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Stress Awareness Month 2022 – Stress At Work

Posted on 13th April 2022 by Jonathon

Tips on how to live stress at work

Stress awareness month has been going since 1992, raising awareness for causes and solutions is essential for mental health and overall happiness. The past 2 years have been a real challenge for us all, loneliness and isolation has left a lot of us struggling. However, one of the positives to emerge from this unparalleled situation has been the community spirit and support shown by so many to so many. Now we can finally ease back into our old routines and focus our efforts into improving our mental health and do what we can to ease our stresses. Deteriorating mental health can lead to health problems and work absence, so we’ve come up with some solutions to get you through stress awareness month.

What can we do during Stress Awareness Month?

Talk about your stress with friends and family and colleagues, how it affects you and what you do to relieve your stresses, recognising it is half of the problem!
Share your coping mechanisms, techniques that help you to relax, it could benefit someone’s life massively, whether this be meditation, or a hobby, or a good book you’ve read. Helping someone else is also a serotonin booster and may take your mind off your own stresses in the meantime.
Be aware of those around you who look stressed and anxious, we are all undoubtedly going to experience stress and anxiety again in the future, so why not help those who need it, your empathy and compassion may be returned when you need it too.
Take care of yourself – self care is so important for your stress levels; we all have a social battery. Take time out of your busy schedule to chill out or do something that makes you happy and forget about your stresses.
Eat, sleep, exercise. The three most important influences on stress levels, if you eat healthily, sleep routinely at least 7 hours per night, and take time to do a small amount of exercise per day, including just walking, you can feel your mental health and stress levels improve dramatically. Make sure to try as many of these steps as you can, and keep an awareness of your stress levels.
Tell your employer to research mental health for employees in order to reduce stress at work in the office. You can suggest mental health training. Click here

There are some health warnings for high stress levels, not looking after yourself can lead to even serious issues, such as:

Cardiovascular disease. The heart experiences stress before any other organ. Heart disease is the planets number 1 killer, to reduce your risk, reduce your stress.
High blood pressure. The main cause for haemorrhagic stroke is high blood pressure. Stress levels can be directly linked to HBP.
Mental health issues can include depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.
Obesity and other eating disorders.
Menstrual problems.
Sexual issues such as dysfunction, impotence, and overall loss of sexual desire in men and women.
Skin and hair problems like acne, psoriasis, eczema, and permanent hair loss.
Gastrointestinal problems, such as GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and irritable colon.

If you have any of these issues from work related stress, click here to fill out a form to see if you’re eligible for compensation.

Other short term work-stress related symptoms include:

On your mood	On your body	On your behaviour
Headache	Anxiety	Overeating or undereating
Muscle tension or pain	Restlessness	Angry outbursts
Chest pain	Lack of motivation or focus	Drug or alcohol misuse
Fatigue	Feeling overwhelmed	Tobacco use
Change in sex drive	Irritability or anger	Social withdrawal
Stomach upset	Sadness or depression	Exercising less often
Insomnia	All above	All above

What can you do to reduce your stress levels and prevent symptoms of stress?

Eat and drink to optimize your health. Reduce stress by drinking less alcohol or eating too much. These actions may seem to help in the moment but may add to stress in the long run. Consuming a healthy, balanced diet can help to combat stress.
Exercise regularly, in addition to having physical health benefits, exercise has been shown to be a powerful stress reliever.
Stop using tobacco and nicotine products. People who use nicotine often refer to it as a stress reliever, however, nicotine actually places more stress on the body by increasing physical arousal and reducing blood flow and breathing.
Study and practice relaxation techniques. Taking the time to relax every day helps to protect the body from the effects of stress. You can choose from a variety of techniques, such as deep breathing, imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation. There are many online and smart phone apps that provide guidance on these techniques. Or use apps/sites to help, like this one: click here.
Reduce triggers of stress. If you are like most people, your life may be filled with too many demands and too little time. For the most part, these demands are ones we have chosen. You can free up time by practicing time-management skills like asking for help when it’s appropriate, setting priorities, pacing yourself, and reserving time to take care of yourself – Not just during Stress Awareness Month.
Assert yourself. It’s okay to say “No” to demands on your time and energy that will place too much stress on you. You don’t have always have to meet the expectations of others.
Set realistic goals and expectations. It’s okay—and healthy—to realize you cannot be 100% successful at everything all at once. Be mind ful of the things you can control and can’t control.

Causes of stress at work-related illness

Bullying and harassment. This is defined by the government as behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated or offended. This can include unfair treatment, being picked on, undermined, or blocked for progression, whether face-to-face, by letter, email or phone. Similarly, abuse, threats or excessive demands will lead to a stressful environment.
Lack of support. If an employee is not given adequate support, assistance, or guidance, they may well lack confidence, feel overwhelmed and under too much pressure.
Workload. There is only so much work that any one person can undertake. If an employer is placing unrealistic demands on an employee, forcing them to work long hours, for example, stress-related illness is a likely outcome.
Denial of employee rights. The rights of workers in the United Kingdom are enshrined in law, such as the right to rest periods, breaks and annual leave. If an employer denies these rights to their workers, they can be stressed and have low morale. Employee rights: Click here.

