Slip, Trip, Fall Personal Injury Claim

Have you slipped, tripped or fallen when you’ve been out around the shops, or taking a walk along a street or even slipping tripping or falling at work in your work environment.

Slips, Trips, Fall accidents are the most common type of accidents people have and it can be very serious including back and head injuries, broken bones and even paralysis of the spine or neck. If there are poor health and safety regulations in the working environment more and more slips, trips and falls happen.

In public places common accidents of slipping on wet surfaces, oil and other slippery materials happen most days. When ice and snow come in the winter more and more accidents occur due to people not taking extra precautions when walking or even running on the slippery roads and pavements. Liquid can be spilt anywhere but if its not cleared up straight away anyone could slip and hurt themselves and others.

Lots of people trip over it maybe they trip over an uneven pavement slab or cobbles, or an object which then causes them to fall over. If you do trip over a uneven pavement, road etc. you have the legal and civil right to claim compensation from the local council who should check all roads, pavements regularly for health and safety precautions. Tripping over cables around your workplace are health hazards and should be reported back to your employer immediately. Some people leave objects on the fall thinking people will notice them but not everyone does, so if you fall over an object, which shouldn’t be there once again, report the trip immediately.

All employers should take extra care in their health and safety regulations regarding slips, trips and falls. Every employee should read the company’s regulations so it can help prevent these slips, trips and falls happening in the workplace. Slip proof footwear may be the answer in workplaces where slippery floors are common, work areas should be kept clean and tidy and clear of any liquids, wires, any boxes and other items that may cause someone to slip, trip and fall.

In your house you need to be even more careful especially if you have babies and children around. Toys that children play with can be dangerous but also if there left lying around the house you may trip over them and hurt yourself. The stairs in your house can be the most dangerous especially if there are toys on them you may trip over them and then fall downstairs causing yourself serious injuries. It’s not only toys that can be hazard to trip over, but carpets and rugs that are folded, you may slip on some water you split on the kitchen floor and even tripping over clothes left on the floor.

The thing to remember is always watch where your going you never know what may be on the floor or in front of you whenever you may be. If you do slip, trip or fall and it wasn’t your fault you may have a personal injury compensation claim. Whatever the accident may involve you have a legal and civil right to claim so contact a solicitor today and get compensation for your suffering, loss of earning and any medical costs you ay have incurred.

Jene is the Webmaster of Accident Consult specializing in Slip, Trip, Fall Personal Injury Claims .

Have you had an Accident at Work?

Have you had an accident at work that wasn’t your fault and your too scared to claim the rightful compensation you deserve? You may be scared you may lose your job if you claim compensation from your employers but this cannot happen if it does you have a claim of wrongful dismissal, as well as your bosses being unhappy with you for this the list is endless. Many employees don’t claim their rightful compensation if they have an accident at work because there scared. Well you shouldn’t be, a good solicitor will explain all the facts involved in a claim and answer any questions you may have.

Accidents at work can be very difficult but to make a successful personal injury claim you need to show that your injuries have been caused by the negligence of your employer. If one of your colleagues has hurt you, your employer is also responsible for this. If any accidents do happen you need to tell your employer so they can make a note of it in the accident book.

Your employer, or the person in control of the work premises are required under RIDDOR-Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Regulations to report any work related accidents and any work diseases or any dangerous occurrences whatever it may be. It’s a legal requirement to report any of these accidents under RIDDOR act of 1995. The information that is passed on to the Local Authority and the Health & Safety Executive helps them help the employers to prevent other reoccurrences of the same accidents and reduce any other risks for all employees.

A work injury may be that of you have hurt your hands, hit your head something hit you on the head, got something in your eyes, burnt your skin, inhaled something bad for your lungs, hurt your spin or skeleton either lifting something heavy you hadn’t be shown how to lift. The most common causes of injuries from work are manual handling of heavy items, machinery or tools, exposure to hazardous chemicals, jewellery or long hair tangled in machinery, misuse or failure of vehicles and any inadequate safety training.

Not only are the above common causes but other hazards include: explosive chemicals, electricity, heat, height, gases and liquids, powerful or sharp moving machinery, flammable gases, poisonous gases, heavy structures, high pressure gas and liquids all of these can and may cause an accident at the work place.

If you have had an accident in your workplace and it wasn’t your fault you have a legal and civil right to claim personal injury compensation from your employees and don’t worry about being sacked from your workplace if you claim compensation because they can’t sack you because of that its wrongful dismissal.

Jene is the Webmaster of Accident Consult who specialize in Accidents at Work Personal Injury Claim.

Car Accidents the information you need to know!

Have you been in a car accident recently, are you suffering pain as a result of your car accident and it wasn’t your fault? If so you may have a good compensation claim against the other party.

Did a another car, motorcycle, lorry or van collide with you from behind or did they hit you when there was nothing you could of done this could mean they were in the wrong and you are the injured party in which means you can claim personal injury compensation. You shouldn’t suffer in silence you need to stand up and tell someone and make a claim today don’t suffer in silence.

Many compensation personal injury solicitors now work on a No Win No Fee basis meaning you don’t need to pay them a penny for their services. If you win your case you will not have to pay their legal costs and the costs in which they helped you they will get their fees from the other party. If you lose your case there very likely to get nothing, that’s why they only take cases on, they believe will win and the case be successful. So what have you to lose, nothing so claim today!

Not only should you speak up if your suffering from any pain but if you’ve had any medical costs from the hospital, health care and also any medicine you’ve had to purchase this can all be claimed upon. Also if you had to have any time off work you will be losing money why should you when the accident wasn’t your fault. If any other costs have arose from this car accident then make it clear when you speak to a solicitor they will need to know the full facts of the accident as well as the pain and costs you have or are suffering from.

If a solicitor keeps talking about how their last car accident case brought this amount of money in, you can’t rely on that information because every car accident compensation claim is completely different from any other. It depends on the injuries that were caused, any costs or medical treatment, time off work needed and much more. As well as the time it took them to close the case you won’t have any idea how long the case will take it could take a few months but some take a couple of years so just keep this in mind when choosing your compensation claim solicitor, get a good one. The questions to ask a solicitor are: -
· Will I get the 'whole' of my compensation? If yes… continue
· Will I need to pay a fee? If no… continue
· Do you recover costs from the other side (i.e. people at fault)? If yes… continue
· Would I need to pay anyone any money once my claim is settled? If no… proceed.
Car accident personal injury claims are usually quite simple though as when you have a car accident you usually state who is at fault at the scene and take the information you each need. If police are called to the accident more information is taken and this will then be entered into the national database. This may then help you make your personal injury claim successfully.

