84-year-old Brian Robinson has been awarded compensation after he suffered serious injuries in a cycling accident near his home in West Yorkshire. Mr Robinson had been cycling with some friends on the 16 July 2014 when a car knocked him off his bike. He suffered a serious break to his left collarbone, six broken ribs and a punctured lung. He was recently awarded £15,000 for his injuries. Brian Robinson was the first Briton to finish the Tour de France in 1955 and was the first to win…

Father blames Thomas Cook for death of his children

Posted: 2 May 2015

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Wakefield Coroners’ Court heard that the father of two children who died whilst on holiday in Corfu in October 2006, “firmly believed” that his children would be alive today if Thomas Cook had inspected a faulty boiler.  The children, Robert aged 6 and Christianne aged seven died from carbon monoxide poisoning after complaining of feeling unwell.  Their father, Neil Shepherd of Horbury, West Yorkshire, told the court he was “paralysed by guilt” by their deaths and wept as he recalled his “perfect son” and “feisty, loving” daughter.  Sharon Wood, the…

Man dies in ‘under-pressure’ hospital

Posted: 2 May 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

West Midlands Ambulance Service has said calling a “disaster doctor” to care for patients in Worcestershire Royal Hospital in April was “unprecedented” and a “decision not taken lightly”.  This was following the death of Mr John Flaherty who experienced long delays in receiving medical attention at the hospital after a serious fall.  Mr Flaherty, who suffered from ill health, was left at least five hours on a trolley in the accident and emergency ward on 10 April.  He died five days later.  Ambulance bosses have confirmed that they decided to…

Compensation for Head Injuries in Leeds

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Personal Injury

Head injuries are one of the most common personal injuries we cover at Accident Claims Leeds and can vary in severity due to the nature of the injury. Head injuries can cause serious and lasting damage, with some people never fully recovering as a result of a head injury. Such injuries can lead to death, brain damage, permanent disability, a fractured skull, memory loss and serious concussions. If you are the victim of even a minor head or brain injury, it is likely that this will affect you later on in life.…

Boy wins compensation following childhood injury

Posted: 2 March 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Restaurant Accidents, Shop Accidents

When Jack Cooper was only 12-months-old an autistic child pushed him in his baby chair – leaving him with severe head injuries. The accident happened in March 2005 at a café in Morrisons at Teeside Park. He was tipped head first onto the floor while strapped in his baby chair. The council admitted to failing to control the autistic child who subsequently caused harm. Jack turned 11 last week and still suffers with the effects of the accident.  The fall left him deaf in one ear and the brain injuries…

£3m compensation awarded following pool accident

Posted: 20 February 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents

A woman has been awarded £3m compensation for the brain injury she suffered as a child. At the age of 10-years-old, Annie Woodland drowned during a swimming lesson at school which caused her to suffer severe brain injuries. For months following the incident, Ms Woodland, now aged 25, suffered with severe depression and even contemplated suicide. 15 years later, she has finally been awarded compensation of £3million. Ms Woodland says that she and her family endured a very long battle for compensation, which involved them having to move house due…

Firm fined over worker death

Posted: 5 February 2015

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Employer Negligence, Falls from Heights, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A building firm has been fined after one of its workers died as a result of falling from a roof. 42-year-old Jason Pennington fell 7.6m through a skylight onto a concrete floor in 2011. His employer, Cumbria-based building firm Peter Mawson Ltd, was fined £200,000 for corporate manslaughter at Preston Crown Court. The accident happened in 2011 when Mr Pennington had been working at West Cumberland Farmers LTD in Lindal, Ulverston. An investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), following his death, found that the company had…

Young girl awarded £10m

Posted: 1 February 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

A seven-year-old girl who is described as having her mind “trapped in a body” has been awarded £10m in compensation following birthing errors.  Eva Totham from south-east London was starved of oxygen during birth in 2007, which left her with severe cerebral palsy. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust admitted failings and accepted liability for her brain injuries. The compensation package awarded to Eva will cover all past and future care costs and loss of earnings as Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing ruled that she most likely would have attended university.…

