Accident Claims - No Win No Fee - Legal Articles

Help With Your Claim - Another Great Resource

2008-10-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

There is a new site for those that need help with their compensation claims. Strangly enough the site is called Help With Your Claim. If you have had an injury the question most people have on their minds is: How much compensation am I entitled too?, well the Help With Your Claim site has a damages awards page.

If you are not sure whether you should claim compensation, you should ask yourself ... Would you like someone else to suffer the same fate? Is it possible the accident could happen again? If you put in a claim for compensation it is quite possible that action will be made to ensure a similar accident doesn't happen.

It is your LEGAL and CIVIL RIGHT to claim for compensation. You didn't ask for the injury, so you should be compensated.

Claim today or you will miss out on what is rightly yours.

Whiplash

2008-08-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Whiplash is a sudden movement/jolt to the body or head. Whiplash is notoriously known as being the most common injury that you can sustain after suffering from a road traffic accident.

Although road traffic accidents are the most common cause of whiplash there are several other ways that whiplash can be caused such as a blow to the head or through repetitive movements of the neck.

Whiplash causes pain and stiffness as well as a loss of movement. This is due to the fact that whiplash causes damage to the ligaments and tendons in your neck and head. Other symptoms associated with whiplash include headaches, muscle spasms and pain in your shoulders and arms. These symptoms usually appear within the first couple of days after, for example, a road traffic accident.

So how is whiplash diagnosed? The diagnosis of whiplash relies mainly on the information that is provided to a GP from the patient, such as the events leading up to the symptoms appearing and the patient’s description of the symptoms. Whiplash is the type of injury that doesn’t appear on MRI scans, CT scans or x-rays, however an x-ray is likely to be taken for nothing else but to remove any suspicion of a fracture or dislocation of the cervical spine. So the diagnosis of the condition is one that is made by your GP based on their knowledge of the condition and the symptoms that you are experiencing.

If you are suffering the symptoms of whiplash then in the first 24 hours of it appearing you should apply an ice pack to your neck as a way of relieving inflammation. This ice pack should be wrapped in a towel, never apply it directly to the skin, and it should be placed on the affected area in 20 minute intervals. As well as this you should be taking regular painkillers. If these painkillers however fail to have any affect it is important that you visit your doctor in order to get stronger painkillers or to find a better way of dealing with the problem.

The symptoms of whiplash usually clear up within a few days but there are cases where people may end up suffering for years after the initial accident happened.

If you are currently suffering from whiplash or you have suffered from it in the past three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. You can claim compensation for your injuries, suffering, medical expenses and any loss of earnings that you are experiencing while you are out of work waiting for you injuries to heal. Anyone can make a claim for compensation as long as your injuries are affecting your daily life and you can prove that the accident was caused through the negligence of another person.

Slip and Trip

2008-08-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Property owners, landlords and councils have a responsibility to ensure that their premises are safe. This means they have to ensure paving isn’t loose, spills are cleaned up and adequate lighting is in place as well as using reasonable care to keep their property safe. Sadly responsible parties don’t always take the responsibility that they should.

Pretty much all of us have slipped or tripped while we have been out at the shops, in work or walking on the pavement etc. In some cases these slip or trip accidents are caused by not looking where you are going but if you have been injured in a slip/trip accident through the fault of someone else’s negligence then you could have a chance to make a claim for compensation.

It is the duty of property owners to make sure that their building is free from obstructions or spillages that could lead to you having a slip, trip or fall accident. Due to this the floor in a workplace must be suitable for the type of work activity that will be taking place on it. Where a floor can’t be kept dry people should be able to walk on it without the fear of a slip; so how can this happen? Simple you need to ensure that the flooring that is present in your property has a certain degree of roughness to it, this is important as it will provide a grip so that even if the floor is wet you will still have an aspect of safety to protect you.

The flooring in a public building should also be cleaned correctly to ensure that it does not become slippery and that it keeps its slip resistance properties. Your flooring should also be fitted correctly and any potential hazards should be removed.

It doesn’t matter how old or new your flooring is, whatever its age all flooring should be maintained so that it is keep in a good condition. Maintenance of flooring includes making sure that any trip hazards, such as holes, uneven surfaces and curled up carpet edges are taken care of. If you do have uneven flooring that can’t be avoided, such as ramps and raised platforms then these should be clearly highlighted and signposted.

Floors are just one aspect that can cause you to have a slip, trip or fall accident. Another common cause of slip, trips and falls are uneven pavements. If a pavement slab comes loose and is sticking up, causing the possibility of tripping then it is up to the local council to make sure that this paving slab is fixed in a timely manner before any injury is caused.

One last cause of slip, trip and fall accidents are stair cases. Stair cases, both internal and external ones should have high visibility and non-slip square nosing on the step edges. They should also be provided with a suitable handrail and the steps should be correctly proportioned, meaning they are equal in height and width.

If you have suffered injury due to a slip, trip or fall accident then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Road Traffic Accidents

2008-08-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

More people are injured and killed on Britain’s roads every year than through any other form of personal injury. You can be involved in a road traffic accident regardless of whether you are a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist and the injuries that you can sustain as a result of it vary in degree from relatively minor to catastrophic or even fatal.

Nearly half a million people are injured or killed on our roads every year. In order to help reduce the amount of accidents and injuries that occur each year on the roads we all owe each other a duty of care. This comes regardless of whether you are a driver, motorcyclist, pedestrian etc; whatever you use the road as you should do so in compliance with the Highway Code.

One of the most common injuries associated with road traffic accidents is whiplash. Other forms of injuries that you may suffer as the result of a road traffic accident includes broken or fractured bones, torn ligaments, head or neck trauma and even spinal cord damage. Whatever injury you are suffering from as the result of a road traffic accident you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation; this is as long as you can prove that the accident was caused through no fault of your own.

There are certain aspects that need to be looked at when it comes to road traffic accidents such as driver behaviour, road conditions and the state of the vehicle at the time of the accident. All of these will be used as proof that the accident occurred through no fault of your own.

