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Month: November 2020

Common Black Friday Accidents

Posted on by Jonathon

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It has been a massive day in the USA for many years, but in the past few years, the phenomenon has spread to the UK. Many items are reduced on the day, and its surrounding days to kickstart Christmas shopping, but it is not without its risks. With the increased number of shoppers, there is an increase in Black Friday accidents.

Whilst this year it is, understandably being held online, in the past it has led people to flood to shops.  With more shops starting to open again in some parts of the country in the lead up to Christmas, the number of accidents may rise. There are some accidents, however, that happen more than others in this period.

Common Black Friday Accidents in Shops

Most accidents that happen on Black Friday and the festive period do so in shops. This can be due to health and safety issues, inadequate staffing, or the fault of other members of the public. Shops have a duty of care, set out in the Occupier’s Liability Act 1984, to ensure that no one is injured whilst on their premises.

This is especially important on Black Friday and during the festive period, as the number of shoppers increases. Businesses and shop owners, at this time, must take even more care to make sure no one has an accident. This includes making sure there are adequate members of staff in to deal with the increased footfall and making sure they have the correct training to deal with the numbers.

Falling Items

It is no surprise that many Black Friday accidents happen in shops. A big cause of accidents in shops is falling items hitting people. Falling items can be dangerous in any circumstance, but may be made worse around the festive period. If the items fall due to the fault of someone else, for example items not being stacked correctly or people pulling items off shelves in an unsafe way, then it may be something you can claim for.

Crushing

Another accident that can be caused on and around Black Friday is crushing. Causes of these accidents include people rushing to get certain items, and it can cause serious injuries. If shops do not have the correct security or health and safety measures, this can lead to more accidents.

Assault

Another form of accident that can happen on Black Friday is assault. There may be cases where someone assaults you trying to get an item, or in the rush to get to the sales. There is a body who deal with assault compensation cases. They are known as the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, or CICA.

Common Black Friday Accidents on the Road

There can also be accidents during the festive period before you even enter a shop. There are many accidents that happen on the roads and in car parks too. Causes of these accidents can include speeding, driving carelessly, and drivers fighting for parking spaces.

Black Friday and the Christmas period causes many drivers to drive more recklessly on the roads, with drivers speeding and not concentrating. According to Department for Transport statistics, the 10 days including and following Black Friday are when the most crashes happen on UK roads. This is likely due to the rush of shoppers.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who deal with all manner of personal injury claims. This includes accidents in shops, public places, and on the roads. If you have had an accident and it was someone else’s fault, then you may be able to claim compensation.

Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable advisors.

Asbestos and Lung Cancer

Posted on by Jonathon

November is lung cancer awareness month here in the UK, and as we know, there is a link between Asbestos and lung cancer; working with Asbestos for a prolonged period can heighten the risk of developing the disease. A study in 2020 found that Asbestos is responsible for 37.5% of all occupational lung cancer cases.

It is more important than ever to go and see a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms of lung cancer. This is especially true if you have worked with Asbestos in the past.

Asbestos and Lung Cancer

In the past, the use of Asbestos was very common. However, we now know that it can cause serious illnesses. Asbestos and lung cancer are linked because of this fact, as lung cancer is one of the conditions that can develop after working with the substance.

Lung cancer from exposure to Asbestos can take years to develop. Many people with the disease do not start showing symptoms until at least 15 years after working with Asbestos. Because of this, many people think that it is too late to make a claim, but that is not always the case.

Examples of other conditions that exposure to Asbestos can cause include Asbestosis, mesothelioma, and pleural plaques.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a serious disease where the lung tissue hardens. It is a slowly progressive disease, usually taking between 15 and 30 years to develop. It is associated with long-term exposure to Asbestos fibres.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer. The cause of this disease is exposure to Asbestos fibres. It develops in the lining of the lungs, and it most commonly affects men aged between 60 and 80. Unfortunately, it is rarely possible to cure the disease, treatment can usually only help control the symptoms.

Symptoms of Asbestos-Induced Lung Cancer

The symptoms of lung cancer caused by exposure to Asbestos are similar to the symptoms for lung cancer. These include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Persistent cough
  • Chest pain
  • Sudden weight or appetite loss

If you develop any of these symptoms, it is best to go and see a doctor straight away, because the condition may be worse than you think.

Claiming on Behalf of Someone Else

Sadly, it is often the case that you may have to claim on behalf of a loved one. This is often the case with Asbestos-related claims, as the damage from Asbestos develops over many years. So, you may be able to make a claim on a loved one’s behalf if they have died or are unable to speak for themselves due to their illness being so far advanced.

If you are speaking on behalf of a loved one, and they were diagnosed with an Asbestos related condition in the last three years, then we may be able to help.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist solicitors who have years of experience dealing with several industrial disease claims. This includes Asbestos related lung cancer. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable advisors.

Disability and Work Injuries

Posted on by Jonathon

The Disability Discrimination Act was passed 25 years ago this year, and with it came a new set of rights for disabled people across the UK. It has since evolved into the Equality Act, but many of the same fundamentals apply. Yet there is still a link between accidents at work, disability and work injuries.

The Act works to protect people with disabilities from discrimination. It was made in 1995, and was replaced with The Equality Act in 2010.

Yet there are still obstacles that disabled people face in the workplace. These obstacles can include employer negligence, which can lead to accidents at work.

Disability and Accidents at Work

The main issue involving disability and work injuries is accidents at work. There are many different accidents that a person can have at work.  Your employer has a duty of care to make sure that you are safe and do not have any accidents that cause injury whilst at work. If they fail in their duty of care, then you may be able to claim compensation. An example of this is if an employer fails to make sure you have all the help you need to lift something safely. In this case, you may be able to make a claim.

