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A common question which is always asked here at The Injury Lawyers is “If was a passenger in a car accident, will this affect my chance of a claim for compensation?”

The answer to this, as I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know, is no – not in the slightest!
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It is no exaggeration when I tell you that injuries caused by the incorrect lifting of objects, whether it be in the course of your employment or indeed otherwise, are some of the most common and worryingly easy to get.

It is important to understand that it doesn’t matter whether you are the utmost prime condition, or if you are like me, after somewhat overindulging through Christmas, you’re feeling a little snug around the midriff – lifting injuries are not dictated by how fit you are, it is all do to with how you position yourself before and during the process of lifting, and also, which is similarly important, how you place the object down after moving can also have identical repercussions on your back and spine if not carried out correctly.

With this in mind then, and if you have ever been asked to move around objects at work and have done so without ever really giving it a second thought (I know I have before), it is worth understanding that from your employers perspective it is a legal obligation to ensure that, before any carrying of any kind is carried out, a course of sufficient and reasonable training and practice is compulsory to show all employees how to lift in a way which ensures a good centre of gravity over the object at all times, and covers all bases and precautions which must be undertaken before any lifting is attempted.
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Whiplash is a word that for many of us has become part of our daily vocabulary – but what is whiplash and how is it caused?

Whiplash is a neck injury caused by or related to a sudden jolting of the neck and / or head area. One of the most common causes of whiplash is as a result of being struck from behind which causes the body to move forward, and in turn the neck to be thrown backwards.  Usually whiplash injuries are common in road traffic accidents, particularly where a person has been in a vehicle which was struck in the rear; although the injury can also be as a result of other accidents or contact sports.

The injury occurs as the body is initially pushed forwards with the head, as a result, going backwards. This movement causes the ‘whiplash’ type effect. The movement in a person’s neck can stretch and/or tear some of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck. These injuries may result from an impact coming from any direction, moving the head backwards and forwards or sideways.
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I don’t think I am making any ground shaking revelations when I tell you that Christmas is quite possibly the most stressful period of the year. There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day! We appear to spend most of our time between work and trawling through endless shops looking for gifts for our family members and friends. With the weather worsening over the colder seasons, road accidents increase; and with the increase in road accidents comes the increase in people needing to make claims for whiplash over the festive period. Suffering from whiplash is a further stress during this busy time!

So, what is it that causes whiplash?

Whiplash occurs as a result of being jolted forward from the impact; however as you are wearing your seatbelt, the jolt from the impact in most circumstances is on the neck. The full extent of your whiplash injuries does often not become apparent until sometime after the accident.
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Research studies have shown that in the UK alone approximately 1000 deaths occur as a result of falling down a flight of stairs. This is a scary statistic! In light of this it will come as no surprise then that, as an injury on stairs is worryingly easy and common to do, the legal responsibilities are quite rightly significant to ensure that any person or company that is responsible for maintaining a stairway must do so to a high standard to ensure no one is ever hurt through the use of stairs.

It is important to realise that those who fit or manufacture stairways are under a legal obligation to ensure that their stairs are free from any defect or hazard that could cause a person an injury; say, a bump, or a protrusion. As well as preventing defects, they must ensure that each step is of the correct height and width for its intended use. Handrails and appropriate support must be in place for the obvious reasons.

In addition to designers and manufacturers, it is similarly important to understand that employers are under a legal obligation to ensure that the working environment is safe for their employees, keeping accidents on and around a staircase to a minimum at all times.
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Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there – going to sit down at a family event or a public function only to completely miss the target, landing in what can only be described as an embarrassed lump on the floor. However, what is more embarrassing is being the victim in this situation when you were not to blame at all.

It is not uncommon when a situation such as this occurs for people to be too embarrassed to even contemplate what legal action may be open to them in seeking a claim for compensation.

It is therefore our responsibility to advise you of your rights, away from the  hoards of laughter from your supposed loved ones and colleagues at falling to the ground, and advise you in situations where you may have a very good claim for compensation for any injuries you have suffered from.
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One of the most compelling things about having your own pet, be it dog, cat, or rabbit, is that they each have their own fascinating personalities and characteristics.

Devout pet lovers will agree that one of the best reasons for getting a pet is witnessing their growth and how they change and develop overtime; and whilst this is an exciting prospect, we cannot help but be weary of the fact that we can never fully understand the minds of our animal companions.

It’s our duty to ensure that at all times we protect both ourselves and others from any potential dangers which our pets may cause!
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Every year, as Christmas draws nearer, my inner child is always awakened with the first fall of snow. Let’s be honest; our country has never been renowned for its white Christmases. Having said this, over recent years Mother Nature has attempted to give us some snowy cheer, and whilst we all love a bit of snow, the harsh reality is that claims for personal injury that are caused directly by snow go on the rise.

In a working environment, it is important to realise that employers are under a legal obligation to provide working conditions which are safe and free form reasonable danger for their employees. Keeping this in mind when thinking of snow, ice, and harsh wintry conditions, from a legal perspective, you have to take in to account employees wading through the snow and bringing water in to the workplace from the soles of their footwear.

Now, your employer has the duty of care to ensure that all walkways are safe and free of hazards; something that needs to be reviewed even more closely during harsh weather conditions. They must ensure that all floors are kept suitable to walk on- cornering off any unsuitable areas with warning signs and deterrents, or perhaps ensue to dry and water or moisture from the floor as quickly as possible. In light of this, if you have had an accident at work as a result of poor weather conditions or otherwise, and you believe that your employer failed to provide adequate warning or deterrent to prevent your accident, there is a high possibility that you may be able to claim for compensation.
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‘Patience is a virtue’- this motto in my opinion has been done to death over recent years.  I do believe that that there are times in our lives where we simply either cannot afford to be patient, or our patience is taken for granted; one particular area where this is most potent is in the world of personal injury.

For most of the unfortunate people who find themselves to be a victim of negligence, their main aim is to not only recover compensation for their pain, but also to receive closure of the situation as quickly as they can. With this in mind and to ensure that the legal procedure for claims is kept relatively straightforward, there are certain things we can do to speed up the process when the other side or their insurers delay the process by failing to adhere to the rules in place. One such avenue is a “Pre Action Disclosure Application.”

The nature behind a Pre Action Disclosure Application is relatively straightforward to follow. When a defendant fails to comply to the compulsory time limit for injury claims of 3 months and 21 days (to investigate your accident and injuries), we are well within our rights to make a request to the court which forces the Defendants side to disclose any documentation or evidence they may have that could be used as vital evidence in determining whether you have a winning claim or not.
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As Christmas is just around the corner, we all need to be in tip top condition for braving the great outdoors. Getting battered by merciless cold gales, paired with endless queues in shops has somewhat taken away the seasonal jolliness I enjoyed as a kid. Putting my Ebenezer mindset away for a brief moment, Christmas is easily stressful enough without having to worry about receiving an injury of any kind – particularly if this injury is through work!

One of perhaps the simplest and indeed easiest ways to injure yourself at work is through handling equipment or objects dangerously. Your back, although collectively one of the strongest parts of your body as the core, is worryingly easy to injure through lifting and manoeuvring heavy or awkward objects. It is important to realise that when lifting an object, it is not necessarily its weight which predominantly injures, but how you attempt to lift it as well.

Through awareness of how easy an injury such as this is to sustain, it has now become a priority for employers to follow strict rules and procedure highlighted under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 when employing individuals and introducing them to the workplace.
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