Whether a road traffic accident was your fault or not it is important that you stop at the scene so that you can exchange insurance details and inform the police as well as an ambulance if anyone is seriously injured. Even if you are not seriously injured it is a good idea that you visit your doctor, even if your injuries seem minor. This way you will have a medical record of your accident and any injuries that you sustained as a result of it. Also some injuries that you may be suffering from might not show up straight away, which is why it is a good idea to have tests done to rule out any major illnesses.

If you have become the victim of a road traffic accident in the last three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Passenger Accidents

2008-08-19T08:20:00.002-07:00

As a passenger of a vehicle it is very unlikely that you would be at fault if a road traffic accident occurred but sadly innocent passengers are often injured during road traffic accidents.

Unfortunately there are a large number of road traffic accidents each year in the UK, and although safety cameras have helped to reduce the number of incidents they sadly still happen. In a road traffic accident there are many people who could end up injured such as the driver of a car, a pedestrian, a cyclist or a motorcyclist and of course passengers.

There are numerous ways in which a passenger could end up involved in a road traffic accident; the most common way of course is if they are the passenger of a car. While it is possible for anybody inside a car to be harmed during a car accident, it is more likely that front seat passengers will suffer significant injuries. As well as this you may be injured as a passenger if you are travelling on a bus, coach or taxi as well as a train that is involved in a crash. Whatever form of transport you are travelling on, if it is involved in a crash and you are injured as the passenger of that car then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

If you are a passenger of a car or a mode of public transport that is involved in a road traffic accident then you are in a strong legal position to make a claim for compensation. This is because the driver of a vehicle has a duty of care to ensure your safety and if this duty is breeched and you are injured as the result of it then you can make a claim for compensation.

In a successful compensation claim the amount of compensation that you will receive varies on the extent of your injuries and by the length of time that you have been affected by them. You will also receive compensation based on any medical expenses that you have encountered and any loss of earnings that you have suffered as the result of being out of work whilst your injuries are healing.

Head Injuries

2008-08-19T08:20:00.001-07:00

Head injuries have the potential to cause damage to your scalp, skull or brain. These injuries can range from being minor, major or life threatening. Some of the main causes of head injuries are road traffic accidents, falls, work place accidents, assaults and sports related injuries as well as accidents in public places. Due to this you should always be aware of potential dangers and wear the correct protective headgear when you are using bicycles or motorbikes as well as when playing contact sports or undertaking construction work.

The symptoms that you will be suffering from with a head injury vary greatly depending on the severity of the injury; however the main symptoms that you will be dealing with when it comes to a head injury are the following:

• Headache with nausea and vomiting
• Blurred or double vision
• Slurred speech
• Confusion or drowsiness
• Loss of consciousness
• Blood or clear fluid from the ears or nose

It is said that one million people each year in the UK need emergency medical care as the result of a head injury and about one in four people who are suffering from a head injury need to be admitted to hospital.

The treatment that you will receive for a head injury depends on the type and severity of the injury that you are suffering from. This may include observation at home or in hospital, first aid treatment i.e. stitching of wounds and medication such as painkillers, corticosteroids and antibiotics

One thing that is certain when it comes to head injuries; you should always visit a hospital or your doctor. Whether you have a minor or major head injury it is important as you could have underlying problems that will only be picked up when you have tests done. Also by seeing your doctor you will have a medical record of your injuries so that if you wish to make a claim for compensation you will have the backing of your doctor.

Some examples of the head injuries that you may be suffering from are concussion, epidural haematoma, subdural haematoma and cerebral contusion as well as diffuse axonal injury.

If you are suffering from a head injury, whether it is minor or major then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Asbestos Claims

2008-08-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Asbestos was extensively used as a building material in Great Britain from the 1950’s through to the mid 1980’s. Its main purpose was to be used as insulation. Any type of building built before 2000 has the chance of containing asbestos; if however the asbestos is in good condition you are safe, it is when the fibres of asbestos become airborne then you have to worry; this happens when the asbestos becomes damaged.

Asbestos fibres continue to be present everywhere in the environment in Great Britain, meaning that everyone is constantly exposed to very low levels of fibres, but this is nothing to worry about; the risk of developing an asbestos related disease comes down to the total number of fibres that you breathe in. Working on or near damaged asbestos-containing materials or breathing in high levels of asbestos fibres, which may be many hundreds of times that of environmental levels could increase your chances of getting an asbestos-related disease.

Inhaling these fibres can cause serious diseases, which are responsible for around 4000 deaths a year. There are three main diseases caused by asbestos: mesothelioma (which is always fatal), lung cancer (almost always fatal) and asbestosis (not always fatal, but it can be very debilitating).

It is important to remember that you won’t be affected straight away by an asbestos related disease but you will be later on in life, which is why it is important that you protect yourself now against the damage caused by asbestos.

Some examples of the types of occupations that are most at risk from an asbestos related illness are as follows:

• Heating and ventilation engineers
• Demolition workers
• Carpenters and joiners
• Construction workers
• Electricians

If you are informed by your doctor or consultant that you have an asbestos related illness then it is important that you obtain specialist legal advice as soon as possible as you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. You will be able to make a claim for compensation if your employer failed in their duty of care to protect you against the harmful effects of asbestos. Your employer should find out if you are working with or near asbestos and if you are they should make sure that you receive the correct training and that you are properly supervised. You should also be provided with the correct equipment and safety wear. Failure to do this can leave your employer open to liability cases and means that you are able to make a claim for compensation.

Normally the time limit for making a compensation claim is three years but in the case of asbestos this three year time limit starts from when you are diagnosed with an asbestos related illness.

If you are hoping to make a compensation claim regarding asbestos related diseases then you have to show that your employer was aware of the dangers of asbestos and failed to provide you with adequate warnings and protection against it.

Accidents at work

2008-08-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

All employers have a responsibility to protect their employees, contractors and visitors from accidents and injury in the workplace.

It is estimated that one million people suffer injury in the workplace every year and the vast majority of these are generally avoidable. Even with huge improvements in health and safety and an increasing list of safety rules/measures many workplace environments remain dangerous.