Jene is the Webmaster of Accident Consult who specialize in Road Traffic Accident Personal Injury Compensation.

Personal Injury Accident Compensation Claims

Personal Injury claims are that of when a physical injury or a mental anguish is caused by the negligence or anguish of the other party. Other personal injury claims can be to do with road traffic accidents, product defects, medical negligence and bullying with the use of words and physical abuse.

If any of the above has happened to you, the first thing to do is to contact a specialised solicitor who deals with personal injury compensation claims. They will be able to give you more information and answer any questions you may have. Some solicitor’s work on a No Win No Fee Basis where you don’t have to pay any fees for them to work on your behalf. They usually only takes cases on they think have a very good chance of winning as they get their fees from the other party if you are successful in claiming compensation, this means you will receive the full compensation amount as agreed.

If your claim goes to court the judge looks at who has been negligence and or carelessness and whoever that may be in the two or more parties the party who’s found to be negligence will be the one who is legally responsible to pay compensation to you and others if applicable. The negligence person may be one person or a group but it even may be a business.

Your compensation claim payout will be awarded depending on the strength of your claim and the documentation you have to prove this and the injuries that you have sustained physically and mentally. Having a specialized solicitor to help you through the stages of a compensation claim is recommended as they can help you receive the payout you deserve and help you face any insurance companies that may defend the compensation claim. You need all the help you can get to win your personal injury case because sometimes they are the only way of setting your mind straight as some personal injury cases involve someone who has died from the effects of an accident etc. or the victim may be disabled for the rest of their lives or still very poorly in hospital. The payout not only needs to cover the physical and mental suffering, but loss of income maybe forever, medical treatments and any other financial damages that are needed to cover.

Your specialized personal injury lawyer will help you to receive the payout you deserve so if you don’t employ a lawyer to help you have less of a chance to receive compensation at all but also the payout you receive may be signifiically less than that you could of got with a personal injury lawyer negotiating on your behalf. The specialized personal injury lawyer should be able to access your case and have an approximate the payout, choose the best strategy on how to put the claim forward. They should have a large scope of experience in dealing with personal injury compensation claims and know the up to date developments in personal injury claims. Your lawyer should also have experience in claiming compensation from insurance companies, as they can be very slippery and try to get out of a compensation claim at any costs as well as having trial experience, just in case the personal injury case goes to court but most are settled out of court but its always a good idea to have an experienced lawyer in trials just in case. The party in the wrong usually just want to hand the payout out and get the claim over and done with but their lawyer or insurance company want to avoid expensive payouts as they can include bad publicity for them as well as expensive trials.

Jene is the Webmaster of Accident Consult who specialize in Personal Injury Compensation Claims .

Making a Compensation Claim against a Public Accident

If you’ve had an accident whilst in a public environment – this could be an uneven pavement and or footpath, a wonky slab, slip, tripped or fallen in a shop, shopping centre, and leisure centre and or a café or restaurant. If any of these happened to you and you’ve been injured as a result of the accident in a public place then you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Thousands of people slip, trip or fall every year in public places as it’s a common accident. Public environments need to prevent his from happening so much by taking into effect their health and safety regulations carefully and not just forgetting what they are and not putting them into action. If you do have an accident in public you should write it in an accident book if there is one. To make a successful compensation claim you will need to prove there liable for your accident. Any public building are bound by law to keep all areas clean, free of obstructions, dry no wet floors if they are wet put down signs and mats if possible and anything else that can make an area unsafe for the public. If the accident is to do with uneven roads, pavements etc. the claim is with the local authority that looks after all roads, pavements in their area.

To prove the buildings owners or local authority are liable for your public accident you will need to gather any witnesses who saw your accident who will be able to give evidence on what you slipped, tripped or fell over, take photographs especially if the accident was that of an uneven pavement or road this is your proof take photographs of the uneven part as well as the whole road and road name if possible to prove it’s exactly where you injured yourself.

It’s your legal and civil right to claim compensation for something that wasn’t your fault but someone else’s, in this case this may be a shop owner, building owner or the local authority. You need to be strong and get a good solicitor to help you along the way of claiming the compensation you deserve. You may have not only injured yourself but have had to pay medical costs, had unpaid leave from work meaning loss of earnings as well as any other costs you may have had to pay due to your injury. Get a solicitor who specializes in accidents in public environments, they will then know how to make your case a successful one.

If you’re thinking you can’t afford a solicitor why not get a solicitor who works on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that you don’t have to pay them a penny. They will only take on cases that they think have no chance of failing. If you win your case you still receive your full compensation the solicitor claims there costs for helping you from the losing party and if you lose your case they go away unpaid, that’s why if they take you on you have a very good chance of getting the compensation you deserve!

Jene Pedder is the Webmaster of Accident Consult who specialize in supporting anyone who has been injured by a Public Accidents .

Pedestrian Injury Claims

With more than 30 million cars on the road today, Britain’s roads are now busier than ever. Even though the improved design of cars and more traffic signals have improved and reduced the number of accidents on the roads, accidents are still unavoidable because of the volume of traffic.

Road accidents involving pedestrians are more common and account for more than 33,000 casualties on Britain’s roads; these figures come from the Department of Transport in their 2006 report.

The most common causes of pedestrian injuries are from being:

• Knocked down on a pavement

• Struck by a vehicle on a pedestrian crossing

• Being the victim of a hit and run

There are strong claims for pedestrian compensation when the situation is like those of the above. However if as a pedestrian you are struck whilst crossing the road between moving traffic; your claim becomes more complicated as blame could be from your half or the drivers.

Car drivers carry a heavy burden as far as pedestrians are concerned. Car drivers owe a duty of care, which the law upholds stating they must drive in a safe and responsible manner. Pedestrian injury remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14.

Research has concluded that you are more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident as a pedestrian on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday between the hours of 3pm and 8pm. Research has also shown that approximately two-thirds of all crashes that injury or kill people happen on roads that have a speed limit of 30mph or less. At 30mph, vehicles are travelling at 44 feet (about 3 car lengths) each second.

On average, in the USA, a pedestrian is injured every eight minutes after being involved in a road traffic accident. With older pedestrians, who are roughly 70+ accounting for 15% of all pedestrian fatalities and 6% of all pedestrian injuries. However children are most at risk from becoming a pedestrian victim than anyone as roads are designed with adults in mind. Children are less well developed physically, cognitively and in terms of their traffic experience.

Injuries caused to pedestrians can be extremely severe with the most common area affected being the head and internal injuries. Injuries such as these are the main reason for hospitalisation.