Can you claim compensation for stress at work?

The short answer to this question is yes, you can claim personal injury compensation for stress at work. More precisely, for the health problems it causes, however, you can only do so if the stress-related illness is severe enough to warrant making a claim and a medical diagnosis has been made. Get expert advice now to see if you can take legal action and claim compensation.

How can we help?

At The Compensation Experts we speak with people on a regular basis who suffer from high levels of stress especially related to their occupation. Although it isn’t straight forward to bring a claim for work related stress there is still the possibility of receiving compensation successfully. If you would like to find out more or speak with one of our team, fill in one of our contact forms here or call us directly on 0161 413 8765.

Revealed: which areas of the home are the most dangerous?

Posted on 8th February 2022 by Jonathon

When we think of home, our first thoughts are often of safety, security, and warmth. Many of us see our homes as our personal safe space in the world, a place where we can relax and unwind away from the stresses of life. Rarely, if ever, do we consider how we might potentially injure ourselves during daily activities around the house.

However, studies continuously show that the home is one of the most common places for accidents to occur; unfortunately, we Brits can be a rather accident-prone lot. In fact, you might be surprised to find out that in the last 12 months alone, the average adult in the UK injured themselves at least twice while at home.

An accident at home can range from something as simple as a cut or bruise to potentially life-changing accident. Many of us have pulled a muscle while manually handling boxes or tending to the garden, but injuries can happen anywhere in the home.

To find out which areas of a typical UK household see the most accidents, and help you avoid injuring yourself in the future, we polled 2,000 Brits to find out whether they’d been injured in the last twelve months, where they suffered this injury, and what it was that injured them.

The top 5 most dangerous areas of the home

Perhaps it should come as little surprise that the most accident-heavy room in any household is the kitchen. While everyone knows they need to be careful when cooking, the use of knives, boiling water, and hot ovens makes accidents almost inevitable. As a result, 46.1% of all injuries from those we spoke to happened in the kitchen.

The next most accident-prone area of the home is the garden, following closely behind the kitchen with 35.6% of accidents occurring here. Again, with the numerous tools and gadgets we use while tending to our backyard, it shouldn’t come as a huge shock that many people end up suffering some form of gardening injury.

What might be more surprising is that 17.8% of person injuries in the home seem to occur in the living room. You might be wondering how someone could injure themselves while sitting on the sofa, but furniture-related injuries are far more common than you might think. Whether it’s missing the edge of your seat or trapping your hand behind the cushions in search of your phone, the humble couch and coffee table are responsible for more than a few injuries.

For the fourth most dangerous room, we come to the bathroom, with 17% of injuries happening on its slick surfaces. In many ways, it might come as a surprise that the rate of injury here is lower than in the living room, especially considering how wet bathrooms can get, but it seems people take greater care to avoid slipping in the bath than when sitting down.

Last but not least, the fifth most dangerous place in the home is the stairs. While visions of tumbling head over heel down one or more flights can be the stuff of nightmares, stair injuries are thankfully far less common than is often portrayed in soaps and the modern media.

The five most common household items that cause injuries

So, now you know what rooms to be most careful in, let’s take a look at the five most common household items that are likely to cause you injury.

Unsurprisingly, with kitchens being the most likely place to suffer an injury in the home, knives and hobs are the top causes of injury in the average UK house. Kitchen knives make up for 19.4% of all injuries in our study, while hob burns contribute a further 9.6%.

General kitchen furniture also ranks highly for injuries around the home, responsible for 9.1% of those reported to us. With chairs and tables often being used as makeshift stools to reach high places, uncareful footing can potentially lead to falls.

Further trips, slips, and falls often happen due to wet floors, something 7.9% of those we asked had the misfortune of experiencing. As for our final culprit for injuries around the home, 7.3% of individuals asked had experienced an accident involving the use of various gardening equipment.

The UK cities with the worst home injuries

With those stats in mind, hopefully, you now know what to look out for to avoid potential injuries in the home. And as an added bonus, we’ve used the data gathered to estimate which cities are the most accident-prone in the UK.

At the top of the list is Manchester, with 81.7% of homeowners having suffered an accident around their house, closely followed by Norwich which saw 76.8% of adults admitting to at-home injuries. Other top cities include Bristol, Newcastle, and Glasgow, with 73.9%, 72.1%, and 71.2% of those we asked, respectively, having suffered an injury at home.

If you want to find out more about injuries around cities in the UK, you can take a look at our piece on the UK’s most accident-prone cities.

Many of the injuries we experience in life can be avoided if we pay just a little bit more attention. But sometimes, we suffer due to someone else’s negligence.

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with personal solicitors who have experience in handling accident at home cases; if you were the victim of an accident at home that wasn’t your fault, get in touch to see what compensation you could be eligible for. In the meantime, check out all the latest from our team of experts!

Christmas Accidents: most common accidents in and around the home over the festive period

Posted on 3rd December 2021 by Jonathon

It’s the most wonderful time of the year once again – the Christmas decorations are going up and everyone’s getting into the festive mood. But from troubles with the turkey to accidents on ice, sadly, the festive period gets its fair share of accidents to go along with the joy.