Employers should carry out risk assessments of the workplace to ensure that any measures to improve safety are being used. Even without these risk assessments there are still a number of precautions that need to be present in the workplace such as your employees should be provided with the correct safety wear, which includes goggles, hard hats, ear defenders, gloves, boots and high visibility jackets. As well as being provided with the correct safety wear, employees should also have the correct machinery and tools that they need to carry out their job. These tools and machinery should be checked regularly to ensure that they are in the best condition to carry out work.

If you unfortunately do suffer from an accident at work, you need to report it to your employers as soon as possible and make sure that the accident is recorded in the accident book. If the accident isn’t placed in the accident book or the company doesn’t have an accident book then you should write down brief details of the accident and send it to your boss, as well as keeping a copy for your own reference. If you can't report the accident because you are too ill, try to get someone else to do this.

If the accident involves any of the following:

• Death
• Disease
• Major injury
• Dangerous incidents
• Any injury that stops an employee doing their normal job for three or more days

Then your employer has a responsibility to report the accident not only in the accident book but also to the Health and Safety Executives.

One last procedure that is advised if you have suffered from a work place accident is going to see your doctor. You should do this even if your injury doesn’t seem too serious. The reason why this is so important is so that a doctor can record details of accident in case you wish to pursue a compensation claim later on.

If you are hoping to make a claim for compensation then remember, every compensation claim is different; some may be settled in a matter of months, others may take years but as long as you enlist the help of a legal firm you will be fine.

Do you wish to make a Medical Negligence claim?

2008-08-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

Medical professionals are generally regarded as providing us with excellent services when it comes to our healthcare. These excellent services could be present within a hospital, GP’s surgery, dental practice, nursing home or any other medical facility; we rely on these medical professionals and hand over the safety of our lives to them, sadly however there are cases when the care given to us goes completely wrong, leaving us suffering at the hands of the people we are meant to trust the most.

If medical treatment does, unfortunately go wrong you are at least entitled to an explanation and the medical professional who is treating you is in fact required by their governing body, which is the General Medical Council to inform a patient if the treatment that they are receiving goes wrong. There are many different areas of the medical profession where things could possibly go wrong such as within accident and emergency, anaesthetics, cancer treatment, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, general practice, keyhole surgery, mental health, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, plastic surgery, psychiatry, radiology, sterilisation, urology, vascular surgery and many more.

Medical accidents and things going wrong are uncommon within the medical profession but mistakes do happen and in various instances doctors have been found in breach of a duty of care for aspects such as failing to diagnose or diagnosing too late as well as failure to warn of risks in treatment, failure to obtain proper consent to treatment, medication errors, careless surgical procedures and delayed referral to specialists. As well as this medical and clinical negligence can also arise out of system errors in the hospital where the treatment took place. Looking at a doctor’s point of view the reasons that things go wrong within medical treatment are often quite understandable. This is because doctors are humans and like every normal person they will make mistakes from time to time, especially when they are placed under immense pressure. This by no means defends medical negligence but you must remember that illness is never totally how it appears in textbooks and because of this important aspects may end up being hidden or happen unexpectedly.

Although medical negligence claims are quite rare they do occur and they can be brought against any form of medical practitioner such as doctors and surgeons but they can also be brought against dentists, midwives, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

When things go wrong, it can be hard for a patient or their loved ones to accept that human failure is a fact of life. When you put yourself and your health in the hands of a professional rightly you expect them to do their best

If you or a loved one has suffered at the hands of a medical professional in a situation that should not have happened then get in contact with a legal advisor today as you could be able to make a claim for compensation. It is your civil and legal right to make a claim for compensation if you have suffered unnecessarily. Contact a legal advisor today to find out where you stand legally with your claim.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence.

Medical Negligence Gynaecology Claims

2008-07-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

Gynaecology is concerned with the female genital track and the disorders that may be associated with it. Gynaecology injuries and illness account for 50% of all medical negligence claims in the UK and a major amount of these claims result from error relating to contraception and abortion issues.

Gynaecology refers to the surgical speciality, which deals with the health of the female reproductive system, collectively the uterus, vagina and ovaries. As well as dealing with all aspects of female health modern gynaecologists are also obstetricians, which is the surgical specialty surrounding the care of a woman and her child during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (the period shortly after birth).
Gynaecology is a very delicate aspect of health that we expect to do dealt with professionally and confidentially but worryingly gynaecology is one of the main fields of medical negligence and almost half of the medical negligence claims that are made are as a result of gynaecological mistakes.

Gynaecology covers a wide range of aspects and as a result the complications that can occur are high. As well as complications affecting contraception; medical negligence surrounding gynaecology can also cause complications when it comes to abortion. These complications can include failure and sometimes wrongful birth as well as causing perforation of the uterus and damage to your organs. It can also result in loss of future childbearing capacity due to infection or the need to have a hysterectomy.
As well as this, Gynaecology surgery can often cause you more problems if a duty of care is breeched. There are numerous complications that can arise such as a failure to detect an internal haemorrhage. Injury to your bowel, bladder or uterus as well as a failure to remove swabs and inadvertent sterilisation by the introduction of infection.
Medical negligence shouldn’t happen across any field of medicine but sadly thousands of mistakes occur each year, including mistakes surrounding the treatment of Gynaecological problems.

If you feel that you have suffered at the hands of a medical professional whilst undertaking gynaecology treatment then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Some of the main areas surrounding claims for compensation include the ones named above as well as the following:

• Injury following surgery or laparoscopy
• Delay in diagnosis of pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy
• Delay in diagnosis of obstetric cholestasis
• Failure of sterilisation or vasectomy leading to wrongful birth or abortion
• Failure to diagnose cervical cancer

If you are suffering any of the above due to lack of care of a slip in medical standards, which lead to you being failed by the medical institution then get in touch with a legal team today and find out where you stand legally with making a claim for compensation.

Compensation claims surrounding medical negligence are difficult to win and there are certain steps that you should take to ensure that you give yourself the best chance of winning one. To do this you should get an expert opinion from a medical professional who can confirm that the diagnosis or treatment that you have received was below that standard of care that should have been given.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims, including Gynaecology claims.

Orthopaedic Medical Negligence Claim

2008-07-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

Orthopaedics refers to a branch of medicine involved in the preservation and restoration of the musculoskeletal system. The medical professionals involved in this section of medicine specialise in treating bone, joints and muscles and they successfully treat thousands of people each year without any complications.