The speed of a car that hits a pedestrian is also a big factor as to the outcome of the injuries that are sustained. If a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 30mph they have a survival rate of 95%. This percentage drops to 60% if hit by a car travelling at 50 mph and drops again to 20% is a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 70mph.

Below are a few precautions that pedestrians can follow in order to prevent injury:

• Only cross the road at pedestrian crossings and traffic lights

• Use the pavement, do not wonder onto the road
• Look left, right and left again to check for traffic before stepping out into the road

• Closely watch your children and encourage them to cross a road in the correct, safe manner

Accident Consult; specialists in Pedestrian Accidents.

Fractured Jaw Accident Claims

If you fracture your jaw you will damage the way your teeth fit together. You will not be able to open your mouth wide and your jaw will shift to one side when you open or close your mouth. Most fractures occur in your lower jaw, known as mandible.

Only the lower jaw bone moves. The two parts of the jaw bone are connected to the skull by a joint in front of the ears (temporomandibular joint). Strong muscles run from the jaw to the skull.

The jaw bone is the second most commonly broken bone after the nose. It is the largest bone in the lower part of the face.

Fractures of your upper jaw (maxilla) can have serious consequences. You may experience double vision as muscles of your eye attach nearby. It may cause numbness in your skin below the eye and irregulation in your cheekbone.

A force that is strong enough to fracture your jaw may also injury your spine at the neck. You could suffer concussion or bleeding within your skull. Fractures to your jaw can also cause internal bleeding and/or airway obstruction. If you suspect that you have fractured your jaw, you need to hold your jaw in place, either with your hands or a bandage until you receive medical help.

Before you receive any treatment you will most likely have an x-ray done to rule out spinal damage. The treatment that you will receive is your upper and lower jaws will be wired together and remain wired for up to six weeks to allow the bones to heal correctly. During this six week period you will only be able to drink liquids through a straw. However many fractures can be repaired surgically by inserting a plate (a piece of metal is screwed into the bone on each side of the fracture). In this case you are only immobilised for a few days.

When is comes to unwiring your upper and lower jaws it can hurt with a pain that resembles having a brace taken off. It takes about an hour to unwire as the wires have to be cut and the bands pulled off. You won’ be able to open your mouth very wide for about the first week but this soon get better as long as you don’t over do it. You should be able to eat normally after about two months but you will experience soreness when you visit the dentist for a while after. You should make sure you visit your dentist after having your jaws unwired so that they can clean your teeth and measure your bite as well as examining your mouth alignment.

There several factors that can be the cause of a fracture to your jaw, such as:

• Falling from height
• Road traffic accidents
• A blow to the face
• Sports injury

The healing time for a jaw fracture can take up to several months meaning if you were involved in an accident that resulted in your jaw being fractured you could be out of work for a long time whilst it heals. By being out of work you are losing money, making your everyday expenses hard to cover.

If you are suffering as a result of a fractured jaw you could be entitled to compensation. After you have received medical treatment you should get in touch with a personal injury solicitor and find out about claiming compensation today.

Accident Consult; specialists in accidents resulting in Injury to your Jaw.

Radiation Sickness/Poisoning

If you work in an environment that has high levels of radiation you are under the risk of radiation sickness. Although this type of work related illness is unusual, the effects that a nuclear accident can have are devastating.
The chance of survival for people with radiation poisoning decreases with increasing doses of exposure. The cause of death in most cases is the destruction of the bone marrow, which results in infections and internal bleeding.
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diahorrea
• Fatigue

These are the initial symptoms that you will be suffering from after coming into contact with radiation. These symptoms can then develop further can result in:

• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Fast, increased heartbeat
• Inflammation of the mouth/throat
• Worsening of tooth/gum disease
• Hair loss
• Dry cough
• Burning
• Heart inflammation/chest pain
• Skin darkening
• Bleeding spots under the skin
• Haemorrhage
• Anaemia

Natural background radiation causes only low levels of damage which can be repaired by the body. However, when the body is exposed to unnaturally high levels of radiation the damage is overwhelming meaning the body cannot fight it.

Radiation penetrates the body and is wholly/partially absorbed by soft/hard tissue. Radiation fallout results in radiation also being swallowed and breathed in. Symptoms of Radiation sickness usually take 10 to 15 years to show but in very extreme and rare cases death may occur within two or four weeks.

Radiation sickness interferes with cell division and has a devastating effect to your immune system and body tissue. As well as this it also damages the body’s genes, which mean’s future generations may be born with birth defects and you may also develop cancer later in life.

It has been proved that nuclear disaster causes cancer. In the Chernobyl disaster there was a massive increase in thyroid cancer in three countries; Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, the three most badly effected areas.
There are two basic types of radiation:

• Nonionizing radiation comes in the form of light, radio waves, microwaves and radar. This kind of radiation usually does not cause tissue damage.

• Ionizing radiation is radiation that produces immediate chemical effects on human tissue. X-rays, gamma rays, and particle bombardment (neutron beam, electron beam, protons, mesons, and others) give off ionizing radiation. This type of radiation can be used for medical testing and treatment, industrial and manufacturing purposes, weapons and weapons development.

One thing that is unclear to a lot of people is whether contamination can be spread. The answer to this is yes it can. If you have been in contact with radiation you could contaminate any other people or surfaces that you come into contact with. For example if you have radioactive dust on your clothing you could spread this dust when you sit on a chair or touch another person. Also people who have been penetrated by waves of radiation can spread it through body fluid such as blood, sweat and urine.

Radiation sickness can leave you permantly emotionally and mentally scarred. You could be left out of work and your future generations may also feel the burden of radiation sickness through genetic mutation.

If you have suffered as a result of radiation sickness you could be entitled to compensation. It is advised that you speak to a lawyer who is an expert in personal injury no win no fee claims as they will be able to assess your case and guide you through the compensation claim

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult; personal injury experts in Radiation Claims.

Public Transport Accidents

The term public transport can cover a number of ways we use to get around, such as taxis, aircrafts and boats however the most common form of public transport accidents involve trains and buses/coaches.

Although all coaches that have been built since 2001 have to be fitted with seatbelts; buses still don’t. So if a bus brakes hard or is involved in an accident the result is passengers being thrown from their seats and suffer whiplash, leg injuries and arm injuries.

In London alone 5 million people step onto buses on a daily basis. If one of these buses is running late the driver may be tempted to go that little bit faster to make up for lost time; this could result in the driver losing control and causing a collision, which could injury the passengers on board, leaving the driver/bus company liable for compensation claims. This compensation would be to cover pain and suffering, treatment costs and physiotherapy costs as well as loss of earnings.