In order to find out just which accidents are most common over the Christmas period, and which British city is the most accident-prone with the tinsel, we decided to ask the nation what their most common accidents were over Christmas.

We asked 1,000 people of all ages, gender, ethnicity, and jobs across the UK to fill in a questionnaire asking them about the injuries they might have suffered over Christmas. With our data in hand, we were able to calculate the most common accidents that occurred and the percentage of people unlucky enough to experience them.

The most common Christmas accidents across the UK

To anyone who’s out and about on those frosty December mornings, one thing everyone keeps an eye out for is ice. Yet we can’t spot every patch, so it might come as little surprise that the top accident found on our survey was slipping on ice.

In fact, 23% of those we surveyed said that they’d suffered an injury due to icy conditions, especially in Belfast and Sheffield where 35% and 33% of those we asked have had some form of slip.

After ice came the accident that no doubt everyone expected, with 21% of those we asked burnt their hand while cooking the Christmas dinner. According to our survey, Londoners are most guilty of this, with a full 30% of them having to run their hand under a cold tap at some point in the day.

Putting up Christmas decorations is often a highlight for many people, but it’s also an activity that takes the third spot on our list. 15% of Brits we asked have suffered some sort of injury as a result of decking the halls. Manchester is the worst culprit for this with 27% of people suffering a decorating related injury in the home, compared to the 23% of Mancunians who slip on ice.

Moving down our list we find that even decorating the Christmas tree can be hazardous, as 12% of those we asked have found out. It would seem that Londoners are particularly prone to this with 20% of them bashing a bauble or tripping on tinsel.

Finally, the fifth most common UK accident to make the cut is injuring yourself in the kitchen while chopping food for Christmas dinner. 11% of those we asked have injured themselves in some way while prepping the veg, particularly in Newcastle and Nottingham where roughly 13% of residents end up accidentally nicking themselves.

Of course, while these might be the top 5 most common accidents suffered, they’re by no means the only ones. 15% of those we asked in Belfast and Birmingham have hurt themselves while wrapping gifts, while 10% of those in Bristol got caught up in the melee of last-minute Christmas shopping. We also saw injuries relating to dancing, attending Christmas parties, and even lighting candles.

Christmas might be fun, but it can also be incredibly stressful

In a lot of cases, accidents that happen at Christmas are just that – accidents. But accidents themselves can be caused by a variety of factors. While it’s important we relax and spend time with the family over the festive season, it’s also important to understand how stressful it can be.

Shockingly, 50% of those we surveyed said they feel much more stressed over Christmas, and 61% said they found themselves rushing to do things – something that only increases the chance of accidents occurring. People in Edinburgh are the most stressed at 64%, but Liverpool is where people are rushing around for those last-minute finishing touches with a staggering 75% of those we surveyed falling into this category.

Many people also find their house is much messier over Christmas. On the whole, 60% of those we asked said the clutter builds up, with 73% of those in Sheffield struggling to find time to tidy up properly. And no part of Christmas is more stressful than the cooking. 45% of those we asked said they feel the pressure of cooking a Christmas dinner and 22% said they burnt the turkey due to everything else going on around them.

Unfortunately, while many of these accidents might seem minor, sometimes they do lead to a trip to the emergency room. While not overly common, 20% of people have had to take a friend or family member to A&E over the Christmas period and 15% of people have been to A&E for one reason or another, with people in Sheffield finding themselves visiting A&E more than any other city.

Christmas is the time of festive celebration and goodwill to all, but we shouldn’t forget that our rush to get everything done can lead to us and those around us getting injured. So, when you’re getting together with the family this year, consider slowing things down and finding more time to unwind. After all, isn’t spending time with the family more important than rushing to make sure everything’s perfect?

Here at The Compensation Experts, we can help you get the compensation you deserve for any personal injuries you suffer. If you’ve been injured over Christmas, either at work or at home, due to someone else’s negligence, get in touch and we’ll see if you’re eligible to make a claim.

What Information do you need to make a Financial Claim?

Posted on 25th November 2021 by Jonathon

What Information do you need to make a Financial Claim?

If you think you may be able to make a financial claim, there is a variety of information and identification that will be necessary. This should include any information you can provide from when you made the investment, examples of which can include:

Any or all paperwork from the associated pension or investment
Evidence of when you were first contacted to discuss the pension or investment opportunity
Records of moving your pension or investment
Evidence of what your advisor recommended
A record of those you spoke to while making the pension or investment
A record of how much your pension you invested or moved

What if I don’t have all this information?

If you don’t have all this information to hand, that’s not a problem. Paperwork and detailed information are often not necessary, as we will gather the full details from the provider and assess this for you. We will then communicate the results to you in clear language. Having some evidence and records of the process can also be enough to begin the financial claims process.

Information do you need to make a Financial Claim

How to make a financial claim

If you’re a victim of financial mis-selling, we can help. Start your claim for financial services compensation by getting in touch with our team of expert advisors, who will discuss your case and determine your eligibility.

