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Most people would agree that the industrial work place can be a fairly dangerous place to be and that everything possible should be done to keep people who work in this type of environment as safe as possible. One way in which this is done is through the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), this is any equipment (including clothing) that should be worn or used by a person at work to protect them against risks to his health and safety.

If you work in an environment where there are risks to your health and safety then your employer will usually need to provide you with some form of PPE, in fact there are regulations in place that make it a legal requirement for them to provide this type of protection to their employees. These regulations are called The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. While many people may see Regulations as another layer of red-tape to add to what should be good old-fashioned common sense it should be a comfort to know that as an employee you have a legal right to be provided with PPE while at work.
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Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is a progressive condition which can manifest itself in many ways. The overriding general symptom of a RSI is pain and discomfort. The pain would ordinarily be in the area affected. It is also common to experience tingling, numbness and swelling in the affected area.

An RSI is an injury primarily caused by carrying out repetitive tasks and forceful actions. It is often associated with tasks such as working on computers, driving, sleeping awkwardly and lifting heavy items.

In most cases, especially if the RSI is in the early stages, it can be treated by rest, exercise and massages. If the RSI develops then surgery may be required.

It is said that, over recent years, the number of compensation claims against employers for repetitive strain injuries sustained by employees whilst at work has increased significantly. This is perhaps due to professions in which workers have to complete repetitive motions over long periods of time. Of course, more and more workers use computers these days and tasks become more streamlined. This can increase the likelihood of a repetitive strain injury.
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With personal injury claims you can recover compensation for General Damages for the pain and suffering and you can also recover Special Damages for any losses incurred as a result of the accident.

An example of Special Damage is loss of earnings.

Say for example you sustain injury, whether it be at work or in a road traffic accident, and as a result of your injuries you may have to take time off work and subsequently you may have lost earnings. As part of a Special Damages claim you can try and recover the lost earnings. As with most aspects of Special Damages you should obtain wage slips as you’ll have to prove those earnings lost due to your injury.
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Personal Injury Solicitors cover many different types of personal injury claims. One common occurrence is injuries in the supermarket. I don’t think anyone expects to be injured while they’re out doing their shopping but accidents in supermarkets are more common than people think.

There are many dangers in the supermarket. People could sustain injury as a result of items falling off shelves or they could slip on spillages on the floor. Supermarkets can get very busy at peak times and so many shopping trolleys, people and items in the same store can increase the chances of an accident occurring. There are also staff stacking the shelves and pushing large trolleys around the store. Accidents can occur if people collide with shopping trolleys or if people trip over them. There are many potential accidents that can occur in the supermarket. No wonder I avoid shopping at peak times.

The supermarket has a duty to ensure that their premises are reasonably safe. Basic measures can be taken to keep supermarkets as safe as possible such as stacking bulky or heavy items on lower shelves and cleaning up spillages as soon as possible as well as displaying a warning sign.
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Most people want to know how long a claim will take, but in reality any time frame you are given is simply an estimate based on averages. For example a solicitor may say that a typical road traffic accident claim could settle within 6 to 12 months. However, this cannot be relied upon as a guaranteed fact.

The truth is that solicitors cannot say with any great certainty how long a claim will take.
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Children are extremely curious – coupled with their lack of fear, often end up with bumps and bruises. Sometimes, however, children can be involved in accidents that are a lot more serious.

Accidents can happen anywhere, from in the school playground to being a passenger in a vehicle.

If your child has been injured in an accident through no fault of their own, it may be possible for you to make a children’s compensation claim on their behalf.

You can make a claim for your child up until they reach the age of 18. They will then have three years from the date of their 18th birthday to make a claim themselves if not already done so by a parent or guardian. A parent or guardian making a claim before then is called the litigation friend. The Litigation friend must be independent and therefore if the parent was to blame for the accident, they cannot act as the litigation friend. a grandparent or close friend can always act on their behalf instead.
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When pursuing a claim for personal injury the process can seem like a daunting one to undertake – however, when claiming for compensation there are certain time frames that the defendant must adhere to which can make the process a little more speedy and hassle free.

Pre action protocols were recommended by Lord Woolf in his final Access to Justice Report of July 1996 to build on and increase the benefits of early but well informed settlement. Having a specific protocol in place has many benefits for your claim including:

1. Better and earlier exchange of information between the parties
2. It enables claims to be settled easily and fairly, often  avoiding the need for litigation
3. Promotion of the provision of medical and rehabilitation treatment for the injured party
4. Standardisation of how claims are run across the board

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Well this has probably happened to most of us – we get on a bus and before we have the chance to sit down, the bus pulls away. Now most people would still be able to successfully sit themselves down safely as there are hand rails to hold onto to keep your balance. However most of us would probably say that the bus driver should wait until passengers are seated. Whatever we think, in law is a bus driver negligent for pulling away before a passenger is seated?

Put simply there is no specific duty on a bus driver to ensure passengers are seated before pulling away. Although bus drivers do have to take reasonable care to ensure that injury is not caused as a result of the bus pulling away abruptly or before a passenger is seated. This means that extra care is needed in the case of elderly passengers for example. Elderly passengers are identified as being more at risk of injury if a bus pulls away before they are seated for obvious reasons. This is because they may not have the strength or balance to keep on their feet. Looking at the bus driver’s point of view, they are running to a strict timetable and if they are behind they will naturally be trying to catch up. However safety should always be paramount.
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Have you ever bought something that wasn’t exactly up to standard? The common answer to that is most probably yes – but has the product caused injury or loss?

The consumer protection act is the law that protects consumers from the risk of illness or injury due to faulty products. This could be from a food source to any household item bought. The act protects the consumer from the products which do not meet a reasonable level of safety.

Of course, 100% level of safety cannot always be guaranteed, but has to be as safe as reasonably possible.

Some cases involving product liability can include:
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A common question when making a claim is:

“How much will I have to pay?”

Generally, the answer should be nothing! No Win, No Fee should mean exactly what it says; If you lose the claim, you don’t pay any legal fees!
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