If you are involved in a bus/coach accident and sustain personal injury you should make sure that the driver knows about it. It is advised to get the drivers name, the bus route number and the bus/coaches registration number. You should also keep hold of your bus ticket as well as writing a statement about the accident, including everything you can remember about it. Also you should get an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible so that there is a medical record of your injury. All of this will be vital to you if you wish to pursue a compensation claim.

The outcome of a compensation claim that involves passengers on public transport is favourable as the passenger is rarely responsible for a bus/coach becoming involved in an accident. The public transport company will be held liable when it comes to compensation with their insurance policies covering them and ensuring that claims are fairly straight forward.

In 2003 there were 9,068 passenger casualties in Britain due to bus accidents alone. The two main reasons for public transport accidents involving buses and coaches are the driver falling asleep at the wheel or the driver going to fast if the mode of transport is running late.

Unfortunately public transport accidents come in more forms than just bus/coach accidents. Train accidents cause numerous injury and even deaths every year. Train accidents are very serious and very controversial. On October 17th 2000 four people were killed and 35 were injured when a GNER London to Leeds train; travelling at over 100mph derailed at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Although the death toll of this accident is low in comparison to others, this crash holds significance as the crash occurred due to a broken rail. This broken rail was the result of cracks that occur due to heavy loads, when the cracks reach a critical point the rail brakes. There were over 300 cracks found at the Hatfield crash and what makes it worse is these cracks were known about and replacement rails were available but never installed.


Also on 10th May 2002 seven people were killed and over 70 injured when a service from London to Kings Lynn crashed in Hertfordshire, just a few miles from Hatfield. Three of the four carriages derailed, with one of them smashing into the platform and a bridge.

A personal injury due to a public transport accident can cause severe injury. You have a right to claim for compensation after an accident that wasn’t your fault. It is advised that you speak to a lawyer about your case before you pursue it.

Accident Consult; experts in Public Transport Claims.

Faulty Products – An Injury Waiting To Happen

We use and consume products on a daily basis in all areas of our life. We are entitled to expect the best from these products; we expect them to be safe and to not cause us harm.

Trading Standards receive around 33,000 complaints each year regarding unsafe products. 4,793 prosecution cases were brought under the safety provisions by trading standards authorities during the ten year period ending 31st March 1998 as reported to Parliament 95% of these cases were successful and fines imposed during the last five year period averaged just over £600.

In order to make a successful personal injury claim you need to prove another person was responsible for your injury. In the case of defective/faulty products you have to be able to show the actually defect in the product and how it is a result of your injury.

In 1987 the Consumer Protection Act came into force. The reasoning behind this act was to make it easier to pursue a claim against a manufacturer. The Consumer Protection Act 1987 has been used many times; whether it is against a large pharmaceutical company or a small business manufacturer.

The Consumer Protection Act covers all goods including ones used in workplaces/food/building material and agricultural needs. Defective Cosmetic products are another thing that the act covers. You have to be careful when purchasing cosmetic products to ensure you are not allergic or sensitive to any of the ingredients. Soaps, shower gels, hair-dye, make-up and perfume can all cause reactions if you are not careful. However if you do suffer scalding, skin rashes or inflammation when you are not sensitive to any ingredients you could be entitled to compensation as the reaction is through no fault of your own.

There are four main types of compensation claim that can be made under the existing Consumer Protection Act; these are:

• Manufacturing: contamination occurs during the manufacturing process
• Design: a product is poorly designed and presents a danger
• Warnings: a manufacturer fails to display warnings on a dangerous product
• Failure to recall: a manufacturer finds fault with a product but fails to recall product

Medical supplies are another consumer product that could cause harm. Inaccurate packaging/instructions on drugs could lead to them being misused. This is extremely dangerous as the injuries you could possibly sustain may be deadly.

Common faulty product complaints lie in electrical appliances such as kettles, toasters, lamps and hair dryers; these products if faulty can cause burning, shocks or could even explode leaving devastating results.

Another common complaint comes from faulty toys. The safety in the manufacturing of toys if one of the highest as if anything goes wrong it will be a child that suffers because of it.
There are certain steps that can be taken to ensure the standard of our consumer products:
• Product safety system itself must be better managed.

• Greater attention should be paid at the design stage to ensure products are safe and companies should integrate product safety within their management system.

• Manufacturers are more likely to ensure their products are safe if they see others punished for putting dangerous products on the market.

• More effective market surveillance needs to be employed and valid product liability claims need to be better supported.

• With limited resources available to both manufacturers and the enforcement authorities, choices have to be made and priorities set. Risk assessment techniques should be more widely used to assist in this process.
If you feel you have suffered due to a faulty product you should get in touch with a lawyer today to find out whether you are entitled to a compensation claim.

Accident Consult; specialists in Faulty Product claims.

Industrial Deafness Accidents

Industrial deafness, otherwise known as noise induced hearing loss affects around 170,000 people in the UK with another 1.1 million people at potential risk. The term Industrial deafness covers Tinnitus, temporary hearing loss, permanent hearing loss and acoustic trauma.

People who are involved in noisy working environments, such as metal work, engineering, shipbuilding, coal mining and factory environments where noisy machinery is used as well as nightclub workers and airline pilots could all be prone to Industrial deafness and other forms of hearing problems.

Industrial deafness is the second most common type of industrial disease in the UK and can dramatically alter the structure of people’s lives, in some cases leaving it difficult for them to find work.

If you were once employed in a constantly noisy environment and you are now suffering deteriorated hearing you could be entitled to personal injury compensation.

In 1989 the Noise at Work Act put in place rules relating to health and safety in the workplace. This act was then revised in 2005 bringing out the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, which states that when noise reaches a certain level the employer must take specific action and also educate their workers in the effects of noise and what can be done to protect them. These Regulations include:
• Every employer must ensure a noise assessment is performed where any employee is likely to be exposed to dangerous noise levels.
• Employer are under a duty to reduce the risk of noise damage to the lowest level reasonably practicable by muffling the noise, or reducing the period of time spent in a noisy environment.
• Where an employee is likely to be exposed to between 85 dBA and 90 dBA hearing protection should be provided if requested by the employee. For employees exposed to over 90dBA the employer should provide employees with hearing protection without waiting for a request and they must take all reasonable steps to ensure hearing protection is fully used.
• Employer must advise and instruct employees of the risks of damage to hearing from exposure to noise and of the steps that can be taken to reduce that risk.
• Areas exceeding 90dBA are to be identified and marked as ear protection zones and as areas in which ear protection should be worn to reduce the risk of industrial deafness.
Compensation claims regarding Industrial deafness and tinnitus are high. Mild tinnitus with some hearing loss can bring up to £8,650 in a successful no win no fee claim and severe tinnitus with hearing loss can fetch up to £26,500

Tinnitus describes when you hear noises such as ringing, buzzing or whistling. This either occurs suddenly or over a period of time. Many cases of tinnitus are temporary but in some cases it can be permanent. One of the first signs that damage has been done to your hearing is usually tinnitus.
In the case of permanent hearing loss, you usually experience difficulty hearing women and children’s voices. This is the first sign that something is wrong. Permanent hearing loss is a gradual change that takes place, with it usually occurring within the first ten years of being exposed to a noisy workplace. Once permanent damage has occurred, it cannot be reversed.