If your claim does warrant investigation, we will begin to gather information from the relevant investment providers, to assess both the extent of your financial loss and the quality of advice you were dealt at the point of sale.

After conducting our initial research, we will write a bespoke letter of complaint which will be sent on your behalf to the trading business (or Financial Services Compensation Scheme, if they’re no longer active). At this point, your case will follow one of two avenues:

Your complaint will be upheld and you will receive the compensation you deserve for your damages and financial loss.
Your complaint will be refuted, and we will advise you on the next steps. We will also let you know how we plan to escalate the case according to Financial Ombudsman compensation guidelines.

What is the Financial Services Compensation scheme?

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is the UK’s statutory insurance body that protects consumers when firms and businesses fail to pay damages for financial malpractice. This is often because the trading firm has gone out of business. In these cases, the FSCS will pay your compensation.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience with financial mis-selling claims. This means that they can help with any questions you have about the information you need to make a financial claim. If you think you may have a potential claim, contact us today by filling in or contact form. Or call us to speak to one of our friendly experts.

Similarities vs Differences of Unit Trusts and Open-Ended Investment Companies

Posted on 30th September 2021 by Jonathon

Are you looking to invest your money into an investment fund? Here is everything you need to know about unit trusts vs investment trusts, and the difference between a unit trust and an OEIC.

OEIC vs unit trusts: what’s the difference?

When looking to invest your money in funds, you want to be sure that you’re placing it in a fund that is both secure and reliable. The last thing you want to happen is to be mis-sold investment funds.

If you’re looking to invest your money into funds, the two of the most common types of investment funds are known as unit trusts and open-ended investment companies (OEICs). Both these funds share a variety of traits, but they also have some important differences.

There is also a third type of commonly used trust known as an investment trust that you may want to consider if a unit trust or OEIC doesn’t appeal to you.

What are OEICs and unit trusts?

At first glance, there appears to be little difference between OEICs and unit trusts.

Rather than being an individual fund, both OEICs and unit trusts are what’s known as mutual funds. A mutual fund contains money from multiple different investors and is managed by someone known as a fund manager.

The fund manager takes the invested money and uses it to create a portfolio of investments and assets by investing in bonds or shares from a variety of businesses on the stock market. The total value of these investments is then divided into units, hence the name unit trust, each one being given to one of the fund’s investors. Investors can then exit the fund at any time by selling their unit.

What is an investment trust?

Unlike an OEIC or unit trust, an investment trust is a company that operates as a closed-ended investment fund. While OEICs are fluid in the size of their funds and investments, investment trusts hold a fixed number of shares and will typically retain the same value between the investors when an investor withdraws from the fund.

Investment trusts are seen as longer term investments that require time to fully reap the benefits, being more suited to static investments rather than things such as bonds.

When it comes to the difference between a unit trust and investment trust, if you want an investment you can reach and withdraw easily, a unit trust should be your pick.

OEIC vs unit trusts: similarities

Due to the effectiveness of both open-ended companies and unit trusts as potential investment opportunities, both types of funds have proved to be increasingly popular in recent years.

A large reason for this, and one of the core similarities between the two, is the fact that they can offer a practical and affordable way for clients to diversify their fund portfolio. With shares spread across numerous different asset classes, all managed by a separate individual, there is no pressure to make routine calls on individual stocks and shares to check and monitor their value.

This is particularly true if investors do not have the expertise required to manage stocks and shares professionally. Allowing another individual to handle the buying of units or shares can also provide a much wider spread of investment than an investor could have otherwise achieved with the same amount of money on their own.

In many other respects, unit trusts and open-ended investment companies are the same types of funds. Despite the name difference, they’re both open-ended, and the price of each unit they provide is also dependent on the net asset value of the fund’s overall investment portfolio.

With open-ended investment companies and unit trusts, you can also generally choose to have dividends paid directly to you as income or have it reinvested in the fund if it’s performing well to increase future dividends.

On top of this, both fund vehicles can invest in a wide range of asset classes, geographies, and sectors. The collective nature of unit trusts and OEICs means that the invested money contributed by the number of investors can be pooled together for investment in the stock market.

So, with so many similar aspects between them, you might be wondering why there’s a debate between investing in an OEIC vs unit trust to begin with.

Well, while both fund types might have a lot in common, both also have some pretty major differences.

The difference between unit trusts and OEICs

Without a doubt, when deciding between a unit trust vs OEIC, the main factor that will likely influence your choice will be the pricing of your chosen fund.

Unit trusts have what’s known as an offer price, a price at which an investor can buy into them. But on top of this, they also have what’s known as a bid price. This bid price is the price at which an investor can then sell their unit.

OEICs, on the other hand, have a single price for everything. This often makes OEICs more stable to invest in than unit trusts, as the price gap between a unit trust’s offer and bid cost is typically a 6-7% difference. Charges for an OEIC are simply deducted from the total amount invested.

Essentially, unit trusts come with added cost weight that should be taken into account when deciding between an OEIC vs unit trust.