Family awarded money following concrete mixer death

Posted: 30 January 2015

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The family of a man who was killed in a concrete mixer accident in Essex has been awarded £12,000 in compensation. 33-year-old Lee Balkwell suffered fatal injuries after becoming trapped under the drum of a concrete mixer lorry.  Colleagues found him crushed under the vehicle after the accident happened in a lane at South Ockendon. Mr Balkwell’s father, Les Balkwell, believes that his son was murdered and argues that the police investigation into his death was not thorough enough. The accident happened in 2002 when Mr Balkwell had been cleaning…

Nurse ignored child care worries

Posted: 20 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The parents of a one-year-old girl who died following heart surgery at Bristol Children’s Hospital (BCH) said that they voiced concerns regarding her care before she died. Isabella Janew, from Gloucester, was born with a rare heart defect in April 2012.  Following an operation to widen a heart valve in September 2013, however, she went into cardiac arrest and died. Her parents said that they had repeatedly raised concerns about their daughter’s care with an intensive care nurse, but nothing was done. Isabella’s father, Daniel, and mother, Debbie, had asked…

Ambulance downgrading causes death

Posted: 15 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

According to a recently released report, a number of patients died after their 999 calls were downgraded at the ambulance emergency department. It was found that a total of 57 deaths were caused by East of England Trust ambulances not being sent out or arriving too late. This came as a result of guidelines being relaxed by the call centre managers without any consultation between 18 December 2013 and 22 February 2014. It was admitted last week by the trust that a total of 8,324 patients were affected by the…

Man seriously injured after department store fall

Posted: 30 December 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents

A man is currently in hospital with severe injuries after he fell in a department store in south-west London.  The accident happened at around 13:05, when the man, believed to be in his 20s, fell from an escalator. A fellow customer in the shop, a 28-year-old woman from Richmond, said she was walking away from the escalator when she heard a sudden thud. It is believed that the man fell from the third or fourth floor. The customer said that the entire floor gasped when they saw what had happened.…

Three police officers charged following custody death

Posted: 17 December 2014

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Three police officers have been charged with manslaughter after a man collapsed in custody and died. 32-year-old Thomas Orchard collapsed while being held in a cell at Heavitree Road Police Station in Exeter not long after being arrested. He was immediately transported to hospital, where he died.   Mr Orchard, a caretaker at St Thomas Church in Exeter, was arrested in October 2012 on suspicion of public order offence. He was taken to the local police station where he collapsed in a cell around one hour later. An ambulance took him…

Ambulance officer admits hillsborough disaster failings

Posted: 7 December 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A senior ambulance officer recently admitted to failings which played a part in the Hillsborough disaster.  Paul Eason told the inquest that he and a colleague were supposed to be the “eyes and ears” of the ambulance service control room, but failed to “properly assess” the unfolding tragedy. The Hillsborough disaster saw ninety-six Liverpool fans die in the crush on 15 April 1989. Mr Eason said that on the day of the accident his “eyes were blurred and his ears were blocked”. He, the fellow station officer Patrick Higgins, and…

Motorist being sued for £2m

Posted: 17 November 2014

Posted in: Car Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents

A business executive is suing a motorist from Norfolk for £2m over crash injuries that he claims ruined his career. 44-year-old Peter Siegel says that the car accident he was involved in in 2009 left him with a brain injury that severely affected his ability to work.  The accident happened in November 2009 when another car collided with his at 30mph, causing his car to be written off. Mr Siegel said that the crash left him with “cognitive, physical and behavioural deficits” caused by the “severe, subtle and permanent closed…

CS spray used over loud music

Posted: 27 October 2014

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Personal Injury

A father-of-one assaulted his three next-door neighbours with CS spray because their music was “too loud”.  Arunas Kastentinavicius said at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that he didn’t think there was anything wrong with using CS spray because it is perfectly normal in Lithuania.  The 26-year-old had used the spray on his neighbours because “they were drinking and playing loud music” while his child tried to sleep. Mr Kastentinavicius admitted to possessing the weapon and three cases of assault on the 5th of April. It was heard in court that Mr Kastentinavicius…