If you have suffered Industrial Deafness then you are more than likely entitled to claim compensation. It is in your legal and civil rights to claim after an accident that wasn’t your fault. You should get in touch with a lawyer today who will be able to talk you through the claims process and let you know if you have a chance of a successful claim.

Accident consult, providing you with professional advice surrounding your Industrial Deafness Accident Claim.

Paralysis Accident Claims

Paralysis describes the loss of muscle function, which leads to loss of feeling in the affected area. Paralysis can be complete, partial and affect either one or both sides of the body. Paralysis can be extremely difficult to come to terms with; your every day life can be completely turned around.

The cause of paralysis is nerve damage. This nerve damage can either be in the brain or spinal cord (the central nervous system) or in the nerves outside of the spinal cord (peripheral nervous system).

There are 24 vertebrae/small bones in the spinal cord. These are grouped into three sections:

• Neck (cervical spine)
• Middle Back (thoracic)
• Lower Back (Lumbar spine)

There is also a lot of tissue that surrounds the bones, muscles and skin, all of which support the spine.

The two most common forms of paralysis are Paraplegia; paralysis of the lower half of the body, including legs and Quadriplegia; paralysis of the arms and legs. The way in which these are diagnosed is by looking at the events in the patient’s history, such as incidents like falls or trauma, exposure to toxins, infections and surgery. Neurological examinations can then test strength, reflexes and sensation in the affected area as well as looking at reflexes and strength in normal areas.

There are three types of injury that can cause paralysis:

• Contusion – this is a direct blow to spinal cord. It causes swelling and excess pressure that damages the spinal column and nerves.
• Compression – this is when the spinal cord compresses in a violent manner, for example in a car crash, this causes swelling and excess pressure
• Direct Injury – when bone/metal cuts the spinal cord causing damage to the nerves.

The only treatment that is possible for paralysis is to try and treat underlying causes. This can be done through:

• Physical Therapy – this focuses on mobility. It helps to develop strategies to compensate for paralysis by using muscles that still have normal function. This helps maintain and build strength.
• Occupational Therapy – focuses on daily activities such as eating/bathing. Develops tools/techniques that permit self care. An occupational therapist suggests ways to modify your home/workplace so you can lead a normal life.
• Other requirements may be; respiratory therapist, vocational rehabilitation counsellor, social worker, speech language pathologist, nutritionist, special education teacher, recreation therapist or clinical psychologist.

Accidents such as sports (especially horse riding), road traffic, severe trauma to the back, broken neck, Violent attacks and work related accidents, such as construction can all leave you susceptible to paralysis. If you are unfortunate enough to be left with paralysis after an accident you could be entitled to compensation.

You can claim for compensation through a no win no fee claim. By doing this you keep all of the money you are awarded in a successful claim with your fees being repaid by the other side. If your claim for any reason is unsuccessful then you will have no fees to pay at all.

It is advised that you get in touch with a compensation claims team where you will be talked through the claims process.

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult, specialists in paralysis claims as well as no win no fee claims

Types of Accidents at Work

It is estimated that one million people in the UK suffer injury at their workplace, the majority of which could have been avoided.

No matter what profession or occupation you are working within, your employer has a duty of care to protect you in the workplace. If you feel you have received a lack of training, inadequate equipment or defective equipment you should tell your employer immediately. Although Health and Safety in the workplace has improved there is still a high risk within most professions.

Lifting and Carrying
Manual handling is a skill you should have been trained in prier to starting your job. Without the correct training you are at risk of causing injury to your neck, back, arms and legs. Sprains, whiplash and even fractures could occur due to the wrong manual handling procedure. Incorrect manual handling can occur across a number of occupations such as, shops, warehouses, construction sites and even offices. Stock, tools and equipment all need to be moved from place to place, which is why Health and Safety guidelines were put in place.

Falling from Height
Window Cleaners, Construction Workers, etc face this risk everyday. Ladders, platforms and scaffolding all pose increased risk to safety. Falling from height holds the highest fatality rate within work injuries.

Road Accidents
If you drive for a living you are, like all drivers, putting yourself at risk on a daily basis. Postmen, delivery drivers, lorry drivers, taxi drivers and salespeople are among the occupations where road accidents pose a great risk. Your employer should maintain the vehicles conditions and they should be checked before being used, especially on long journeys. You should also keep alert on the road through regular breaks to maintain full concentration. An injury whilst driving for a living can cause serious injury that could leave you out of work for weeks even months and in extreme cases could end your occupation altogether.

Slips/Trips/Falls
Health and Safety regulations are in place regarding this matter. All slips should be cleared up immediately and wet floors should be properly signposted to warn of danger. Slips/trips/falls can be a problem across pretty much all occupations. A slip, trip or fall can cause a range of injury such as broken/fractured bones, strain, whiplash and torn tendons/muscles.

Burns
Any occupations that are working close to live currents, such as electricians and construction workers, are at risk of burns as well as electric shock. The worst case scenario for workers in these occupations are fatal electrocution. Kitchen workers are also exposed to risk of burns. In busy kitchens the risks of accidents increase.

Back/Neck Injury
Occupations such as office workers, drivers, and most occupations that involve sitting down for most of the day can put a strain on your neck and back, often causing extreme pain that could leave you out of work for weeks. Poor posture and badly designed workstations can contribute to neck and back injury. To reduce the risk of neck and back injury it is important to remember to take regular breaks in order to stop your neck going stiff and to reduce the risk of back pain.

Repetitive Strain Injury
One in fifty workers are said to suffer from Repetitive Strain Injury. Occupations that require regular use of arm and hands for most of the day. People who work in occupations such as typists, factory workers and drivers are at risk of suffering from repetitive strain injury. Common symptoms of repetitive strain injury include pain and numbness. Related conditions are Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

Post Traumatic Stress
Post traumatic stress is a condition that people suffer from after an emotional or stressful event has happened in their lives. It leaves people unable to live their lives in the normal ways. Drivers could suffer post traumatic stress after a road accident, bank workers or post office staff could suffer as a result of an armed robbery or factory workers could after coming into contact with hazardous substances. Common symptoms include, sleep disturbances, nightmares, sweats and shakes.

