October 26th, 2009
A paperboy who suffered a brain injury after being hit by a lorry has been told he is entitled to compensation.
Joshua Smith had applied for the position at the Co-op in Staffordshire just after his 13th birthday in 2005, the Staffordshire Sentinel reports.
However, days after beginning the job, he was hit by a vehicle being driven by Mark Hammond.
The victim suffered a fractured pelvis, an open head wound, a ruptured kidney, bruised lungs, cuts and bruises and a brain injury.
He now has short-term memory problems and is likely to need care later in life.
This week, a judge deemed that Mr Hammond was partly responsible for the accident as his brakes were faulty.
The amount of compensation Joshua will be entitled to is to be decided at a later date.
According to the Department for Transport, there were 28,572 people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads in 2008.
Tags: 13th Birthday, Brain Injury, Brakes, Cuts And Bruises, Fractured Pelvis, Job, Joshua Smith, Kidney, Lorry, Lungs, Mark Hammond, Mr Hammond, Paperboy, Short Term Memory, Short Term Memory Problems, Staffordshire Sentinel
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May 19th, 2009
A man who had to have his leg amputated after he was hit by a motorist is seeking compensation of up to £300,000.
Alpesh Ramji, a former cobbler, was outside his shop in Harrow when a Volkswagen driven by David Pelton mounted the kerb and ploughed into him, the Harrow Observer reports.
The car crushed him against the building and Mr Ramji had to have his leg amputated below the knee.
He claims that he has still not come to terms with his injuries and that he has trouble with his prosthetic limb due to the tissue damage he sustained.
Mr Ramji is seeking damages of £300,000 in order to cover his lost earnings, his health care and the modifications to his car and his home.
Any pedestrian who is injured in an accident that was the fault of a car, bus, lorry or other vehicle may be eligible to claim compensation against the driver’s insurers.
Their case could be particularly strong if they were hit on the pavement or on a crossing, as Mr Ramji was.
Tags: Alpesh, Cobbler, Damages, Earnings, Harrow, Health Care, Kerb, Lorry, Pavement, Pedestrian, Pelton, Prosthetic Limb, Tissue Damage, Volkswagen
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April 16th, 2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned firms that their safety procedures must be up to scratch after a company was fined and prosecuted for two worker accidents.
SDC Trailers of Mansfield pleaded guilty to breaches of regulations in both cases.
In one incident, a man was hurt when an unsecured load fell from a lorry and landed on his leg, while another suffered crush injuries when the same thing happened only weeks later.
HSE inspector Maureen Kingman said: "The unloading of trailers in which loads have not been properly secured places those involved at considerable risk."
She added that this case shows how serious failing to comply with health and safety regulations can be.
According to figures published by the HSE, six million working days were lost to injuries at work in 2007-08, with 299,000 reportable injuries occurring.
Victims of such injuries may be eligible for compensation if it can be proved that they occurred as a result of negligence.
Tags: Accidents, Breaches, Crush Injuries, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hse Issues, Kingman, Lorry, Lost, Negligence, Reportable Injuries, Risk, Safety Procedures, Safety Regulations, Sdc Trailers
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February 27th, 2009
A council has made a u-turn after originally telling a man he would not be eligible for compensation when a lorry hit his car.
Mark Jones’s vehicle was parked outside his home in December last year when it was hit by a refuse collection lorry, the Staffordshire Sentinel reports.
The workers left a note on the car to say who had caused the damage, which included smashed lights and crumpled bodywork.
However, when Mr Jones sent in a £2,000 claim for damages, he was told that he would not receive compensation because the road was icy.
He contested the decision and has now been told that he will receive compensation after all.
"After a review, it appears regardless of the ice this accident may have happened anyway due to the density of cars and narrowness of the road, so we have made an offer without prejudice," said a Stoke council spokesperson.
Mr Jones said he is pleased with the new development, which has been described as a victory for common sense.
Anyone whose vehicle is damaged by a council vehicle should keep photographic evidence and any written correspondence in order to support their compensation claim.
Tags: Bodywork, Car Mark, Cars, Common Sense, Compensation Claim, Correspondence, Damaged Car, Damages, Density, Lorry, Photographic Evidence, Prejudice, Quot, Refuse Collection, Spokesperson, Staffordshire Sentinel, U Turn, Victory
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