Man’s death was preventable

Posted: 28 September 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An inquest into the death of 20-year-old John Moore-Robinson found that he could easily have been saved. Mr Moore-Robinson died in his home in 2006 after he was discharged from hospital with an undiagnosed ruptured spleen.  Despite his obvious symptoms, the doctor diagnosed him as having bruised ribs following an x-ray.  He collapsed only hours after being discharged and later died at home. The incident happened following a mountain bike accident on Cannock Chase, in Staffordshire.  Mr Moore-Robinson was taken immediately to A&E at the scandal-hit hospital, Stafford Hospital, where…

Injured cyclist feels let down

Posted: 20 September 2014

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Knee Injury, Leg Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents

50-year-old cyclist Melanie Burrows said that she feels greatly let down by police after they were unable to take her case further following a serious cycling accident. Another cyclist, who tried to overtake her at a junction in July this year, hit Mr Burrows on her way home from work. She suffered a serious fracture in her tibia, a broken rib and a damaged knee. She has already had a metal plate inserted into her leg but is still awaiting a knee replacement. Islington Police told Ms Burrows, head of…

Dog attack sees two hospitalised

Posted: 16 September 2014

Posted in: Animal Attacks, Hand Injuries

A dog attack earlier this month saw two people hospitalised.  The attack happened in Newbury on the 4th of September when two terriers attacked a couple of dog walkers.  Both victims suffered serious injuries and required hospital treatment.  The two victims, friends John Bremner and Georgina Warren, had been walking their own dogs when the incident happened.  It was heard that the terriers first attempted to attack their pets, but then attacked the owners.  The Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Pit Bull had both escaped from their owner’s home…

Football heading could see schools sued

Posted: 29 August 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Neck Injuries, School Accidents, Sporting Injuries

With a group of American mothers suing Fifa for putting their children at risk of concussion, lawyers believe that it wont be long before parents in the UK do the same. The group has accused the Football Association of acting “carelessly and negligently”, calling for new safety rules to be introduced on how many times a player can head the ball during a game.  This arose after research revealed the true dangers of heading a football.  It has been proven that, with children, their neck muscles have not fully developed…

Salmonella source identified

Posted: 24 August 2014

Posted in: Food Poisoning, Wrongful & Accidental Death

With a recent Salmonella outbreak having affected over 200 people across England, Public Health England has identified a source of eggs to be the cause.  It is believed that it is the same strain of Salmonella that is making people ill all over Europe.  In the past week alone, the number of people affected by the illness has increased from 158 to 247. Symptoms of the illness include sickness, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever. Although most people can recover without treatment, a reported three people have already died from the…

Cash-strapped council pays out

Posted: 27 July 2014

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Public Place Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

It has been found that over the last three years, an icy car park and an unsafe chair have cost Barrow Borough Council £16,000 in compensation.  The largest of these payouts went to an employee that suffered serious back injuries after sitting for prolonged amounts of time on a faulty office chair. He received £10,780 in compensation, (the council’s insurance policy covered £750 of the claim, breaching its £10,000 excess limit).  The second payout went to a worker who slipped and fell in an icy car park, costing the council…

School support worker claims for back injury

Posted: 16 July 2014

Posted in: School Accidents, Shoulder Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Following only thirteen days at her new job at Rastrick High School, support worker Helen Sloan made a claim of £50,000 for a back injury.  Her injury was caused as a result of pushing pupils around the school in wheelchairs, blaming inadequate training and a lack of risk assessment for her disabling injuries. Her position at the High School was to provide learning support for children with special needs. It was argued by Mrs Sloan’s barrister that the school failed to protect staff from the dangers of pushing wheelchairs on such…

Disability campaigner made MBE

Posted: 23 June 2014

Posted in: Personal Injury

Disability campaigner Miro Griffiths has been awarded with an MBE having fought for disability rights since the age of thirteen.  He was one of many recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, alongside the likes of Stephen Sutton for services to Teenage Cancer Trust and actress Angelina Jolie for campaigning to end sexual violence in war zones. Now aged 25, Mr Griffiths has been awarded for fighting to improve the lives of disabled people across Britain.  At the age of 13 he was awarded a Lottery grant to develop a…