Investment in a unit trust also involves buying a proportion of the total fund, the unit you are given when you invest in the fund, while an OEIC involves buying an actual share in the investment company. This makes it much clearer as to what you’re investing in when you opt for an OEIC vs unit trusts.

A final, subtle difference between the two is that trust law governs a unit trust, whereas company law governs an OEIC. This means there will be a variety of regulations you’ll need to consider when deciding on which fund to invest in.

Deciding on whether to invest in an investment trust or a unit trust vs OEIC

Now that you know the similarities and differences between an OEIC, unit trust, and investment trust, it’ll be up to you to decide which is more suitable for your needs.

OEICS have substantially increased in popularity in recent years due to their simplified structure, and many unit trusts have converted into OEICS as a result. That being said, unit trusts are still a popular choice. And if you want a long-term investment option, you might want to consider an investment trust.

Regardless of whatever type of fund or trust you’re interested in, it’s a good idea to do your research into investment funds and asset classes so you know what you’re investing into. And if you’re ever unsure about the legality surrounding any type of trust or fund, it’s always a wise idea to approach a qualified solicitor for advice.

Of course, when investing in any type of fund, there is always the risk that you may be mis-sold the investment. Whether it’s mis-sold investment bonds or a stocks and shares ISA, if you believe you’ve been misled on a financial fund investment, you might be able to make a mis-sold investment claim.

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience with financial miss-selling claims. They’ll be able to help you tell the difference between OEIC vs unit trusts, as well as walk you through the claims process if you want to make one.

Common Reasons Investments are Mis-Sold

Posted on 16th September 2021 by Jonathon

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – which regulates financial services and markets in the UK – states that an advisor must sell financial services in a way that is fair, clear, and not misleading. This means that if you have been advised to take out an investment product by a financial advisor in the last 30 years you may have been given poor or unsuitable financial advice. This means that, historically, there may be a lot of reasons investments are mis-sold.

Common Reasons Investments are Mis-Sold

There are a number of reasons that investments may have been mis-sold. Here are some of the common reasons why:

The risks associated with the financial product were not explained to you. The advisor should have assessed your attitude to risk and recommended a product that suits your own risk profile and your capacity to make a financial loss.

An advisor did not give you the correct information, or did not tell you how your money would be invested. They also did not tell you about the risk involved with that investment. So, you ended up with a product that is not right for you.

You were not made aware of additional charges and fees which you have incurred following advice. The advisor should provide you with illustrations detailing how the initial and ongoing charges may impact on your investment.

The advisor did not assess your personal circumstances. An advisor should consider your personal circumstances such as your income, future financial plans, existing investments, and previous investment experience; so that they can recommend the right product for you.

The advisor did not give you the full range of investment options or products. Some advisors were acting as ‘tied agents’ for their place of work. Consequently, they were only able to recommend products sold by the bank or financial institution they worked for. This means the advisor may not have given you your full range of investment options.

You experienced hard sales tactics and felt uncomfortable or pressured into an investment that you didn’t really need or want.

If you have experienced any of these, then you may have been mis-sold the investment and may be able to make a mis-sold investment claim.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience with financial mis-selling claims. This means that they can help with the most commo reasons investments are mis-sold when making a claim. If you think you may have a potential claim, contact us today by filling in or contact form. Or call us to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Common Barriers to making a Financial Mis-Selling Claim

Posted on 20th August 2021 by Jonathon

When it comes to making a financial mis-selling claim, particularly a mis sold investment claim, there are many barriers that people feel like they come up against. That is where The Compensation Experts are here to help.

Our advisors can guide you through the process of making a claim and help with any barriers that you may come up against. Then, we can get you in touch with one of our expert panel of solicitors.

Here are some of the common barriers to making a financial mis-selling claim.

The bank will not take the complaint seriously, or instantly decline your complaint

Our experienced experts understand a financial advisor’s obligations when recommending a product. Which means we know what to formally complain about, giving you the very best chance of obtaining compensation

There is too much jargon used in the selling of financial products, which can be confusing for consumers. This can result in a reluctance to formally complain

Our friendly and knowledgeable experts will explain all aspects of the claim in everyday terminology, that is easy to understand

You did not lose your own capital and feel there is no cause to complain

If you broke even on your investment or made a poor or disappointing return you may still be able to claim substantial compensation. This is because you could have made a far better return if they had recommended a more suitable product.

I have lost trust in my bank and do not trust them to deal with my complaint as they should

Financial advisors, working for banks or independently, are regulated for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA impose clear rules and timescales on how firms must deal with complaints and treat customers fairly

I do not have paperwork about the investment and cannot recall the circumstances well

Paperwork and detailed information are often not necessary, as we will gather the full details from the provider and assess this for you. We will then communicate the results to you in clear language

It seems like a lot of work and hassle. I am busy, so I just do not have the time or inclination to make a complaint

At The Compensation Experts a financial expert will do all the work for you. It is a hassle-free process which requires very little of your time.

I do not want to make a complaint and get anyone in trouble

The complaint is made to the company who the advisor worked for so it will not impact on an individual. Banks and life offices deal with complaints within a separate complaint team.