The type of work that is usually undertaken by the medical professionals involved in the orthopaedic sector of the medical profession includes aspects such as the following:

• Dealing with broken bones and fractures
• Surgery on joints (shoulder, elbow and hand)
• Joint reconstruction
• Hip replacements
• Foot and ankle surgery
• Spine surgery

Broken/fractured bones are examples of the most common orthopaedic injuries. There are many ways in which orthopaedic injuries can occur such as through trauma, i.e. a road traffic accident. There are however cases where orthopaedic injuries are made worse or caused by medical negligence. Some examples of this include:

• Poor treatment of fractures
• Damage to nerves during medical procedures or surgery
• Damage to circulation during medical procedures or surgery
• Misinterpretation of x-rays and other test results
• Infection arising from inadequate cleansing of wounds or surgery

If you are unfortunate enough to be suffering due to the actions or inactions that were taken by a medical team then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Even though medical negligence claims are known to be increasingly hard to win, if you bring a claim forwards it will be evaluated by a professional legal firm who will advise you on whether your case has a chance of being successful. If your claim is a success the amount of compensation that you will be awarded will depend on a number of factors such as the nature of your injury or illness and whether you will recover fully from your injury/illness and if it has a long term effect on your health and wellbeing as well as the amount of losses you will encounter as a result of your injury.

Some examples of orthopaedic injuries include multiple fractures, which may affect your skull, leg or pelvis to name just a few. Any orthopaedic injury that you sustain can cause significant pain as well as restricting your movement and your ability to work.

Sprains and strains are among the most common orthopaedic injuries. Sprains describe an injury to a ligament and strains describe an injury to muscle. Whatever orthopaedic injury you are suffering isn’t the most important aspect right now, what is most important is how you sustained your orthopaedic injury. If your injury was sustained through negligence on behalf of a medical professional then find out where you stand legally with putting in a claim for compensation. It is your civil and legal right to make a claim for compensation after an accident that was caused through no fault of your own and medical negligence claims are no exception.

For more information about making your compensation claim after an orthopaedic medical negligence injury contact a legal firm today.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims, including Orthopaedic negligence claims.

How do I claim Medical Negligence?

2008-07-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

When it comes down to it people seem to forget the fact that doctors are human and everyone, including them will make the occasional mistake when placed under a lot of pressure. These mistakes are usually harmless and often go unnoticed; however there are occasions when medical professionals fail in their degree of care. When this happens it is known as medical negligence.

Medical negligence can sadly happen across many sectors such as:

• GP's
• NHS or privately funded hospitals
• Privately funded health practitioners
• Other health professionals, for example, nurses, occupational therapists
• Dentists
• Defective medical products (for example, implants or drugs)

Illness is never as it totally seems but it is the job of medical professional to do everything possible to make sure that in complicated illnesses you are diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. In extremely complex cases it is essential that as well as being seen by a doctor, you are also seen by a specialist. This is because negligence may occur from a delay or failure to diagnose a condition as well as a delay in the treatment that you receive. In cases such as these you may receive substandard, improper or negligent treatment.

If you are one of the unfortunate people who feels failed by a medical professional then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. If your diagnosis was delayed or your treatment came too late or your treatment was the wrong cause of action for your symptoms as well as if a medical professional failed to carry out extra tests that could have spotted your illness sooner then you may have a case for compensation. If this sounds similar to a situation that you are in then contact a legal firm today.

Medical negligence claims are extremely complex and if you are hoping to pursue one it is essential that you seek specialist advice. Medical negligence cases enables patients and medical professionals to resolve disputes either through negotiation or through the help of the courts. So what is the difference between medical negligence and making a complaint? In a medical negligence claim you are asking for money to compensate you for an injury or illness you experienced whereas you are unlikely to receive any compensation for making a complaint; however you will more than likely receive answers to why your diagnosis or treatment was inadequate, receive an apology and perhaps prevent it from happening again in the future. You cannot at the moment take out a clinical negligence case while you have an ongoing NHS complaint.

When you are contemplating making a medical negligence claim you need to think about what constitutes a reasonable standard of care. In many cases this is whether a doctor’s actions are recognised as being proper by a body of medical opinion. Whatever the definition, if a doctor is found to have provided an adequate standard of care, then there has been no medical negligence and no medical malpractice.

Medical negligence is a serious issue and as a result you need to be able to demonstrate that the treatment received caused problems/illness to progress or begin. In some cases you may have to produce an expert witness whose job will be to present expert testimony that will establish the facts of your medical negligence case and give you more of a chance of being successful within it.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims.

Medical Negligence within Pregnancy and Birth

2008-07-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

The birth of a new born baby is a very special time for the whole family, especially the parents. Being pregnant however is a daunting experience, especially if it is for the first time. During pregnancy you have to put all your faith into your midwife and doctor; usually this isn’t a problem and the medical staff looking after you do everything possible to ensure you have everything you need. If however they fail to treat you correctly and it results in some kind of injury you may be able to claim for clinical negligence.

Thankfully, the vast majority of pregnancies and births happen without any problems at all; however, when something does go wrong it can be very serious. You could have complications during the pregnancy such as Maternal Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes, Pre Eclampsia, Uterine Rupture and Placental Abruption. You also have the potential of suffering complications during labour. These complications can include the following:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Episiotomy
• Erb's Palsy or Brachial Plexus Injuries
• Forceps Delivery or Ventouse Delivery

Any injury or illness that you sustain during pregnancy or the birth could be extremely harmful to you and your baby. It is one aspect of health that should be continually monitored by a sufficient amount of staff. There is a wide range of medical professionals who should be present during birth, including midwives, nurses and consultants as well as obstetrics, which is a branch of medical professionals that oversee the care of women during their pregnancy and throughout the birth. A person who works in obstetrics has to supervise and monitor to catch any potentially damaging conditions that could affect the mother or baby throughout the pregnancy and birth.