Road injuries cost council £417,000 in compensation

Posted: 3 June 2014

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Pedestrian Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents

Last year alone, Haringey Council paid out over £417,000 in compensation to pedestrians and motorists injured on the borough’s roads.  The figures, which were released by the Liberal Democrats, found that a total of 19 people were awarded compensation in 2013/14, totaling at £417,635.  Haringey Council received 194 claims for personal injury and damage, of which only 52 were settled without payment and 123 were outstanding. The borough’s roads have been repeatedly criticised by the public for not being poorly maintained. In the last six years, Haringey Council has paid…

£23,000 to teacher who slipped in puddle

Posted: 28 May 2014

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A teacher has received £23,000 in compensation after slipping on a puddle of water in a school corridor.  The teacher suffered serious ligament damage in the accident, with injuries to their feet and ankle. The court ruled that the school was to blame for the accident, awarding the unnamed teacher with £23,000 in a taxpayer-funded settlement. The claim came to light following a Freedom of Information request to West Sussex County Council, which runs the school.  It was highlighted that the compensation package awarded to the teacher was higher than…

Cancer surgery team “dysfunctional”

Posted: 17 May 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A recent report into the deaths of five cancer patients at a hospital in Kent has found that the surgery team was “dysfunctional”. The review of the cancer unit at Maidstone Hospital – carried out by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) – actually took place in October, but has only now been made public due to pressure from victim’s families.  Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust finally agreed to make the report public, with the dynamics of the surgery team described as “dangerous”. The review found that the upper-gastrointestinal…

NHS Trust faces investigation following death

Posted: 15 April 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An NHS trust faces investigation following the death of a patient who was being treated under critical care at Hereford County Hospital. The death of the patient came after a complaint had been made concerning the hospital’s medical and surgical management, which has been referred to the NHS ombudsman.  A second complaint had also been made against the Trust after a patient underwent a hysterectomy, arguing that she had been “unhappy” about the standard of follow-up treatment. WYE Valley NHS Trust (WVT) has seen a recent increase in complaints, with latest…

Almost a quarter of a million paid out in school injury compensation

Posted: 4 April 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents

Newly released figures have revealed that almost a quarter of a million pounds of taxpayers’ money has been paid out as injury compensation to children in Leeds over the last five years.  This figure covers money paid out to children that have suffered injuries in Leeds’ primary and secondary schools, with injuries including broken bones and burns. One child received £35,000 in compensation after breaking a limb at school in 2009.  The figures – obtained under the Freedom of Information Act – found that a total of 188 personal injury…

£70,000 compensation after pothole crash

Posted: 22 March 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Bicycle Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents

A cyclist has been awarded £70,000 in compensation after a pothole threw him off his bike in 2009.  Alan Curtis from Bushey in Hertfordshire suffered a “severe head injury” in the crash on The Drive in Rickmansworth.  The 57-year-old sued Hertfordshire County Council for failing to fill-in the pothole, which he described as being a “real source of danger” to road users.  The council said that they were “disappointed” in the High Court for ruling in Mr Curtis’s favour. The charity fundraiser had been cycling with his two best friends…

Pensioner had five-hour ambulance wait

Posted: 12 March 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A pensioner from Nottingham had to wait five hours for an ambulance after the phone call was logged incorrectly.  Stewart Maltby’s GP had been visiting Mr Matlby at his home in Farnsfield having recently suffered a stroke and abdominal surgery.  Finding that he was severely dehydrated, GP John Porter requested an ambulance to be sent within 2 hours, which arrived 5 hours later.  Stewart Maltby died of kidney failure and other problems two days later. An inquest at Nottingham town hall heard that the individual who answered the call had…

Injury claims cost Essex County Council £1m

Posted: 4 March 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, School Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

Essex County Council has paid out over £1m over the last three years to staff injured in Essex schools.  The largest payout, nearly a quarter of the total compensation paid to staff hurt in the city’s schools, went to a teacher who slipped on a ketchup packet.  The teacher was awarded with £230,000 in compensation.  Figures revealed that Essex County Council has paid out a total of £1.05m to 34 claimants between 2011 and 2013. This information was made available following a freedom of information request.  Most of the payouts…