The company who advised me are no longer trading

We may still be able to submit a claim on your behalf for lost capital to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Our friendly financial experts will quickly be able to establish whether we could make a claim in this scenario

I will do this myself for free or get a relative to do it for me

Yes, you can do this yourself for free. Please be mindful that you only get one chance to successfully claim the compensation you could be entitled to. We will use our experience and expertise to give you the best chance of success with your one opportunity.

I don’t think I will be owed any money

Many consumers hold this belief, and then receive thousands of pounds. The interest rates before the UK recession were far higher, which means you would have made a very good return in a savings account. For this reason, you may still have lost out substantially. There can also be substantial interest figures added to the compensation awarded.

How We Can Help with Barriers to Making A Financial Mis-Selling Claim

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience with financial mis-selling claims. This means that they can help with any barriers you feel you are up against when making a claim. If you think you may have a potential claim, contact us today by filling in or contact form. Or call us to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Revealed: The Top 10 UK Cities for Dangerous Driving

Posted on 19th August 2021 by Jonathon

There were 131,220 road traffic casualties in the UK from July 2019 – June 2020, 1,580 of which were fatal.

With roads throughout the UK a major risk for both drivers and pedestrians alike, we decided to run a survey to find out how many Brits knowingly break driving laws. From drink driving to speeding, using your phone and more, it’s time to find out which cities are home to the most dangerous drivers in the country.

Bristol has the most dangerous drivers

Out of the whole of the UK, we can reveal it’s Bristol’s roads that are home to the most dangerous drivers in the country, followed by London, Cardiff, Leeds and Glasgow.

Whilst 97% of Brits agree that being distracted whilst driving is dangerous, 48% admit to eating and drinking whilst driving, and 47% admit to both driving whilst being tired, and speeding.

With 33% of Brits saying they’re nervous drivers, that’s not really a surprise, considering the number of people that do commit illegal acts whilst driving; yet 34% say they’re not aware of all of the rules and regulations.

86% of Brits think that the government should be doing more to prevent dangerous driving – and once you’ve read these stats, if you’re not currently in agreeance with this statement, you soon will be…

Leeds is the speeding capital of the UK

Bristol might have the most dangerous drivers in the UK, but only 13% admitted to driving over the speeding limit; whereas in Leeds, 53.6% say they’ve driven faster than they should.

Over 50% of drivers in Norwich, Bristol and Cardiff also admitted to speeding in the past too. Whilst Southampton has the lowest number of pedal-happy drivers, nearly 40% of those surveyed admitted to speeding, which is still a very high statistic.

27.7% of Birmingham drivers use their phones whilst driving

It’s a close competition, but Birmingham comes out on top with the most number of drivers using their phones, followed by London, at 27.7% and 27.2% respectively. The first laws relating to using phones whilst driving was introduced in December 2003; and since March 2017, drivers caught using a phone will get six points on their licence, and a £200 fine.

Cardiff is the capital of driving over the limit

In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, the alcohol limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, and in Scotland, it’s 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Shockingly, 17% of Cardiff drivers have admitted to getting behind the wheel whilst drinking over the limit, with Norwich and Bristol drivers in second and third place. In contrast, Edinburgh was the only city in the country where no one admitted to drink driving – and in fact, no one from Edinburgh said they drove under the influence of drugs, or applied makeup whilst driving.

19% of Brits say they don’t know the rules for driving after having a drink, but most shockingly, is that 22% of people surveyed thought that having a drink POSITIVELY impacted their abilities as a driver.

You might think that driving 5 miles over the speed limit doesn’t pose any real threat, or that just having that one extra drink won’t effect you at all; but the truth is, these actions could have catastrophic – and deadly – consequences.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a road traffic accident and are looking for compensation, get in touch to find out how we can help you. Alternatively, head on over to our blog for more information.

Top tips for avoiding workplace injuries in the office

Posted on 5th August 2021 by Jonathon

Lots of people switched to home working over the last few years – but post-pandemic, as we head back to the office, it’s easy to overlook important workplace health and safety tips.

Because we haven’t been in the workplace for so long, it’s important to be extra cautious when we return to reduce potential accidents at work. It doesn’t matter if you work in an office or on a construction site; safety should always come first.

So, to help you get fully prepared for your return to the workplace and improve the safety of your place of work overall, we’re outlining five workplace safety tips that you can implement to keep employees safe while working.

1. Create and implement a safety programme

The first of our workplace safety tips is an important one, and that’s ensuring you have some kind of safety programme in place that relates to the hazards experienced in your specific industry.

Before your employees return to your place of work, take the time to have a walk through it. Check every room in the office and all areas of your factory with an eye on identifying any potential hazards.

These could be major things, like worn-out holdings, loose cables, or even damage to the building itself, or they could be minor, such as an over-stacked shelf. Either way, with this information in hand, you can take steps to remove these hazards.

But that’s only half of this safety tip. When staff come back, you should set aside half a day where you can train them on how to keep the office safe and encourage them to report potential hazards when they see them to a manager or in a logbook.

It would also be beneficial to send some of your employees on first aid and mental health counselling courses, just in case anything should happen onsite. As health and safety tips go, this last piece of advice can often be the difference between major and minor personal injuries in workplace accidents.