The birth can be difficult for both mother and baby and if too much pressure is placed on the babies neck and head it can cause a condition know as Erb’s Palsy. Another condition that can regularly affect babies during birth is Cerebral Palsy. It is said that about 10% of babies are born with this condition is as a result of medical negligence. Cerebral Palsy is usually sustained as a result of oxygen deprivation during a traumatic birth, an aspect of childbirth that should be controlled and stopped from happening.

As well as injuries to the baby, injuries can also occur to mothers. The most common problems faced by mothers as a result of a lack of care include incorrect stitching after episiotomy, which is a procedure to give a baby extra room during childbirth. Another common injury is a vaginal tear, which can often go missed or be misjudged, which can lead to pain, suffering and continual problems if it is not deal with properly.

If you do suffer a difficult pregnancy or birth that should have been avoided then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. If your injuries or your child’s injuries occurred in the last three years as a direct result of the actions or inactions taken by the medical team looking after you then get in touch with a legal team today who will be able to help you in all aspects of your compensation claim.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all areas of Medical Negligence claims, including Pregnancy and Birth Injuries.

Claiming Medical Negligence for Meningitis

2008-07-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

As with any illness you need the diagnosis of it to happen quickly so that your treatment isn’t delayed and you are given the best chance of a full recovery. We leave all of this up to the medical professionals who are responsible for taking care of us, but what happens when something goes wrong with the diagnosis and treatment we are receiving? One example of this is the diagnosis and treatment of Meningitis.

While some forms of meningitis are mild and resolve on their own, meningitis is a potentially life-threatening condition due to the proximity of the inflammation to the brain and spinal cord. The potential for serious neurological damage or even death necessitates prompt medical attention and evaluation.

Meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) are not always easy to recognise, and symptoms can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. In the early stages, the signs and symptoms can be similar to many other more common illnesses, for example flu.

The most common symptoms of meningitis include:

• High fever
• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Dislike of bright light
• Drowsiness
• Confusion and irritability
• Vomiting
• Muscle pains, stomach cramps and diarrhoea
• Cold and pale hands and feet
• A rash that doesn’t fade under pressure (try pressing a glass against the skin)

These symptoms, whether it is all of them or just a few are usually seen within adults and older children; younger children share similar symptoms as well as a dislike to being held, unusual amounts of crying, rapid breathing and a refusal of food.

In cases of suspected meningitis, treatment will usually begin before the diagnosis has been confirmed. This is because some of the tests can take several hours to complete and it could be dangerous to delay treatment for that amount of time as it is a life-threatening condition.

The cause of meningitis can be due to a range of aspects such as organisms like viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites that spread into the blood and into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As well as this meningitis can also be caused by non-infectious aspects such as cancers, systemic lupus erythematosus and certain drugs. The most common cause of meningitis is viral, and often runs its course within a few days.

The treatment that you will receive for meningitis depends on the underlying cause of the condition. If it is viral meningitis you will usually only require symptom relief such as bed rest and increased fluid. Bacterial meningitis requires prompt intravenous (IV) and antibiotic treatment. These will prevent serious complications as well as neurological damage.

The diagnosis and treatment of meningitis should be accurate and fast and in most cases of the illness this is exactly what it is; however there are cases where the illness may be missed or the treatment delayed until test results come back, which increases the illness and reduces your chance of recovering from it. In cases such as these it is classed as medical negligence.

If you feel you have been wronged by a medical professional when it comes to your diagnosis and treatment of meningitis then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master for Accident Consult, who are specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims. If you have suffered unnecessarily at the hands of the people who are meant to look after you then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Claiming for Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

2008-07-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Post traumatic stress disorder is a reaction to being exposed to an event outside the range of normal human experience. It is a term used to describe a range of psychological symptoms following an event that can be classed as traumatic.

In our everyday lives we all have the potential to experience aspects which are frightening and out of our control but military personnel experience this daily, which increases the potential of post traumatic stress disorder occurring. With time most people have a tendency to get over traumatic experiences without the need of extra help but in some cases traumatic experiences can set off a reaction that can last for months or even years; this is where post traumatic stress disorder sets in.

The symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder can start after a few weeks or even months but the feeling of distress may not start straight away. Some examples of post traumatic stress disorder are reliving the event through flashbacks and nightmares. There are many aspects that could trigger reliving the event such as smells, fear or sounds. As well as reliving the event you may also try and avoid memories. This is because these memories may be too upsetting to deal with so many people try to avoid feeling pain altogether by keeping busy and avoiding places and people that remind them of the traumatic event. Many other people simply can’t relax; they are on alert/guard constantly, which often causes disturbed sleep, irritation and a lack of concentration.

Post traumatic stress disorder doesn’t however just affect military personnel; it can also affect their family, some of which are young children. Post traumatic stress disorder in the case of children means they may have upsetting dreams, which are relevant to the trauma. This can then change into nightmares of things such as monsters. They may also lose interest in things they used to enjoy as they may find it hard to believe that they will live long enough to grow up.

Although the Ministry of Defence (MOD) cannot be sued for injuries that are sustained during combat they do have the same obligations as any other employer to make sure that their employees have the safest possible environment. This is done through aspects such as proper training in equipment use and general job requirements as well as suitable supervision and safe equipment. Members of the armed forces can seek military compensation if their employer is found to be negligent.

Talking of compensation there was an important change in the law in 1987 to allow injury claims Ministry of Defence employees to be brought through the courts. This comes as an addition to War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims.

Post traumatic stress is sadly a frequent occurrence in soldiers who have been in combat. It can be triggered by aspects such as being shot, getting caught in an explosion as well as losing a fellow soldier through armed combat. Thankfully post traumatic stress disorder is more known now meaning if you are suffering from it you will receive the correct treatment for it in a timely manner and you may also be able to make a claim for compensation.

Helen in the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of compensation claims, including Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Examples of Medical Negligence

2008-07-28T02:20:00.000-07:00

Medical Negligence
How to make a Medical Negligence Claim..

MRSA Claims
Since 1992 MRSA has spread and caused health problems and even death to countless people across the UK..

Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious disorder which involves many symptoms such as self harm, anger, violence and drug addiction as well as depression..

Orthopaedic Compensation Claims
If you have suffered as a result of negligent orthopaedic treatment, you may be able to make a medical negligence compensation claim..
Cancer Misdiagnosis
Around 41 thousand new cases are diagnosed every year, many too late for treatment..