Cyclist may never walk again following collision

Posted: 24 February 2014

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Bus Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Public Transport, Road Traffic Accidents, Shoulder Injuries

The husband of a cyclist who collided with a bus in Scunthorpe town centre said that she might never walk again.  54-year-old Yvonne Bosanquet suffered major injuries in the accident and will require 24-hour care for the rest of her life.  The exact details of the collision are still not known but it’s believed that she collided with the blue Hornsby Travel bus on Fenton Street near the junction onto Cole Street.  The mother of two spent four months in hospital and is now cared for at the Stonecroft House…

Serious Injury in Leeds

Posted in: Personal Injury

Research shows that the number of major injuries caused by work-related accidents fell below 20,000 in 2012. There was an 11% drop in injuries such as fractures, burns and amputations in the workplace in England, Wales and Scotland, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). There were 148 fatal injuries, down from 171 the previous year, while the cost of injuries and ill-health was around £13.8 billion in the year to 2011, against £16.3bn four years earlier. The reduced total of accidents at work represents the lowest figure since…

Powerboat accident leaves family devastated

Posted: 4 February 2014

Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The Milligan family has been torn apart after their powerboat spun out of control on holiday, leaving two dead and two severely injured. The family had a holiday home near Rock where they spent last May going out on their boat along the Camel estuary.  An investigation was carried out by ‘The Marine Accident Investigation Branch’, which found that the reason behind the incident had been that “the driver Milly was not wearing a kill cord”. Both Mr and Mrs Milligan had completed a Royal Yachting Association powerboat-handling course, which…

Council worker compensated for burnt hand

Posted: 15 January 2014

Posted in: Hand Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip

A council worker has received a £3,000 payout after severely burning their hand on a hot fish pie while serving lunch.  This was one of the numerous claims paid out by authorities in Greater Manchester to their own staff in the last year.  Other injuries included hurting themselves while setting up a trampoline, tripping while delivering leaflets, being assaulted by aggressive members of the public and many others; all of which won full compensation. The area’s ten local authorities have faced a huge number of claims from employees since the…

Cyclists appeal for safer roads

Posted: 7 January 2014

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Following the deaths of numerous cyclists on Britain’s roads in the last year, one man is calling for more to be done to protect cyclists from other road users.  Former engineer Graham Andrews (45), who is now in a wheelchair, suffered severe spinal injuries after colliding with a hit-and-run driver while cycling to the beach one Sunday evening.  Mr Andrews was thrown 8ft into the air by the motorist, and was found unconscious on a grass verge two hours later by two members of the public. The passers-by who found Mr…

Museum told to improve safety after crush death

Posted: 4 December 2013

Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After a 7-year-old boy was crushed to death under a ride at a museum last year, the museum has been told to improve its safety dramatically. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued the open-air museum in County Durham with an urgent improvement notice, while they carry out an investigation into the cause of the death.  Karl Doran, from Darlington, had been at the Beamish Museum with his family at the time of the incident. The accident happened in July of last year when Karl’s father Philip was driving…

Hospital death could have been avoided

Posted: 27 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After a radiology specialist accidentally cut an artery of a man suffering from high blood pressure, a coroner said that his death could have been “avoided”. 47-year-old Brian Galea, from Preston, was admitted to the Royal Preston Hospital on the 14th of August last year, but died only a few hours later due to the specialist’s serious error. It was heard at Preston Coroner’s Court that the specialist had been trying to remove a blood clot at the time of the incident, accidently tearing one of his arteries.  Coroner Dr…

Secret filming in the NHS reveals worrying treatment of brain injury patients

Posted: 20 November 2013

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

BBC Newsnight has revealed worryingly low standards of care being provided to patients suffering from brain injuries in NHS hospitals.  Secret footage was passed onto Newsnight by the partner of a brain-injury victim, which showed extreme cases of patient neglect and highlighted hospital failures concerning safety procedures.  After seeing the footage, one expert told Newsnight that the levels of care being provided to patients would result in longer and poorer recoveries from their injuries. NHS England has defended the case by telling BBC that they are constantly trying to improve…

