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Dog bites and the law: understanding your rights

17Oct

Understanding how dog bites and the law function can be a bit intimidating, especially to those who are ill informed. This may effect whether or not somebody who has been attacked by a dog makes a dog bite compensation claim against the owner. There are a number of ways by which a dog owner can break the law and this article goes through these scenarios.

The main points to remember is that if the dog has bitten you due to no fault of your own then the owner has probably been irresponsible, either because they are not keeping the dog fully supervised or because they have failed to tame a vicious pet.

Work injury compensation in the construction industry

17Aug

Construction sites can be hazardous places. In fact, the construction industry has one of the highest rates of workplaces injuries in the UK. Refurbishment is a particularly hazardous area of construction because sites can be full of hidden dangers. Working with scaffolding, machinery and tools can lead to accidents if proper safety procedures are not followed. Construction workers also need to be provided with PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). If your employer fails to take steps to prevent accidents in the workplace, for example, failing to provide the necessary PPE, you may be able to submit a claim for compensation.

Thousands of injury at work claims from noise exposure

13Aug

Exposure to certain levels of noise can cause lasting damage. Regulations were introduced in 2005 that limited the noise levels that workers can be exposed to. Hearing protection must also be provided above a certain level of noise. If employers fail to follow the limits outlined, they can risk permanent damage to their employees’ hearing. HSE statistics indicate that in 2009/10, approx 21,000 people who had worked in the last 12 months were affected by hearing loss as a result of their work. Many were permanently deafened, either partially or completely.

Recovering from a work injury

12Aug

Recovering from a work injury can take a long time and can be extremely frustrating. If you are missing work, you may be worried about catching up when you get back or you may be worried about whether you will ever be able to return at all. The key to recovery and rehabilitation is following medical advice. If your doctor suggests light exercises, it is important to carry them out as instructed. If you fail to do the exercises, this could delay your recovery, just as pushing yourself too much could worsen your injury. You may also be prescribed medication which will help with pain relief and reducing inflammation.

Industrial injury claim can help pay for costs not covered by government help

12Aug

There are various types of benefit that can be claimed by individuals who have been injured at work. However, these may not fully cover the home adaptations and care needed by someone who has suffered a serious injury which affects their mobility and ability to work. Research conducted by a charity found that 20% of spinal injury sufferers were not able to return home once discharged from hospital because it was not possible for the home adaptations they needed to be made. A claim for compensation may help to pay for these kinds of costs and to improve the quality of life of the person who has suffered the injury.

People put off claiming compensation for tinnitus due to long term effects

10Aug

Compensation for tinnitus should be made by anybody who feels like they are suffering tinnitus from any spell of employment which did not follow the standard health and safety regulations for their employees. Often, people are put off from making a claim because they feel that the initial damage happened so long ago, that their claim will not stand up suitably. This is the wrong attitude, as not matter how long ago the initial damage was done to the ear drums, an individual may still make a claim.

Compensation for food poisoning soars as more restaurants begin to cut corners

09Aug

UK cities are seeing a rise claims for compensation for food poisoning as restaurants begin to see a greater need for an increase in profits. This is in turn seeing restaurants, both fast food and sit down establishments, trying to prepare food at a faster speed in order to allow more customers to enter their shops.

This is leading to many establishments cutting corners in vital areas of food preparation. This may involve certain foods being undercooked, not being defrosted properly and other mistakes. Fast food restaurants are particularly to blame for this rise in compensation claims, as they are constantly striving for a quicker ‘turn over’ time, especially in busy periods such as lunch time and late afternoons.

Holiday accident compensation claimed for faulty hotel room

09Aug

If a holiday goes wrong abroad, then you should not feel that you are not entitled to make a holiday accident compensation claim. Many people feel like this because they feel like they are out of their comfort zone; they are not sure whether they are entitled to make a claim, since they are unsure whether it will stand up as the accident happened abroad. This is, actually, not the case at all. This article will show why it is possible to make a holiday accident compensation claim for something that has happened abroad.

Does the UK have a work injuries compensation culture?

04Aug

The Association of British Insurers published figures in 2005 which indicated that around 60,000 people receive compensation from their employers every year. Government statistics indicate that a further 20,000 people a year receive Industrial Injuries benefit, which is a ‘no fault’ compensation scheme provided by the government. As a percentage of the total number of illnesses and injuries every year, this figure is quite low. In 2009/10, there were 555,000 cases of new work illnesses and 233,000 reportable work injuries. Concerns that the UK is developing a ‘compensation culture’ where compensation is awarded to undeserving cases seem unfounded.

Injured at work after ladder accident

03Aug

According to HSE figures, there are 12 fatalities a year, on average, as a result of falls from ladders at work. An additional 1,200 workers suffer major injuries. Ladders are the most common agent involved in work injuries and account for more than a quarter of all falls from height. Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal injuries at work and also cause a significant number of major injuries and over-three-day injuries. Steps can be taken to make working with ladders safer. Employers need to provide suitable equipment and make sure workers are trained. Employees need to check equipment and work safely.

Government cuts threaten to increase workplace injuries

02Aug

In October 2010, the government announced cuts to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) and to local authorities. These cuts mean that there will be fewer visits to workplaces and a lower capacity to provide guidance to employers. The Young Review, published in 2010, has also been called a “missed opportunity” by the TUC. It focuses on areas where health and safety rules have been used unnecessarily rather than focusing on reducing injuries and fatalities. These two factors have raised concerns that the number of injuries and fatalities occurring in British workplaces will increase rather than decrease in the near future.

Injury or illness at work: Making an accident at work claim for compensation

01Aug

very year, thousands of people are injured at work or suffer an illness as a result of their work. The different types of injury and illness that they suffer vary dramatically. An injury is usually the result of a single incident, such as a fall. An illness may not be attributable to a single cause and may have built up over time, such as stress. In 2009/10, work-related ill health was the cause of more days taken off work than work injuries. The employer may be considered negligent if the injury or illness was ‘foreseeable;’ that is if they should have known the risks and could have done something to reduce them.

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