Anaesthetic Awareness Compensation Claims
Sadly it is not uncommon for your anaesthetic to fail meaning you could end up awake for your procedure..

Cosmetic Surgery Claims
Compensation claims surrounding cosmetic surgery have risen in the last ten years..

Gynaecology Medical Negligence
Worryingly gynaecology is one of the main fields of medical negligence and almost half of the medical negligence claims that are made are as a result of gynaecological mistakes..

Incorrect Prescriptions or Administration of Drugs
A small percentage of people who are treated each year by these medical professionals suffer because of accidents..

Meningitis Claims
It can easily be said that one of the most common medical negligence claims surrounds meningitis and at one point it was the biggest form of personal injury cases..

Pressure Sores
The longer that you are lying/sitting in the same position with no movement the worse these sores will get..

Pregnancy and Birth Injuries
Pregnancy and birth is one aspect of health that should be continually monitored by a sufficient amount of staff..

Medical Negligence – Dental Malpractice

2008-07-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

Any kind of negligence or poor quality dental care can be defined as dental malpractice. Having a dental treatment can be an unnerving experience and damage or side effects can occur; however in some cases this is often unavoidable.

Dentists have as duty of care towards patients to ensure that they receive proper treatment and the majority of dentists are successful in helping their patients to achieve good oral health. Dentistry is a difficult and rewarding profession and the medical practitioners involved in this skilled profession work long hours and use the best equipment to get surgery completed with minimal discomfort.

The average person probably doesn’t understand much about dental treatment and because of this we put our full trust and confidence into the dentist working on our teeth. In order to protect us when it comes to the dental work that we have carried out the General Dental Council (GDC) was set up. The GDC regulates the dental professionals within the UK and works to protect patients and promote confidence in the dental profession. This is because all dental patients are entitled to high standards of professional and personal behaviour from those providing their care.

As part of their duty to protect the public the GDC have always had the power to take action by either removing or restricting a dental professional’s registration on the Dental Professionals’ Register. This gives you peace of mind that if the worse does happen that action can be taken against the dental professional who caused that damage.

If the worst happens when you are undergoing your dental treatment and you end up suffering as a result you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. If the standard of care shown by a dental practitioner slips below the acceptable level then you may have a case for compensation. Below are just a few example of what constitutes being medical negligence when it comes to dentistry:

• Failure to fully detect an oral disease or malformation
• Improper utilisation of dental or surgical utensils
• Installation of defective dental products
• Personal injury to oral cavity or surrounding bone and tissue
• Wrongful death due to dental procedures or anaesthetic

Dental malpractice can occur under a number of different circumstances such as a missed diagnosis; when a dentist fails to see an injury or dental problem and as a result of this the problem worsens. Another example is an incorrect diagnosis, which is when a dental practitioner fails to carry out work or they undertake work that results in you being in more pain.

Two other factors that could play a part in medical negligence are careless work and drug usage error. If a dentist carries out careless work it can cause personal injury and in a case of drug usage error a dentist may administer them incorrectly or fail to see if an allergic reaction occurred.

If you feel like you have been let down by the dental profession or you are suffering pain as a result of the treatment that you have received then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

For information regarding where you stand legally with making a claim for compensation get in touch with a legal firm today.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, legal specialists who can help you with all of your Medical Negligence Claims.

How do you make a successful MRSA Compensation Claim?

2008-07-28T02:17:00.002-07:00

MRSA most commonly develops in hospitals when patients have an open wound such as a bedsore or a tube such as a catheter. The most commonly affected by this are the vulnerable, which includes the very sick and the elderly.

Cases of MRSA remained at low levels until 1992; however since then there has been a rapid increase in the amount of cases that we are now seeing. MRSA infections can more often than not be serious, leaving the victim of it suffering from aspects such as Septicaemia or pneumonia.

MRSA is never usually a problem in healthy patients; healthy patients are just carriers of the disease, which is still an extremely bad problem as they have the potential of passing the MRSA super-bug onto another person. Due to this it can not only impact the carrier of the super-bug but also friends and family members who are at risk of catching the super-bug.

It is because of the fact that MRSA is contracted through open wounds that most people who suffer from it will be suffering during their stay in hospital. Contracting MRSA whilst you are in hospital will lengthen their stay in hospital. Also when a case of MRSA is found in a hospital it will be able to spread very quickly due to the fact that a lot of the people who are admitted into hospital will have a lowered immune system, meaning they will be more susceptible to infection. If a case of MRSA is found to be in a hospital, especially on a ward with vulnerable patients then it has the potential to cause a lot of disruption to the hospital as the patient has to be isolated in a separate room to stop other patients catching the super-bug and, depending on the severity of the super-bug it may disrupt hospital routines as certain wards or theatres may need to be closed.

It is said that one in three of us carry the MRSA bacteria on the surface of our skin and in our nose without actually developing the condition. However if a carrier is involved in an accident it is quite easy for the MRSA bacteria to get into the wound and cause the victim to become quite ill. If a person is carrying the bacteria and they have a break in their skin they are at risk of contracting an infection.

Studies have shown that the super-bug known as MRSA affects about one in nine patients during a hospital stay, with certain patients being more at risk than others. Some of the risk factors when it comes to potentially contracting MRSA include; implants, diabetes, smoking, poor nutrition, prolonged pre-operative hospitalisation and prolonged surgery. It is because of figures such as this that in the UK there has been a focus aimed at the prevention and control of MRSA. These steps to prevent MRSA may differ from patient to patient but the best defence against MRSA remains as strict hygiene.

MRSA control should be one of the medical professional’s top priorities within the treatment of patients. If you however are now suffering the effects of MRSA due to standards of care slipping below what they should then you could be entitled to compensation.

If you have suffered in the last three years and you would like to know where you stand legally then contact a legal team today to find out more information about how to make a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult. The specialists here at Accident Consult can help you with all of your MRSA Compensation Claims.

Have you suffered Orthopaedics Medical Negligence?

2008-07-28T02:17:00.001-07:00

The medical term Orthopaedics refers to your bones, muscles and joints and the doctors who work in this field will often handle patients who have suffered bone fractures or need joint replacement or ligament surgery.