Four injured on Alton Towers rollercoaster

Posted: 4 November 2013

Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Shoulder Injuries

Alton Towers’ new £18m rollercoaster has caused four injuries after wheels fell off, hitting the passengers in the front carriage.  The 14-loop ‘Smiler’ was opened in May, but has already seen three incidents.  The ride already saw closure in the summer, 21st of July, for four days after the track broke, from which 48 people had to be urgently rescued.  It was also closed in August for five days due to a “technical issue”. When a few of the “small guide wheels” fell off the rollercoaster this weekend, one man…

Woman wins case after nearly drowning as a child

Posted: 23 October 2013

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents

Annie Woodland had to be resuscitated after she almost drowned in a school swimming lesson thirteen years ago – she has only now won a landmark case at the Supreme Court.  Ms Woodland had been a pupil at Whitmore Junior School in Basildon, Essex, when the accident occurred in 2000. Her near-death experience caused her to suffer severe brain damage, which her father, Ian, described as doing “enormous damage” to their family.  2011 saw a rejection of a £3m damage claim, which was maintained by the Court of Appeal last…

Gardener falls 60ft down shaft

Posted: 14 October 2013

Posted in: Falls from Heights, Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Marvin Christie, a gardener from Banbury Street in Battersea, is lucky to have survived after he fell down a 60ft shaft while doing routine landscaping work.  The 23-year-old had been weeding some plants on a traffic island, with the assistance of his mother, when the metal grill on which he was standing gave way beneath him. The 60ft fall (which happened on the 24th of July) caused him to break his back, shatter his ankle and break many of the bones in his feet.  A personal injury claim is soon…

Road workers under threat of injury

Posted: 8 October 2013

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Workplace Injuries

On a daily basis road workers are on the receiving end of verbal abuse and threatening behaviour from road users who deliberately put workers at serious risk.  Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Police have warned motorists that by deliberately driving into coned areas and by speeding, they are putting road workers in great danger. One recent incident saw a road worker sustaining a serious leg injury as a motorist forced their way through a coned off area in Parson Cross. Another incident saw a motorist driving straight through a…

Soldier who fought with broken back to receive military award

Posted: 4 October 2013

Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Despite having broken his back, a soldier that continued to battle Afghan insurgents has been named on a list of military honours.  24-year-old Ccl Josh Griffiths, from the Mercian Regiment, has been recommended for the award by his commanding officers for performing beyond his call of duty.  He is one of the 117 servicemen and women that have been recommended for an award for their bravery and dedication. Ccp Griffiths, from Merseyside, had been eating dinner at his base in Nad Ali, when a suicidal bomber drove a truck into…

Sporting injuries effect mental health

Posted: 23 September 2013

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Sporting Injuries

Having been continuously applauded during his career for putting his ‘body on the line’ for English rugby, Lewis Moody told media that he is starting to feel concerned for his future mental health.  After ending his 16-year long career last March, Moody fears that due to the countless concussions he endured during his rugby career, he may be victim to early onset dementia. Only in recent years has the link between concussion and early onset dementia become apparent in the sporting world of rubgy.  During Lewis Moody’s career, the link…

Patient death caused by ‘wrong gas’

Posted: 10 September 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

An investigation has been launched into the death of a patient at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital after being given the ‘wrong gas’ during an operation.  The investigation is being carried out by the hospital’s trust, which argues that the cause of the death is still not certain. Details concerning the death of the individual have been passed onto the Worcestershire coroner, but cannot be released until the investigation has closed.  The trust believes that although there is a link between the supposed error and the patient’s death, it has not,…

Taxi driver launches medical fund after severing woman’s leg

Posted: 26 August 2013

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents

New York taxi driver, Mohammed Fasyal Himon, has launched a medical fund after his taxi crashed into a British tourist, Sian Green (24), which severely severed her leg.  Ms Green, from Leicester, has had to have her left leg amputated below the knee following the incident, and is currently trying to regain the use of her right leg.  Taxi driver Mohammed Fasyal Himon said he was “very sorry” for causing the accident, but blames a cyclist for having to swerve onto the kerb.  The accident took place in Manhattan last…