2. Keep your place of work clean and tidy

Keeping your workplace tidy and organised is perhaps the most important of all workplace safety tips. You may not think by looking at it, but tripping on a stray bag can lead to a serious trip, slip, or fall injury.

Explain to your employees why personal belongings should be kept safely under desks or in lockers where possible. You should also talk them through why a clean working environment is important to avoid falling objects or stay trip hazards.

But where this safety tip is even more important is on construction sites and in factories. One rogue toolbox is all you need to cause injury to someone, and if up high, a potentially fatal accident.

Where possible, educate your workforce with safety tips on how to avoid leaving potential hazards in busy locations. For example, any spills should be cleaned up the moment they’re spotted, and broken objects should be moved to a safe location.

You should also be looking to ensure that the building you work in is up to industry standards. Loose wires and cables are a sure-fire way for your employees to injure themselves if they trip over them, and loose roof tiles can dislodge in strong winds.

3. Empower your employees with the information they need

Just because certain menial tasks may not be stated on an employee’s contract, it doesn’t mean they won’t have to carry said tasks out at some point in the workplace.

For example, as a general rule, office workers may not be required to do a lot of heavy lifting. However, there may be an occasion where a heavy parcel gets delivered, or employees are moving desks and need to lift computer monitors and chairs.

So, if you know that something like this is likely to happen in your place of work, providing employees with the knowledge they need to do it safely and injury-free is a must when it comes to safety tips.

There are a wealth of tips you can find online about how to correctly lift or move objects, as well as educational courses you can send your employees on.

4. Set up all equipment correctly and regularly audit it

Incorrectly set up or damaged equipment are workplace accidents just waiting to happen. Unfortunately, this kind of hazard can often be hard to spot unless you’re actively looking for it.

Before your employees return to their place of work, you should take the time to ensure all equipment is set up or maintained correctly. This might mean tightening desk bolts or replacing damaged furniture.

If you work in construction or with chemicals, this means ensuring each and every tool and piece of safety equipment is in perfect working order. If it’s not, it needs to be repaired or replaced immediately.

Upon your employees’ return, you should also take time to re-educate them on how to correctly use the tools at their disposal. In an office, for example, have everyone learn to properly adjust their chairs and monitors for correct ergonomic support.

And above all else, the last key part of this workplace safety tip is to audit everything regularly. The sooner you spot a problem, the sooner any potential workplace accident can be avoided.

5. Always avoid the temptation of shortcuts

It might sound obvious, but mistakes are most likely to happen when tasks are done quickly and without proper preparation. When implementing safety measures, don’t cut corners.

With your employees, you must stress that their safety is the most important thing to you. You should encourage your employees to complete a task they’ve done before with adequate safety measures in place to help encourage this new mindset of safety first.

This also goes for any tool repairs, equipment set up, and building repairs. In short, never, ever take shortcuts when it comes to workplace safety.

With those five workplace safety tips in hand, you should now have a much better understanding of how to avoid accidents and injuries in the workplace. Implement them today and you can welcome your employees back knowing they’re safe. Injuries in the office may not be as common as other workplaces like construction sites or factories, but that doesn’t mean they don’t occur. However, by taking the steps to safety-proof your office, and educating your employees on the role they play too; you’re helping to significantly reduce the risk.

Of course, as much as we try to follow safety tips, accidents are sometimes unavoidable. However, if you’ve suffered an accident at work that wasn’t your fault, then you should get in touch with The Compensation Experts today to start your claim.

We’ll put you in touch with expert solicitors in the field of personal injury. They’ll work with you to build your case, estimate how much you could claim, and walk you through the claims process; keeping you informed every step of the way.

For more safety information, head on over to our blog, or to find out more about claiming for an injury, get in touch with us.

Summer Sports Injuries

Posted on 25th June 2021 by Jonathon

With summer just around the corner, there will be ample opportunity for adults and children alike to partake in outdoor leisure activities. This includes many summer sports. However, with time spent outside playing sports, comes the risk of summer sports injuries.

According to the British Heart Foundation, some of the most common summer sports are football, tennis, cricket, rugby, golf, and cycling. As well as childhood favourite rounders. These sports all come with risk of accidents, but sometimes, these accidents are avoidable.

Most people participate with the knowledge of the risk involved and take adequate steps to prevent injury to themselves or other participants. There are instances, though, where an injury occurs that is not your fault; you may be able to make a sport injury claim.

You can make a summer sports injury claim if your injury occurs as a result of negligence on somebody else’s part. For example, if a tournament was poorly organised, equipment was not maintained, or proper safety training was not given.

Summer Sports Injuries

There are many different injuries that someone can have whilst playing a summer sport. This is due to the variety of sports that people can play in the summer. Some of the most common summer sports injuries include knee injuries, sprains, strains, fractures and breaks, and concussion.

Common causes of summer sports injuries include:

Illegal tackles/foul play
Improper coaching
Faulty/poorly maintained equipment
Dangerous behaviour from other players. For example, using hockey sticks illegally
Playing sport on uneven flooring
Being subject to dangerous conditions, such as poorly built horse jumps

Due to the nature of sports, and because a lot of the accidents involve children, sometimes accidents are unavoidable. However, if the accident happens because of negligence, or it could have been avoided, then you may be able to make a claim for summer sports injuries.