Every year in the UK thousands of people are treated successfully for Orthopaedic health problems; however some of the people treated do suffer mistakes at the hands of the people who are there to help them. These mistakes are common and this type of medical negligence is now two or three times more likely to happen than any other medical negligence claim.

The orthopaedics branch of medicine involves the preservation and restoration of the musculoskeletal system and the surgeons involved in this aspect of medicine have the job of diagnosing your condition and treating it using the appropriate method, which could be medicine, exercise or surgery. Finally a surgeon in the orthopaedics branch of medicine will perform rehabilitation on a patient by recommending exercise or physical therapy to restore movement. An orthopaedic surgeon will also inform you of how to prevent further injury by providing information and treatment plans.

Orthopaedic treatment can cover a huge range of personal injuries such as diagnosing a broken arm to performing a hip replacement operation. The main areas in which an orthopaedic surgeon will specialise include: the hand, shoulder and elbow surgery, joint reconstruction, paediatric orthopaedics, foot and ankle surgery, spine surgery, musculoskeletal oncology, surgical sports medicine, and orthopaedic trauma.

Within medicine accidents and mistakes do happen and in most cases they are harmless. Medical professionals are merely just human and human error is often unavoidable but in cases where an error should have been avoided and there is no valid reason why it wasn’t, someone should be held accountable. These errors can occur during the diagnosis, treatment or prognosis of an illness as well as being a combination of all three of these.

If you feel that you have been mistreated and it has lead to you suffering as a result then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Some of the most common reasons for an orthopaedic medical negligence claim are as follows:

• Inaccurate or late diagnosis
• Failure to take tests or misinterpretation of test results
• Poor treatment of fractures
• Poor operative technique
• Damage to nerves or circulation during medical procedures
• Inadequate cleaning and dressing of wounds or infection

If you have suffered due to Orthopaedic medical negligence in the last three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. In order to be successful in a medical negligence claim you need to be able to prove that the injury you are or were suffering from was caused due to a lapse in the medical care that you received. To prove this you would need to obtain statements from any relevant family members or friends. Your medical records would need to be obtained and this normally comes with a fee, which brings me to my next point, any fees and cost encountered along the way will get paid back on top of damages in a successful compensation claim.

If you are hoping to make a claim for compensation then contact a legal team today, who will be able to examine your case and explain where you stand legally.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in helping you claim the compensation that you deserve after a Medical Negligence mistake that was caused through no fault of your own.

Have you suffered Orthopaedics Medical Negligence?

2008-07-28T02:15:00.000-07:00

Delayed Cancer diagnosis – how will it effect you?

2008-07-28T02:14:00.000-07:00

It has been stated that one in three people will develop a form of Cancer at some point within their lives, making it one of the most prolific diseases that we are now seeing. Due to this doctors have to be highly aware of the possibility of Cancer when making a diagnosis.

The importance of an early diagnosis when it comes to Cancer cannot be emphasised enough; in many cases an early diagnosis is the difference between life and death. An early diagnosis is also the deciding factor on your life expectancy. Early diagnosis is crucial regardless of what type of Cancer you have; this is especially true in the case of lung, ovarian and stomach Cancer as they have a much lower mortality rate if they receive a prompt diagnosis.

Sadly some people aren’t treated as early as they should be. There are many reasons for this such as a patient didn’t think anything of their symptoms and dismissed them as something else so they didn’t bother going and seeing their doctor. Also many people go to their doctor with symptoms but these symptoms are similar to another disease with the same symptoms so they could easily be dismissed. All of these are common human error but it is important that a doctor goes down all avenues when they are diagnosing you.

An example of why it is so important to catch any form of cancer early is people who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the earliest stage they have a 92% to 93% of a five year survival but this can quickly be reduced to 11% or 12% if the cancer has seriously advanced.

An example of when a diagnosis goes beyond simple human error is if a smoker goes to see a doctor with a cough and the doctor merely puts it down to the fact that they smoke. This is completely unacceptable as a cough is one symptom of lung cancer. In a case such as this the doctor should have examined the matter further and investigated the possibility of lung cancer, if for nothing else than to rule it out.

There are many different types of cancer so in order to make an accurate diagnosis you need a medical professional to correctly interpret your symptoms and by looking at your test results thoroughly. Failure to accurately diagnose allows the cancer to spread and grow, which can be at an alarming rate depending on where the cancer is and how advanced or aggressive it is.

If a cancer diagnosis is failed to be made then your correct treatment will be delayed, which will increase your chance of dying from the disease; however this problem can also be turned around, which basically means that if a doctor makes a diagnosis of cancer and there is no cancer present then this can cause a person a lot of unnecessary emotional suffering and shock and it may even lead to them receiving the incorrect treatment. Any situation such as this will be viewed as a form of medical negligence.

If you feel that you have suffered from medical negligence in the past three years due to actions that were taken or actions that were failed to be taken when it comes to your Cancer diagnosis then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Thousands of men and women across the UK have already claimed the compensation that they deserve after being involved in some form of a medical negligence claim, now it’s your turn so get in touch with a legal team today to find out where you stand with making a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence Compensation Claims.

Are you entitled to compensation for Medical Negligence?

2008-07-28T02:11:00.000-07:00

Estimations suggest that everyday in the UK a patient may die as a direct result of medical treatment that was intended to help them so the real question here is why?

Within the field of healthcare mistakes happen pretty much everyday but these mistakes usually cause no harm to the patient and it’s safe to say that in most of these cases the patient isn’t even aware that a mistake has been made. This comes as no surprise to most people as people in roles such as doctors and nurses are highly regarded but what most people forget is that these people are just human like everybody else; errors will occur; its when these errors start affecting our health that we should really be worried.

The term medical negligence covers a large scale of people and different medical professions. A medical negligence case could be brought up against anyone involved in your care and welfare such as; hospital doctors, GP’s, nurses, surgeons, dentists and physicians. These are just a few examples of the people that we entrust our lives to and we expect them to uphold the highest care towards us. In most instances none of us experience any sort of problems when we are in the care of medical professionals but sadly mistakes happen that should have been avoided.