Health Trust payout following death of diabetic

Posted: 13 August 2013

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After the family of Margaret Pitt (55) were “let down so badly” by health workers at Alexandra Hospital, an undisclosed settlement has been paid out to Mrs. Pitt’s family.  The nurses working in Alexandra Hospital – part of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust – failed to monitor Mrs. Pitt’s glucose levels properly, which led to her death in November 2010. Margaret Pitt, from Redditch, had lived with type 1 diabetes for the last 30 years of her life, yet died due to an irreversible brain injury following the failures of…

Life without taste and smell

Posted: 30 June 2013

Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Personal Injury

On 20 July 2010, double Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell sustained a brain injury after being hit by a petrol tanker on his bike, leaving him unable to smell or, subsequently, taste.  This poses the question: what is it like to live without two of your key senses? There are currently no official figures showing the extent of sensory-loss sufferers in the UK, however, estimates for the US and Europe stand at around 5% of the population.  This can happen due to several reasons: Some people are born without a…

Health Minister pledges better care for chronic pain sufferers

Posted: 29 May 2013

Posted in: Personal Injury, Spine & Back Injuries

Health Secretary, Alex Neil, has initiated an improved care system for people suffering from chronic pain.  Currently, sufferers have to travel great distances in order to get the help they need, as Scotland, up until now, has been unable to provide this much needed care. Chronic pain affects an estimated 700,000 Scots, around 70,000 of which, are children.  Its affects can stem from many other problems – such as arthritis, back problems, MS, and even cancer.  These current sufferers are forced to travel around 400 miles to a centre in…

Law Society demands fair hearing on personal injury

Posted: 18 April 2013

Posted in: Personal Injury

The Law Society has told the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry that hearing only one side of the argument on whiplash claims will penalise genuine accident victims. In a letter to Ms Louise Ellman MP, chair of the Transport Select Committee, the Law Society insisted that the government hear both sides of the debate. Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, president of the Law Society, said: “This is a debate in which all too often the perspective of only a single side – the insurers – is heard. Such a one-sided debate has the potential…

Investigation into resident’s death at care home

Posted: 3 April 2013

Posted in: Hip Injuries, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The former owners of a Buckinghamshire care home have been sentenced for serious safety failings after a frail 76-year-old woman died following a fall from a hoist.  Aylesbury Crown Court was told that Mrs Barbara Kilty, who had been resident at the home for more than three years, slipped from her wheelchair after she was transferred from her bed using a hoist. She broke her hip as a result of the fall but the incident was not reported within the care home. Ten days after the incident, Mrs Kilty was…

Sole trader sentenced for tipper death failings

Posted: 19 March 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Road Traffic Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A Berkshire haulier has been fined for safety failings after a long-serving employee was run over and killed by a tipper lorry at his Reading head office. Brian Gutteridge was crossing a road from the main office to a car park when the vehicle struck him. He died at the site as a result of the injuries he sustained. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and found there were no designated crossing points on the road, and nothing to segregate pedestrians and vehicles or guide on who had the…

Upper Body Injury Claims

Posted in: Personal Injury

Injuries to your upper body can affect your arms, chest, neck or head, and can vary in severity, from minor soft tissue wounds to fractures, or brain injury if you have suffered an impact to the skull. If you have been involved in an accident in Leeds which has resulted an injury to your upper body, you may be entitled to compensation, and you should contact our specialist personal injury solicitors who will be able to assess your claim and tell you how much compensation you might be likely to…

Claim Compensation for Injuries to the Lower Body

Posted in: Personal Injury

Injuries to the lower body can take many forms. You may have fractured or sprained a bone in your leg or your ankle in a slip or fall, or dislocated or broken your hip; you may have injured your knee or foot. Lower body injuries can be particularly disabling as they may affect your ability to walk, and you may even find yourself in a wheelchair in the short or long term. Our team can help examine your case to find out whether you may have a claim to financial…

Lower Back Injury Claims

Posted in: Personal Injury, Spine & Back Injuries

If you have suffered from a lower back injury as a result of an accident, whether in the car or due to a slip or fall, you will be in a lot of pain and your mobility may also have been affected. Back injuries can range tremendously in seriousness, from soreness over a few weeks to permanent disability or even paralysis. Compensation for Lower Back Injuries Back injuries can also be caused in the workplace, due to lifting and carrying without the correct precautions being taken, or even by faulty…

