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So – what’s worse than hearing about an incident where negligence has led to an individual suffering? Well, perhaps many of you will agree that it’s worse when the individual is a child. We all know that children are generally more susceptible to bumps, scratches and scrapes; it’s a part of growing up. But when they suffer due to the negligence of another and it could have been prevented, particularly in an environment where children are known to be, it’s a little harder to hear about.

According to sources from the BBC (source), the mother of the Godstone Farm E. coli twins is suing the petting farm they came in to contact with the bacteria from for negligently causing a significant amount of suffering and damage. I am sure many of you have heard of this story, round and about, in the press over the last 6-9 months, so you may know just how serious this is.
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Anyone in to motorbikes? Or anyone in to music at all? If you are, then this article may be of interest to you. According to sources from The Guardian, songwriter and producer Daniel Lanois has been injured in a motorcycle accident, and is reportedly in intensive care in Los Angeles (source).

Lanois is well known for his works with UK rock legends U2, as well as having worked alongside the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. The accident earlier this month has been described as serious, with several of upcoming tour dates cancelled due to the severity of his injuries.

Road traffic accidents are common enough; but accidents involving motorcycles often easily occur -and the injuries sustained by the rider are usually always quite severe. We drivers know well enough the importance of checking roads we are merging on to (look, look, and then look again; and again for good measure!), checking our blind spots when switching lanes or overtaking, and looking out in general for motorcyclists on the road. They are harder to spot – so we must take extra care in looking out for them. We have all surely seen the Think Bike adverts on the TV – for me, they really hit home!
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Had an accident in a taxi? Perhaps you were being taken to work, or dropped off after a good night out on the town, and you’ve ended up in a crash! Well, you may not know that as a passenger, you more than likely have a successful claim for compensation – so here’s why.

Road traffic accidents are straight forward enough; normally it’s relatively simple to establish which of the vehicles involved was responsible for the accident. If someone drives in to the rear of your car – they’re at fault. If someone pulls out of a side road and hits your car – they’re at fault. But as a passenger, there is normally very little you can do to contribute to prevent an accident – and in the vast majority of cases, you are an innocent party!
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The NHS – it’s no secret that they’re fighting a losing battle. And I come across too many stories in the news of NHS failures that have lead to serious consequences for the victims involved. Although it’s a struggle enough for them, there are still instances of such minor failures that can have big impacts; and it begs the question – how do such little errors end up being made?

Well, this next story may shock you a little. Although the consequences haven’t been too serious, the potential for disaster is evident. According to sources from The Daily Mirror, 63 year old cancer patient Alan Campbell was refused an appointment over the phone… because the surgery claimed he is dead. Yes, that’s right; the NHS Operator refused him an appointment because, and I quote from the source, “Our records show you are deceased”. They could help no further.
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According to several sources I have heard from, including the TV, the radio, and BBC news, a review of the current drink drive limit may result in the current legal limits being lowered. According to one report from the BBC, this kind of law change could be set to save hundreds of lives (source).

The review from Sir Peter North has suggested that lowering the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg per 100ml would be a life saving move. This would actually put us in line with most of the rest of Europe; but including the 12 month ban, it would actually push us in to the harshest category for punishments! He has also suggested that the 12 month mandatory driving ban should extend to the new lower limit of 50mg.
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If this story was 20 years ago, I think it’s safe to say all Englishman would be on the edge of their seats right now! According to sources from Sky News, English football legend Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne has been injured in a car accident (source).

It may also come as a bit of a surprise to you that he wasn’t driving; not that I would speak negatively of the ex-England international and Newcastle and Tottenham star, but he has had a fair few run ins in the past with drink driving, amongst the varying off-field incidents Gazza managed to land himself in! According to the source, the 43 year old was a passenger in a car that, according to eye witnesses, appeared to screech around a corner at speed before crashing in to Newcastle city’s historic guildhall, taking out a lamppost and a taxi stand sign in the process. A 36 year old woman has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, and has been released on police bail.
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I think the majority of people out there have a basic understanding of what personal injury is about. But I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people who have never made a claim perhaps share a miss-guided view of what personal injury means.

I read a lot of stories and hear a lot of people discussing their grievances against claims for personal injury in public. The old stereotypes of people tripping over curbs, falling off ladders, or slipping on a wet floor and getting thousands of pounds, and the solicitors pocketing tens of thousands of pounds in legal fees, I often hear about. But is this a fair view of personal injury claims? Well, here are a few things to consider:
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It’s no secret that in many areas the state of Britain’s roads are substandard. The cold snap we endured this winter probably didn’t help! Most pot holes are created by water seeping in to cracks in the highway surface. If the water freezes, it subsequently expands, putting pressure on the concrete and causing it to break.  But who is responsible for it all, and what are the duties they have?

Most public highways are the responsibility of the local council to regularly inspect and maintain them, and ensure they are not a potential hazard people using them. If the local authority fails to do this, then they are liable to pay compensation to anyone suffering an injury through the state of the highways. So here are a few examples:
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I’ve said it before, and I shall say it again; road traffic accidents are a common occurrence – they do happen all of the time. It’s always a tragedy to hear of a severe car crash resulting in life altering or even fatal injuries, but it’s even harder to hear when a crash is caused by the absolute selfishness of a drink driver.

There’s a very good reason why there is a drink drive limit – alcohol affects our brain and impairs our judgement and cognitive ability; both vital requirements to have working properly when driving. And we all know that breaching the safe alcohol limit is against the law for the very good reason that its puts the driver and other people on the roads in serious danger.

So why do people still do it!? And what are the tragic consequences…
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They are a lot more common that you might think! Which is surprising given that the rules and regulations employers must adhere to are strict and numerous to protect the safety of the employees in their working environment. So here’s a little insight in to why employers fail to adhere to regulations (leaving them open to a claim against them), and what employers are expected to do:

Well, perhaps it’s a lack of understanding of the importance of health and safety regulations in the workplace that is a root cause. There are common duties that all employers must ensure to uphold; such as ensuring all access ways are free from hazard (e.g. no holes in the floor!!!), ensuring all electrical equipment is duly tested for safety (e.g. no explosive kettles!), or even employees being trained and instructed on the buildings fire procedures. So what kind of rules and regulations must employers adhere to?
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