When medical negligence occurs it is a very frightening experience. When you visit a medical professional you expect a professional service. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Doctors and nurses see hundreds of patients and like anyone in any profession mistakes can happen and they do. There have been cases where an operation was carried out on the wrong patient. Other cases are when the wrong dose of medicine is given or the wrong medicine all together.

Some examples of the medical areas that can be affected by medical negligence are as follows:

• Cerebral Palsy and Child Brain Injury
• Pregnancy and Birth
• Orthopaedics and Amputation cases
• Surgery
• Cancer
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Ophthalmic and Laser Eye Surgery
• Hospital Infections, known as super-bugs such as; MRSA and C Diff
• Nursing and Care Home Claims
• The incorrect Prescription, Administration and Dispensing of medicine and drugs

If medical negligence occurs and you are able to prove that the standard of care given wasn’t up to scratch then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. It should however be noted that medical negligence claims are extremely hard to win and most legal firms will advise you to take up your complaint with the hospital. This is because pursuing a claim can be lengthy and complex; however there are many accident injury legal teams who specialise in medical negligence, you basically need to shop around when you are looking for a legal team and you should get help from the one who has the most experience.

For more information about making a claim for medical negligence it is advised to contact a legal team to find out where you stand with making a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, experts in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims.

Choosing The Right Solicitor For An Accident Claim

2008-07-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

After an accident, seeking legal help can often be so time consuming and worrisome that it feels like another accident in the making. Making sure you have the right solicitor to represent you in your accident compensation claim is of the utmost importance and this article aims to provide some guidelines to make the best choice.

Firstly, it is important to find out if the solicitor you are thinking about is a specialist in the area of your accident. If you have had a car accident and suffered whiplash, there would be little point in retaining the services of a solicitor who specialises in probate matters who happens to do a bit of personal injury on the side. This is important because you want the best service and that means you need a specialist. Not doing this can cost you more money because if your chosen accident claim solicitor does not specialise in this particular area of law then they are unlikely to know what the current trends in the law are and this could end up costing you money. If the law firm in question does not have a specialist department in the field in question, e.g. personal injury, it would be advisable to look elsewhere.

A collateral point here is that a specialist would be well advised to tell you if you have a valid claim at all as compared to a firm that is not a specialist. Many of the leading accident compensation firms have services online, which makes it easier for the individual. There will be forms which can be filled out, and there will be experienced solicitors who will help.

When you have retained the services of your accident claim solicitor be completely aware of the arrangement between yourselves as regards fees. When signing a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) you want to make sure that in the agreement the solicitor is going to claim for all of their fees and expenses from the opposing side and not from any accident compensation you receive. Bear in mind at this stage the law is on your side and does not cater for a solicitor disputing this. The Access to Justice Act permits them to claim all reasonable costs from the other party.

Furthermore, it is up to you whether you want to claim or settle out of court. Solicitors may be over zealous to taking matters straight to court. This should not be against your wishes. As such, if you want to settle the claim, rather than go to court, you should ask your accident claim solicitor whether they have any objection to such. On the other hand, if you want to go to court, but your solicitor is advising that you settle the claim, you should discuss this with them to see if there are any adverse effects for taking your accident compensation claim to court.

Of course, if worse comes to worse, you need to understand your position if you lose the case. In this respect, you need to ask your accident claim solicitor their position in such a scenario and see if he/she is willing to insure your claim against the chances that you may lose.

Saurav is an author of several articles pertaining to No Win No Fee, Compensation Claims, Accident Claims, Personal Injury Claims and other legal articles.

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Industrial Deafness Accidents

2008-07-25T08:00:00.001-07:00

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.

Helen Cox is the web master of Accident consult, providing you with professional advice surrounding your Industrial Deafness Accident Claim.

Clinical negligence claims in the UK

2008-07-25T07:59:00.001-07:00

Medical negligence is where doctors or any other professional in the medical profession have been found in breach of a duty of care. For example if a doctor failed to diagnose a medical condition or diagnosed the wrong condition this would be classed as medical negligence.

Doctors, dentists, midwives, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and psychiatrists all have “duty of car” to ensure their patients receive the correct treatment in a proper ethical manner. If you or someone feels that they incurred an injury or suffered emotionally because one of these medical professionals not doing their job probably then you maybe able to make a medical negligence claim against them or the organisation they work for. Maybe the treatment you received went wrong in which case the treating doctor is required by his governing body the “General medical Council” to inform the patient that the treatment went wrong. At the very least you are entitled to an explanation.

Injuries such as these can arise out of for example, cancer treatment, accident and emergency treatments, anaesthetics, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, oncology, keyhole surgery, mental health, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, plastic surgery, psychiatry, sterilisation, urology, dentistry, vascular surgery and the list goes on. Also if you or a family member suffered brain damage or psychological injuries like nervous shock or the worst scenario death these are fine examples of medical/clinical negligence.

It is not just patients of the NHS, those who were treated in private hospitals as private patients will also be able to claim for breach of contract if your medical treatment was substandard.

Claiming financial compensation for clinical or medical negligence can be quite a lengthy and complex matter. Because of which it is paramount that you enlist the help of a professional personal injury specialist. If this puts you claiming it shouldn’t. When someone claims for personal injuries (compensation) for a road traffic accident it is generally easy for your personal in jury lawyer to establish who was at fault and whether the injuries were due to that accident. If the accident wasn’t your fault, and your injuries were obviously related to the accident (like whiplash), you will have a strong case. With claims against the medical profession the claimant will need to obtain medical records and get statements to prove that:

• That there were serious errors in your medical treatment which no competent doctor would have made
• The doctor or other healthcare professional owed a duty to take care of the claimant and not cause injury
• There was a breach of that duty to take care
• That breach of duty has caused harm to the claimant
• Damage or other losses have resulted from that harm

Claiming compensation for clinical/medical negligence is your civil and legal right. Without claiming you could be putting someone else at risk. Sadly it take unfortunate situations like a medical error of judgement to occur for people in the medical profession to wake up and make changes to their practice to ensure this type of malpractice doesn’t happen again.

Carolyn is the webmaster of Accident Consult, specialists in Medical Negligence Claims