Claiming on Behalf of A Child

If a child has a summer sports injury due to an accident, then a parent or guardian may be able to make a claim on their behalf. Any compensation is put into a special fund or trust for the child to access when they turn 18. Or managed by trustees to cover the cost of caring for a child with a disability sustained as the result of injury.

Usually in personal injury cases, there is a three-year time limit from when the accident happened. However, this is not the case if a child has an accident. In that case, a parent or guardian can make a claim on their behalf until they turn 18, and after that, they have until they turn 21 to make a claim for themselves.

How we Can Help with Summer Sports Injuries

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes summer sports injury claims. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

E-Scooter Rider and Passenger Suffer Serious Injuries After E-scooter Accident

Posted on 14th June 2021 by Jonathon

Police are investigating a crash between an E-scooter and a vehicle in Wolverhampton. The crash left the e-scooter rider and a passenger with serious injuries. The rider of the E-scooter and a passenger are both in hospital after the e-scooter accident.

Police appealed for help in a statement released after the accident:

‘We’re appealing for witnesses after a man riding an e-scooter was critically injured in a collision with a car in Wolverhampton. The 20-year-old man riding the e-scooter was taken to hospital to be treated for a serious head injury, while a woman, aged 19, believed to have been a passenger on the e-scooter was also seriously injured. The woman driving the car was not hurt.

‘Officers are carrying out CCTV and house-to-house enquires and are appealing for anyone who saw what happened or who has dashcam or other footage, to get in touch’.

News of the incident comes amid a rise in popularity of electric scooters, also known as e-scooters. The e-scooters top speed is typically 25mph, though some can reach double that. Under current legislation, it is illegal to ride privately owned e-scooters on public roads, pavements, or cycle lanes. In the cities that have the e-scooter trials, people who have rented the scooters can ride them on roads only, and cycle lanes.

E-Scooter Accidents

Many cities in the UK are now holding trials of e-scooters. However, there have been reports of accidents in other cities. The latest figures show that more than 70 people have been injured in accidents involving e-scooters. Transport bosses have suggested that e-scooters could be 100 times more dangerous than bicycles, while campaigners insist that they are terrorising people on pavements.

Due to the fact that E-scooters must meet the same standards as motor vehicles, if you have an accident involving an electric scooter then you may be able to make a claim. This is true if you are riding an e-scooter or if an e-scooter hits you as a passenger.

If you have an electric scooter accident as a passenger then you may be able to make a claim. You may also be able to make a claim if you were riding an e-scooter and you have an accident involving a car. There are other examples where the person riding the scooter is uninsured or untraceable. In these cases, you may still be able to make a claim. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau deal with compensation claims for people who have accidents with uninsured or untraceable drivers.

How we can Help if You Have Had an E-Scooter Accident

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes electric scooter accidents. If you have had an e-scooter accident, contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

Accidents in UK Hotels

Posted on 1st June 2021 by Jonathon

With overnight stays now allowed in much of the UK, and many people being advised to not travel abroad, there is set to be a boom in UK travel, and staying in UK accommodation. But with this, the number of accidents in UK hotels may rise.

Occupier’s Liability Accidents in UK Hotels

Any private premises in the UK has an owner; someone who is responsible for keeping people who visit the premises safe. Private premises can be anything from shops to car parks. They also include UK hotels and other accommodation. Occupier’s liability is the area of law that deals with this duty of care and occupier’s liability accidents. It concerns anyone who owns a property that the public can visit.

Some common occupier’s liability accidents in UK hotels include:

Slipping on wet surfaces with no wet floor sign
Tripping over uneven floors or obstacles left in walkways
Accidents in car parks due to bad lighting
Malfunctioning lifts and automatic doors

These causes of accidents are easy to avoid. The owner of the premises should ensure that they put measures in place to avoid accidents like this from happening. They must ensure they follow rules set out in the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 to minimise the risk of accidents happening. If they fail to do this then they may be liable if someone has an accident on their premises.

Children’s Accidents in UK Hotels

Some of the most common occupier’s liability accidents involve children. This is no different for accidents in UK hotels. If children are visiting a UK hotel, then the owner must take extra care to minimise the risk of them having accidents. This is because children tend to be less careful than adults, which leads to more accidents.

If your child has an accident in a private place, then you may be able to make a claim on their behalf. If the child is under 18 then a parent or guardian may make the claim for them. They are known as a litigation friend. Any compensation will be held in a trust until the child turns 18.

The time limits for making a claim on behalf of a child slightly differ from those of an adult. Usually, the time limit for making a personal injury claim is three years from the date of the accident. However, where the accident involves a child, a parent or guardian may make a claim on their behalf until they turn 18. Once the child turns 18, they then have until their 21^st birthday to make a claim for themselves.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of personal injury claims. This includes accidents in UK hotels, and other occupier’s liability claims. If you have had an accident of this kind, contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.