Employers have even more of a duty of care to disabled employees to ensure they are kept safe at work, especially if the disabled employee is a vulnerable person.  So, if an accident occurs which causes injury, then there may be even more grounds to make a claim.

Accidents at Work that Can Cause Disability

There are some kinds of accident at work that can leave the employee with a disability. These types of accident are prevalent in the construction and manufacturing industry, where there is a lot of working at height.

Falling from height is one of the most common causes of accidents that lead to disability at work. The further a person is working from the ground, the more they are at risk. This means that their working conditions are also more dangerous. Employers must follow the rules set out in the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and must ensure that they carry out regular risk assessments of the job the employees are doing, and the equipment they are using.

Other types of accidents at work that can cause disability include construction site accidents, factory accidents, defective machinery accidents, and chemical burns. There is a risk of accidents at work leaving someone with a disability in any industry, but these are more common ones.

How we Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with compensation claims. This includes accidents at work and work-related stress claims. If you have experienced either of these in the last three years, then contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable advisors.

Getting A Diagnosis of Vibration White Finger

Posted on by Jonathon

If you are suffering with symptoms of Vibration White Finger, also known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), you may think that there is no point in getting a diagnosis, as there is nothing that can be done to help. This is not always the case, as getting a diagnosis of Vibration White Finger can be vital if you wish to make a claim.

Some people have already had a diagnosis, some have not. If you fall into either of these categories, you may still be able to make a claim. At times, the symptoms for VWF do not appear until years after the person has left the job that causes the condition. This could affect whether they have had a diagnosis. Again, this may be something that we can help with.

Getting A Diagnosis of Vibration White Finger

If you have the symptoms of Vibration White Finger, then it is always best to go and see a Doctor. This can help with your peace of mind as well as with a potential claim. Once you have had a diagnosis, you then have three years from your date of diagnosis to make a claim.

In some cases, it is better for you to have not had a diagnosis, as the three-year limitation period does not start until the diagnosis. However, it is recommended that if you do wish to make a potential claim to go and see your doctor.

If you have not been diagnosed, then we may still be able to help. If your symptoms have started in the last three years, then you may be able to make a claim.

Causes and Symptoms of Vibration White Finger

The main symptom of VWF is a whiteness in the tip of one or more fingers. This can be on one hand or both. There are other symptoms which are associated with the condition. These symptoms include:

  • Tingling in the fingers or hands
  • Stiffness of joints
  • Numbness in the hands or fingers
  • Poor circulation
  • Coldness in the fingers

These symptoms may worsen when it is cold weather, but, since no two cases are the same, they also may not. Sometimes the symptoms do not appear until years after you have stopped doing the job where you were using the vibration tools.

The main cause of VWF is through continued use of vibratory equipment. This includes power tools. Many of the enquiries that we get are from people who have had a prolonged use of power tools. These tools can harm joints, nerves and blood vessels in the fingers and hand.

In some cases, you can trace the cause of VWF to a job you worked at decades ago. Many of the enquiries we receive for Vibration White Finger include jobs that people worked at years ago. It may even be the case that the company have since gone out of business. This does not necessarily matter, we may still be able to help.

If that is the case, you may think that there is no way you would be able to claim, but that is not always the case. If you have started experiencing the symptoms within the last three years, for example, then you may still be able to make a claim.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience in dealing with claims. This includes claims for Vibration White Finger. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Cycling Road Traffic Accidents Consultation

Posted on by Jonathon

Cycling Road Traffic Accidents are amongst some of the most common types of RTA. Cyclists are amongst some of the most vulnerable types of road user. Cycling road traffic accidents also commonly cause injuries that can take a while to heal.

There is currently a consultation going on in the Government as to whether to change the rules in the highway code to reflect these different types of road user. This consultation focuses on improving the safety for vulnerable road users; in particular, cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders.

The main proposals of the consultation are:

  • To introduce a hierarchy of road users which ensures those road users who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others.
  • Clarifying existing rules on pedestrian priority on pavements, to advise that drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing or those waiting to cross the road.
  • Providing guidance on cyclist priority at junctions to advise drivers to give priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead.
  • Establishing guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse riders.

The consultation finished on the 27th October 2020, with the results expected soon after.

Cycling Road Traffic Accidents

Cyclists are amongst the most vulnerable road users. Many of the road traffic accidents that happen every year in the UK involve cyclists. If you have been injured in an accident on the road as a cyclist then you may be able to claim compensation.

There are various reasons that cyclists can have an accident. The main causes of accidents on the road are: careless driving, speeding, and drivers not paying attention. They can often cause injury, and these injuries can take a while to heal.

Accidents involving uninsured drivers

Sometimes, in road traffic accidents, there are uninsured or untraceable drivers. In cases such as these, you may be able to claim from the Motor Insurers Bureau. The MIB specialise in cases of uninsured drivers, and is a body that is paid into by motor insurance companies throughout the UK. In cases that involve the MIB, they would pay the compensation.

Accidents involving a child

If your child had an accident whilst cycling, then you may be able to make a claim on their behalf. With accidents involving a child, the usual three-year time limit does not come into effect until they turn 18. So, in theory, you may have a longer time in which to make a claim. however, it is always better to start a potential claim as soon as possible.

How we can help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who specialise in road traffic accidents. This includes cycling accidents. This means that they are extremely well placed to help you make a possible claim if you were involved in a road traffic accident as a cyclist. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.