Soft Tissue Injury Claims

Posted in: Personal Injury

Sprains, strains, dislocation and bruising are all types of injuries that affect the soft tissues of the body, and these can occur in any muscles, ligaments or joints. Soft tissue injuries would not show up on an X-Ray, and are therefore sometimes discounted by insurance companies – however, soft tissue injuries can be just as painful and debilitating as fractures, and you are entitled to compensation if you have been involved in an accident where you were not at fault, and you have suffered a soft tissue injury. Our expert…

Dermatitis Compensation

Posted in: Industrial Deafness and Disease, Personal Injury

Dermatitis is an irritation, inflammation or reddening of the skin, such as eczema or having eczema-like symptoms, which can be very itchy, painful and interfere with your quality of life. You may also suffer from rashes, blisters or hives, or dry flaky scales of skin. Dermatitis can become genuinely debilitating, especially if you have it on the palms of your hands as this can prevent you from working. You may not be aware that you may be entitled to claim compensation if you suffer from dermatitis as a result of,…

Serious Injury Compensation

Posted in: Personal Injury

If you have suffered from a serious injury, our personal injuries solicitors** for Leeds will be able to assist with you claim for compensation. If you or a loved one in Leeds has suffered a serious injury, the experience can be particularly traumatic and our experts are used to dealing with such difficult situations and can provide you with both legal and emotional support. Although there is no definitive list of how serious injuries occur, they commonly arise as a consequence of road traffic accidents, slips, trips or falls. Such…

Loss of Vision Compensation

Posted in: Personal Injury

Loss of vision is one of the most serious injuries that can be suffered. It can have long lasting affects that are life changing. If you have suffered from  loss of vision through someone else’s negligence, you should contact one of our personal injury solicitors** for Leeds in order to discuss the procedure for claiming compensation. Injuries resulting in loss of vision can range in severity. Sometimes loss is partial and is only in part of one eye; it may be a temporary loss which returns to full vision on…

Compensation For Accidents Involving Children

Posted in: Personal Injury

Our children are very precious and unfortunately sometimes they are susceptible to injury. However, if they were to suffer an injury that was not their fault and was in fact due to the negligence of a third party then you could bring a compensation claim against the negligent party on your child’s behalf. Children can be injured in any number of ways from slips, trips and falls to road traffic accidents and medical negligence by a doctor, nurse, surgeon or dentist. In these environments the children (and adults) are owed…

Burn Injury Compensation Claims

Posted in: Personal Injury

A surprisingly large number of people suffer burns each year as a result of someone else’s negligence. If you have suffered a burn injury it may be possible to claim compensation and you should therefore discuss your injury with our personal injury specialists for Leeds. Accidents Causing Burn Injuries The burn may have been caused as a result of the negligence of an employer. The employer may have failed to provide you with a health and safety assessment which would have highlighted the risk of burns from a piece of…

Ligament Damage Compensation

Posted in: Personal Injury

A ligament is flexible tissue which is made up of a large number of individual fibres that connect the various bones together. Given the number of fibres, ligament damage is fairly common. If you have suffered ligament damage as a result of someone else’s act, error or omission, you may be able to get compensation. In order to see whether or not this is the case, you should contact our personal injury lawyers for Leeds as soon as is reasonably possible. What Injuries can Result in Ligament Damage? Ligament damage…

Court case highlights poor machine safety

Posted: 24 January 2013

Posted in: Employer Negligence, Faulty Work Equipment, Finger Injuries, Workplace Injuries

A food manufacturer has appeared in court for safety offences after one of its workers lost the tip of her finger using a badly-guarded machine in a Doncaster factory. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and prosecuted the company for breaching regulations designed to safeguard workers using machinery. Doncaster Magistrates heard that Ms Thapa was in the production area at the firm’s premises. A mobile screw conveyor was being used to fill a packing machine with powdered ingredients but the machine was known to block regularly. HSE…