These are just a handful of the injuries that can occur in the workplace. If you do suffer injury as a result of your occupation due to someone else’s negligence you could be entitled to personal injury compensation.

There are several steps that you should take if you do have an injury at work. Always right your accident in the accident book. This should be done as soon as possible and every workplace should have one. You should make sure that the facts in the accident book are correct and if there are any witnesses you should take their details so an account of what happened can be taken from them if it is needed. As well as this you should go to the doctors or hospital is necessary so that there is a record of your medical history. All of this is crucial if you intend on claiming for compensation.

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult, specialists in all types of work accidents.

Uninsured Driver Claims

Being involved in a road traffic accident is difficult enough to cope with but when you are hit by an uninsured driver, things become a lot worse.

It often isn’t clear as to what happens when you are hit by an uninsured driver, well if you have a fully comprehensive policy then you will be covered for the damage caused to your vehicle. However you will have to pay the agreed amount of excess and you may be at risk of losing your no claims bonus if you are unable to trace and recover the amount from the uninsured driver. Unfortunately if you have any form of third party policy, you are not covered for the cost of the repair to your own vehicle but you should still inform your insurance company of the circumstances.

1/3 of people in the UK have driven at some point without insurance. It is said that uninsured drivers make up 5% of motorists and one in ten of us have been involved in an accident with them. Uninsured drivers cause more accidents and cost the Motor Insurance Bureau 500 million last year, however only 16% are convicted.

Uninsured drivers are six times more likely to drive non road worthy vehicles and are nine times more likely to be involved in an accident. They are more likely to be involved in hit and run and often make up the accidents that are due to not paying attention.

If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver you should:

• Call the police immediately
• Take the name of the driver and the owner of the vehicle including the address, the registration number and the policy details.
• If you feel that the details given to you may not be correct, contact your insurer and they will be able to check the Motor Insurance Database to find out.
• Never admit to the accident and avoid throwing accusations at the other person, remain calm as the uninsured driver may withhold information and redirect blame.
• Use your mobile phone to take pictures of the driver and the vehicle
• If there are witnesses, try to get them to give you there details incase their account of events is needed.

Police carried out enquires in 2004 that found 80% of untaxed vehicles also had no insurance. If you are caught in an accident with a driver who has no insurance, you could face a long battle to have your costs paid.

Before you do anything when it comes to claiming compensation you should get legal advice. You should speak to personal injury lawyers who will be able to guide you through the claims process and tell you whether you have a good shot at having a successful compensation claim.

The best and most efficient way of claiming compensation is through a no win no fee claim. If you are successful in your claim your fees are repaid from the other side and if you are sadly unsuccessful you will have no fees to pay, meaning you don’t lose out.

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult, specialists in Uninsured Driver Claims.

Fatal Injury Accidents

Losing someone you love is the hardest thing to go through in life and sadly it’s an experience that all of us will go through at some point in our lifetime. Having someone taken away from us through the fault of another party alters our lives emotionally and financially.

The term Fatal Injury Accident is used when a person fall’s victim to an accident that was through no fault of their own, which is the cause of said person’s death. A Fatal Injury Accident can unfortunately occur across a range of avenues such as:

• Road Traffic
• Work
• Public Places
• Hazardous Substances
• Poisoning
• Medical negligence
• Animal Attack

When someone dies as a result of a fatal injury accident, compensation can be claimed in two parts, the first part being the deceased’s claim. This compensation covers the physical and emotional pain and distress that the deceased sustained from the time of the accident to the time of death. However compensation cannot be claimed if the victim of an accident died immediately or never regained consciousness. There is little or no compensation given in these circumstances as the pain and suffering is minimal.

The other part of a compensation claim following a Fatal Injury Accident is compensation for the deceased’s relatives when the victim’s death was through a wrongful act, medical negligence or somebody else’s fault. Under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, claims can be made by an individual for the deceased; this individual must either be the deceased’s spouse, live in partner for over two years, children, parents, acting children or parents, grandchildren or grandparents. The compensation that these named people will be claiming covers a portion of the deceased contributions to earnings that wouldn’t have been spent on themselves, money for services that the deceased provided, such as:

• Childcare
• Domestic assistance
• Gardening
• DIY

Compensation claimed by the deceased’s relatives also covers funeral expenses.

As well as compensation claims, the deceased’s spouse or parents are entitled to claim for a statutory sum of bereavement pay. This sum of money can be up to £10,000. It is advised that you speak to a personal injury solicitor for free, no obligation legal advise so it can be determined whether you have a strong chance of having a successful claim for compensation.

A claim for Fatal Injury compensation can be complex as there as many factors to be taken into consideration, this is especially the case when the claim involves victims who were self-employed, directors of owned management businesses and professional persons. The value of the claim can be substantial and each case must be considered individually.

In 2006/07 the number of workers fatally injured was 241. This figure mainly reflects occupations of an agriculture and construction nature. In 2005/06 the number of people who were fatally injured in work related injury was 217, which is the lowest number on record. There were also 90 members of the public fatally injured in 2006/07.

Compensation won’t take away the pain of losing a loved one, nor will it make the grieving process any easier or faster. Fatal Injury Compensation is put in place to ease the money trouble that you really don’t need after losing someone close.

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult, home of personal injury solicitors, expertly trained in Fatal Injury Claims as well as no win no fee claims.

Construction Accidents

Despite the Department of Work and Pensions stating that fatalities have been cut since the 1970’s by two thirds; 250-300 construction site workers are still killed every year and 35 million working days are lost each year to occupational health issues. Showing the number of deaths and injury in the workplace remains at an alarming high number.

The main cause of accidents on construction sites are:

• Scaffolding Accidents

• Lifting equipment failure

• Welding accidents

• Trench Collapses

• Falls from roofs

• Crane Accidents

• Forklift truck accidents

• Electric Shock Injury

• Accident caused by fire or explosion

• Road Traffic Accident

• Compressed Gases Accidents

• Falls from ladders

• Unsafe safety harnesses

• Electrocutions

• Accidents from faulty machinery

• Power tool accidents

• Holes in flooring

You are six times more likely to be killed as a construction employee than an employee of any other occupation. Working at a construction site is one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK.

