September 21st, 2009
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has spoken out in support of a motion that calls on the government to provide compensation for sufferers of pleural plaques.
Trade body the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt) believes that the government should overturn the Law Lords ruling made in 2007 which states that people suffering from pleural plaques should not receive compensation.
Pleural plaques occur when the lining of the lung swells, mostly due to asbestos exposure. Victims may be at risk of developing more serious asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma later on in life.
Commenting on the current law, Ucatt president John Thompson said it is unsuitable and that he hopes Labour will change its stance, adding: "In Barrow, South Shields, Plymouth and other asbestos-blighted towns, it is a crucial test of the morality of this government."
After the TUC gave support to the motion, Gordon Brown has said that a statement on pleural plaques is to be made after parliament returns from its summer break.
Tags: Allied Trades, Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Related Diseases, Barrow, Bid, Gordon Brown, John Thompson, Labour, Mesothelioma, Morality, Parliament, Pleural Plaques, Plymouth, President John, Quot, Risk, South Shields, Summer Break, Trades Union Congress, Union Congress Tuc
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
September 16th, 2009
The parents of children who fell ill with E. coli poisoning at a Surrey petting farm have expressed anger that it was not closed before the infection began to spread.
Some 37 children were affected by the bug after visiting Godstone Farm in Surrey, with three remaining seriously ill.
However, it has emerged that the farm – which allows children to pet small animals like sheep, goats and pigs – stayed open for two weeks after a case of E.coli first came to light.
According to the Telegraph, the farm could face compensation claims if the children affected suffer long-term damage.
E.coli expert Professor Hugh Pennington said: "Although the risk of it being passed on to humans is small, the effects can be catastrophic in young children."
Indeed, the BBC states that seven per cent of victims go on to suffer permanent kidney damage.
Earlier this month, Carl Riley, who said his life has been ruined after he contracted E. coli on holiday, was awarded £750,000 in compensation from his tour operator.
Tags: Anger, Bbc, Compensation Claims, E Coli, E Coli Outbreak, Expert, Kidney Damage, Parents, Pennington, Petting Farm, Pigs, Professor Hugh, Risk, Sheep Goats, Small Animals, Surrey, Telegraph, Tour Operator
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
September 15th, 2009
A man who hit his head on the roof of his car after the vehicle went into a pothole is seeking compensation from the council he holds responsible.
Melvin Bangle, 71, had been driving in Bracklesham Bay when he hit the sudden dip in the road, the Surrey Herald reports.
The jolt was such that his jaw was clenched together, badly cutting his tongue and breaking several of his teeth.
Mr Bangle alleges that the council came out the day after his accident, which occurred in June, to fix the holes. He says he wants compensation for his ordeal, as well as the expense of his dental work.
"It’s not about the money, I want them to admit responsibility," the victim commented.
The AA said last month that there are as many as 1.5 million potholes on UK roads, putting motorists and cyclists at serious risk. President Edmund King said some of the surfaces are "crumbling".
Tags: 5 Million, Aa, Bangle, Cyclists, Dental Work, Edmund King, Holes, Jolt, Money, Motorists, Ordeal, Pothole, Potholes, Risk, Surfaces, Surrey, Sussex, Teeth, Tongue, Uk Roads
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
August 28th, 2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has urged the construction industry to take more precautions to avoid falls from height in the workplace.
This comes after an accident in which a 31-year-old man died when he fell from scaffolding in Hastings earlier in August.
Melvyn Stancliffe, HSE inspector for the case, commented that workers must be properly trained and provided with equipment to ensure they are not at risk if working at height is unavoidable.
"It is simple – work to the recognised industry standards and working practices and falls can be prevented," he added.
Additional figures from the HSE reveal that falls are the biggest cause of fatal injury in British workplaces, with 34 out of the 72 deaths in the construction industry in 2007-08 resulting from a fall from height.
In addition, there were another 4,000 major but non-fatal injuries – such as broken bones – in the construction sector during the same timespan.
Tags: Broken Bones, Construction Industry, Construction Sector, Deaths, Fatal Injuries, Hastings, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hse Issues, Old Man, Risk, Scaffolding, Timespan, Working At Height, Working Practices, Workplaces
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
August 27th, 2009
A new report has discovered that as many as one in five young people is driving without the correct level of insurance.
The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) found that 250,000 people aged between 17 and 20 are taking to the roads without cover, putting insured drivers at risk if they are hit.
Many young people claimed they did not know that insurance is a legal requirement, while others said that the high cost of insurance has led to them breaking the law.
Ashton West, chief executive of the MIB, commented: "While we recognise the financial pressures for drivers taking to the roads for the first time, it is also a criminal offence to drive without proper insurance cover."
The MIB was established to deal with cases stemming from uninsured driver accidents and manages over 30,000 claims from people who have been hit by someone without cover every year.
Anyone involved in such an accident may wish to seek legal advice, as motoring claims can be complicated and lengthy.
Tags: 000 People, Accidents, Ashton, Breaking The Law, Chief Executive, Criminal Offence, Driving Without Insurance, Financial Pressures, Insurance, Insurance Cover, Led, Legal Advice, Mib, Motor Insurers Bureau, Motorists, Proper Insurance, Risk, Uninsured Driver, Young People
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