If you are injured on a construction site, you should take action as soon as possible, including:
• Reporting the accident immediately

• Seeking immediate medical treatment on site or go to a hospital or GP as soon as possible

• Obtaining names telephone numbers and addresses of any witnesses

• If possible make sure the accident scene is photographed

• Identify the main/principle contractor/s or subcontractors on the job site responsible your injury

• Do not make written statements or discuss you accident with anyone without first speaking to a qualified personal injury specialist.

There have been 2,800 fatalities in the last 25 years due to building and construction accidents. Employers have to, by law, protect their employees. Most building/construction workers do not realise that it is within their rights to ask supervisors for regular breaks when using heavy duty equipment. If you feel that equipment needs replacing or feel that health and safety hasn’t been properly addressed you should report it to your employer who can take the necessary steps to make the workplace more safe.

If employers fail to enforce health and safety, they can be left liable for compensation claims.

The workplace should be kept in a safe and tidy condition. Suitable workstations and chairs should be provided to employees and floors and corridors should be clean and free from hazards as well as doors and gates, nothing should become an unnecessary obstruction in the workplace that could become a danger to the employees that work there.

All employers are required by law to be provided with any safety wear they require to complete their jobs, such as goggles, hard hats, ear guards, dust masks, safety gloves, safety boots or high-visibility jackets.

Also by law, employees are to be highly trained in whatever task they have to undergo, such as operating a fork lift truck, manually handling heavy objects or operating any form of machinery.

If you are currently working in a construction job you should make sure that your employer has explained health and safety to you and that health and safety is being abided by in your place of work to prevent accidents from happening.

Helen Cox is the web master of Accident Consult, experts in Construction Accident Claims

Medical Negligence Claims

People in the UK suffer and sometimes die every day due to medical negligence through not receiving the correct care.

Being involved in the medical industry is a difficult and demanding job and illness is never as it appears in textbooks; important factors may be hidden and complications may happen suddenly. Human failure is a fact of life and what most people want when things go wrong is an explanation and an apology. However compensation is often wanted when people can’t accept what has happened.

Health professionals react defensively when it comes to accusations of medical negligence. Medical negligence cases are hard to win and take a very long time to resolve as the courts are keen to protect the health professionals.

Medical negligence cases are extremely complex and as all medical treatment carries a risk and patients are warned of this risk before treatment is carried out. Medical negligence means the standard of care has fell below the general standard that is expected. The law awards compensation if it can be proved that treatment was negligent. Medical negligence not only covers the care given by doctors and nurses; it also covers the care given by dentists, opticians, psychiatrists, midwives and physiotherapists.

Medicine is a complex area as opinions often differ. Some of the most common cases of Medical Negligence that are seen are:

• Infectious diseases due to unclean conditions
• Complications during surgery
• Claims involving children
• HIV/AIDS
• Care of the elderly in the NHS and nursing homes
• Pressure sores
• Misdiagnosis
• Stillbirth

The worst case situation with medical negligence is when a patient dies due to a mistake on the doctor’s behalf. Healthy body parts have also been removed in the past due to incorrect diagnosis on your doctor’s behalf.

If you decide to go ahead and put a claim in for compensation there are certain things that need to be done during the investigation stage of your claim so that your solicitor can advise you as to whether or not your cases has a chance of winning. The first step of this is to get a statement from you. This statement will outline your account of exactly what happened, in many cases this statement is often of a long length.

Medical records are the second piece of documentation that your solicitor will need. These include your GP’s records as well as the records of any hospital treatment you may have received.


The last documentation that your solicitor will require is a medical report. This medical report will be from a specialist medical practitioner and will outline if the standard of care given fell short of that which is considered to be reasonable in this country. Your solicitor will also need evidence that medical negligence is what caused or contributed to your injury.

You should also remember that putting a claim in for compensation is not the same as putting a compliant in against a medical professional. To make a complaint against a health care worker you have to register your complaint, the details for doing this can be found on the NHS website.

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult, specialists Medical Negligence claims

Road Traffic Accidents

It’s been 110 years since the first death due to a road accident, now more than a century on we are seeing more and more injuries due to road traffic accidents, mostly involving car accidents, which comes as no surprise when you take into account the amount of congestion on Britain’s roads today.

Road traffic accidents not only refer to collisions between vehicles, be it car or motorcycle but also to collisions with buildings, trees and even people.

Injuries sustained from road traffic accidents can range from minor whiplash to fatal injuries. An estimated 1.2 million people worldwide are killed each year on the road with more minor injuries being about forty times this number.

If you are unfortunately involved in a road traffic accident you should always stay at the scene and decide on the emergency services that you need by taking into account things like, is the road blocked? If so you need the police, are people injured? Then an ambulance. As well as these essentials you should always exchange details with the other driver so repairs and insurance claims can be sorted out quickly to get you back on the road in no time.

One other thing you are able to do after a road traffic accident is claim compensation. You can do this as a driver, passenger or pedestrian if the accident wasn’t your fault.

With most people travelling in cars or on motorbikes to work and some even driving as a living, the risk of becoming a victim of a road traffic accident is a very high one. Legislations have been put in place to reduce the amount of road traffic accidents, with the focus being put heavily on young and inexperienced drivers, who are believed to be by far the most likely to be involved in a car crash. These legislations include proposals such as to introduce a curfew to young drivers, stopping them from driving late at night and a Zero tolerance on alcohol.

Although it is believed most crashes are a result of poor care and attention, there are times when factors such as road conditions and mechanical failures take over. Making it hard to safely stop the car.

A road traffic accident is a frightening experience and one that you would not like to repeat, leaving me feeling is enough really being done to prevent them?

For more information and specialist advice Road Traffic Accidents

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Accidents in Public

Accidents in Public is a broad term and if misunderstood could mean members of the public are missing out on up to thousands of pounds worth of money every year.

A recent case would be that of a lady from Essex who was recently awarded £3,710 in compensation following a fall in Tesco. Water had leaked out onto the floor from a nearby refrigerator, causing the lady to slip and fall resulting in 27 injuries to her lower back.

There are many cases such as this one each year, with most people involved not knowing that they have the right to claim compensation, often leaving them out of pocket due to the fact they are left unable to work for a period of time.

Thousands of people across the UK experience these types of common accidents each year. Personal Injuries range from things such as whiplash, broken bones and crushed limbs. There are a number of aspects in our everyday lives that can potentially cause such injuries, a wet floor surface, uneven pavements, footpaths, obstructions left on the floor, trips and falls in public buildings i.e. shops, sports centres or restaurants and car accidents being the number one cause of whiplash.

Back in 2002 a man from Chesterfield won a personal injury claim after he was bitten by a dog. The 55 year old sustained severe dog bites to his upper right arm which, resulted in him having to undergo surgery to his arm. He was awarded £3,500 in compensation.

Every year there are thousands of accidents in public places that are not your fault. It could happen whilst out walking for example in a residential ares; a trip/slip on uneven pavements, potholes and road works can cause serious personal injury. While out at the supermarket, restaurant or even the bank you could fall on obstacles or spill on a spillage. Accidents can happen where ever you are, such as a public event due to a lack of safety measures or bad management.

If you sustain a personal injury whilst out in a public place, you are most likely to be entitled to compensation. A no win no fee claim could reward you with the compensation that you deserve.

No win no fee claims mean if your case is successful you keep all of the money you are rewarded, with the cost owing to your solicitor being paid from the other side. If however your case is unsuccessful you have no fees to pay, meaning if you opt to go for a no win no fee claim you aren’t losing out.

Lawyers/solicitors are here to help you through all of you’re claim, offering professional advice. Your claim starts as soon as you pick up the phone, with your chosen professional team being able to tell you if you have a chance of success. Most cases are settled before the need to go to court, making the process as simple as possible and keeping you in the know from start to finish.

Helen Cox is the web master for Accident Consult, providing you with information and specialist advice on Accidents in Public

Accidents at Work - Disease, Deafness and Other Long-Term Injuries

"Employment is nature’s physician and is essential for human happiness" Galen, ca 180 AD. In 2003/04 30 million working days were lost to illness that were caused by work related issues. Two million people believed they were suffering from a work related illness in 2003/04. ½ a million people were said to be suffering from stress/depression or anxiety. 183,000 claimed to have breathing or lung problems. Hearing problems were sustained by 81,000, skin problems by 31,000 and heart disease/attack by 66,000.

These harrowing figures are a shocking insight into the abuse of health and safety in the work place. Although these figures have improved slightly now; health concerns due to occupations are still a major problem.

An occupational disease is a chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work. It is when symptoms of diseases are more prevalent in bodies of workers than the general public.

Improving organisation, work practises, addressing issues such as workload (over or under), matching workers skills to their jobs and having clear lines of accountability and responsibilities are all appropriate steps to prevent ill health occurring in the work place. The right work patterns, security and ensuring a ‘happy’ work place as well as good communication and safe working practises not only improve the safety of the work place but also creates a better working environment.

Examples of occupational disease are:

• Black lung disease – normally seen in coal mining industry

• Carpel Tunnel Syndrome - occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The symptoms are usually burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers with some people even stating their fingers feel useless and swollen even though they appear fine.

• Radiation Sickness – seen in the nuclear industry

• Byssinosis – disease of the lungs caused by breathing in cotton dust or dusts from other vegetable fibers such as flax, hemp, or sisal while at work

• COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – the symptoms of COPD are a persistent cough/phlegm, shortness of breath and chest infections. Once the damage of COPD has taken effect it cannot be reversed. COPD is damaged airways in the lungs, causing them to become narrow, making it harder for air to get in and out of the lungs.

• Silicosis – The Oldest of all work related diseases. It develops over time when dust from Silica is inhaled into the lungs. A persistent cough, with or without sputum, shortness of breath and chest tightness are all symptoms of Silicosis. All of these usually appear over many years of exposure to high levels of Silica dust, with the tissue of the lungs becoming damaged by Fibrosis and being replaced with solid nodules of scar tissue. Even after the exposure stops, the disease still progresses.

• Asbestos – work related disease due to asbestos exposure can be highly serious. Mesothelioma is cancer of the pleura and asbestosis is a form of lung fibrosis, both of which are a direct result of asbestos, as well as bronchial cancer.

• Occupational Lung Disease - covers a range of damage, affecting things such as the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs (airways), the tiny air sacs where oxygen is transferred from the air we breathe into our blood stream. Other damage may affect the thin lining between our lungs and ribcage. Symptoms include chest pain, prolonged coughing, breathlessness and wheezing

• Occupational Asthma – it has been said that by 2010, the cases of occupational asthma are to be reduced by 30%. Occupational Asthma remains the most common form of work related illness. Dust from flour and grain; Industrial baking, farm work, grain transport. Wood dust, from hard wood, western red cedar, carpentry, joinery and sawmilling. Colophony, mostly found in soldering fumes but also present in glues and floor cleaners Dust from latex rubber, from jobs involving latex gloves used in nursing and dentist work.
Dust from insects and animals are all causes of Occupational Asthma.

The above list is only a small section of work related illness and disease that can affect many employees.

Helen is the web master for Accident Consult; specialists in accidents at work claims

Accidents at Work

Health and Safety is more commonly overlooked than it should be. Although when starting a new job it is the duty of your employer to make you aware of health and safety, with a legal obligation to do so, this is more than usually done through watching short films about what to do in an emergency and being told where the nearest fire points are, but how many of us would actually know what to do if a situation like those seen in the films happened in real life?

Injuries in the work place are common and make up a large majority of the personal injury claims that are made. Employer’s have to make sure the workplace is safe and without risk to health. Some steps taken to maintain this are to provide protective clothing where necessary, assess the risks that might be involved in work practices such as using a computer, provide adequate first aid equipment and facilities and keeping dust, fumes and noise under control.

Although it is the job of an employer to make you aware of potential risks and that you understand procedures that need to be followed in order to carry out practises in a safe manner, you as an employee must cooperate with the health and safety guidelines in order to keep the workplace safe.

When an accident does occur at work there is a legal obligation that it has to be reported to your employer as soon as possible. The accident will be noted in what is called the Accident Book, most if not all workplaces should have one of these and if they don’t, it is advised that you note details of the accident down, making two copies, one for you and one for your boss. If you fail to report details of the accident and later decide to claim for compensation, your claim will be unfounded and dismissed.

Another piece of advice for people who wish to make a claim after a work related accident is to make an appointment with a doctor so your injuries can be professionally assessed. Even if your injuries seem very minor it is still a good idea as you will have a medical record of exactly what happened, which, in some cases could make or break a compensation claim.

Accidents at work that cause personal injury can entitle you to compensation through a no win no fee claim. Most accident claims companies work on a no win no fee basis and it’s never been easier to claim. With trained advisors and professional help at your fingertips, you will be told straight away whether your case has the potential to win.

There are many accidents at work that often go overlooked, these accidents are ones that don’t cause injury but come extremely close to doing so. A few examples of these are an electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion, failure of lifts and or lifting equipment and also equipment coming into contact with overheated power lines.

Helen Cox is the web master. For more information and specialist advice on Accidents at work

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