Category Archives: Health Law

Dental Law Partnership Client Wins £24,000 for Dentist’s Negligence in Missing Tooth Decay and Damaged Sinus

A Dental Law Partnership client has received £24,000 in dental compensation after inadequate care resulted in untreated decay, lost teeth and sinus damage.

The client, a 39 year old woman from the South of England, won the sum in an out of court settlement after losing 3 teeth and suffering a damaged sinus following substandard treatment from her dentist. She was also forced to endure repeated dental treatment.

Between 2002 and 2008, she visited the dentist regularly, with routine checkups, scale and polishes or fillings, carried out every six months. But after fitting a crown to one of the woman’s upper teeth, she suffered a lot of pain which was so bad it kept her up at night. It was so bad, in fact, that just one month later the adjacent tooth had to be removed.

During this extraction procedure, the dentist damaged the crowned tooth and the crown came off. But that wasn’t all, because whilst removing the roots from the tooth socket, a fragment of the tooth root became lodged in the patient’s sinus.

This caused such excruciating pain that after a few days, the woman was forced to attend her local A&E. She was also worried that her nose was running constantly. An X-Ray proved that the tooth root lodged in her nose was causing constant discharge. The hospital referred her to a specialist to have the misplaced root extracted.

But whilst attending this procedure she was informed of the untreated tooth decay of 3 of her teeth. At this point she decided to change dentist and began an extensive treatment plan to fix the problem.

The original dentist’s failure to provide adequate care to the decaying teeth meant that the patient lost two teeth and was certain to lose another in the future. All will require painful implant treatment in the future. Further decay on other teeth had to be treated with fillings. She discovered that her original dentist had failed to properly assess the extracted tooth prior to carrying out the procedure. If he had carried this assessment out she would have avoided the treatment of the tooth fragment within her sinus.

While her dentist refused to admit or deny liability, the Dental Law Partnership were able to claim £24,000 for their client in an out of court settlement. Speaking after the decision she said: “I am very pleased with the outcome, I never thought I would have to sue my dentist but at least I have redress for the dental problems I suffered”.

The Dental Law Partnership provides specialist legal services to the victims of dental complaints, and they are the market leaders in the field. As the UK’s only specialist dental law practitioners, the Dental Law Partnership can help victims to seek dental compensation for the damages suffered.

Their specialist team is made up of experienced solicitors and dentists, providing unique expertise and insight. Patients who believe they have a right to compensation for poor dental work, can find out quickly if they have grounds for a claim and get the help they need to put things right.

For more information, visit http://www.dentallaw.co.uk or call 0800 0853 823 to speak to an advisor.

Via EPR Network
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UK Personal Injury Law Sees a Calm Month after June Scrutiny

2013-07-15 — /EPRLawNews.com/ — Due to the nature of claiming for a personal injury, usually with the individual going against a business, it is always going to be a turbulent world, with legislation and law always having to keep up with the advancements in technology, professions and culture. The UK is no stranger to those twists and changes, and they can sometimes put the claimant in a position where they feel uncomfortable claiming for their personal injury, at work or otherwise.

Last month for example, there was media uproar about the amount of whiplash being made in the UK, with claimants coming under fire from a number of popular newspapers, saying that 50-60% of claims were fraudulent. According to Mail Online, fraudulent claims cost insurance companies £1bn ($1.51bn), blaming ‘American style claims’ for the increase in claim figures. On top of that, the attention came alongside changes to personal injury law. The interesting thing about these remarks is that the amount of car accidents has fallen by roughly 60,000 over the last year, understandably causing some confusion about the consistent level of claims.

Despite all this, the past two weeks have been a relatively quiet period in the UK. With no changes and little media attention, we are beginning to see a calmer season, yet that doesn’t mean it’s the last of scrutiny and change for the summer. As the temperature increases there is a higher amount of people on the road, workers that do their job outside are exposed to extra risks from the heat and the school break opening holiday season, meaning that we can probably expect some more attention before the end of August.

For the outside workers, the most common injuries are slips and fall that can end in minor breakages, so you would think that that becomes less in the dry summer, however, The heat can easily cause fatigue and dehydration, making people more likely to injure themselves.

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Leading Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Law Firm Duffy & Duffy, PLLC Announces New Attorney

Duffy & Duffy, PLLC (www.duffyduffylaw.com) a leading law firm dedicated to medical malpractice and personal injury practice today announces the hiring of Melissa Eggers.

Melissa Eggers is an associate at Duffy & Duffy, PLLC. Ms. Eggers recently joined the firm after serving over a decade as a prosecutor for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. Ms. Eggers gathered years of daily litigation experience that included daily courtroom appearances, over 200 Grand Jury presentations and numerous trials on both the misdemeanor and felony levels. Her career at the District Attorney’s office included prosecuting perpetrators of domestic violence, violent felony crimes including robberies, assault, conspiracy to commit murder, as well as complex white-collar crimes. Of these economic type cases, she has prosecuted cases involving criminals who conducted a multi-million dollar a Ponzi scheme; identity theft and employee embezzlements. Ms. Eggers brings her courtroom and trial experience to the firm and advocates for the clients of Duffy & Duffy, PLLC to seek justice on their behalf.

Ms. Eggers graduated from Florida State University in 1999 with a B.A. in Criminology and a minor in Business. She attended Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center where she earned her J.D. in 2002. She is admitted to practice in New York and Florida.

At Duffy & Duffy, PLLC we believe that curing medical malpractice starts with patient safety. That’s why the members of our law firm work to not only bring justice for each individual client we represent, but always with this larger idea in sight.

No guesswork. Just facts.

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Desert Knolls Convalescent Hospital Reported For “Infection Control Issues” and “Safety Hazards” Following Operation Guardian Surprise Inspection

In March of 2011, members of the Operation Guardians program visited the Desert Knolls Convalescent Hospital in Victorville, California to perform a surprise inspection. The inspectors noted a number of potential health code violations and conditions that may contribute to health and medical treatment complications.

Operation Guardian was launched by the State Department of Justice in the year 2000. Investigation participants perform on-site inspections of nursing home facilities without giving prior notification of their arrival. It was not until recently that these reports had been made available to the public.

Among the numerous unfavorable reports, investigators noted instances of potential maltreatment in which the Desert Knolls “facility’s inaccurate documentation of resident’s wounds may be preventing the resident from receiving the correct wound care treatment.”There were also reports of residents being unable to easily summon assistance, due to their positioning away from staff call buttons.

Additional observation found that Desert Knolls Convalescent Hospital’s Resident Abuse Investigation Policy and Procedures was not in compliance with California State law.

Estimates provided by the American Psychological Association (APA) have found that 2.1 million senior Americans fall victim to psychological, physical, or other forms of neglect and abuse. The APA also reports that elders who have been abused tend to die earlier than those who are not abused.

John Bisnar, California elder abuse attorney, has assisted a number of victims and distributes resources to help raise awareness for seniors who suffer maltreatment. “There are several nursing homes throughout the state of California that fail to provide their guests with adequate care, but rarely do they receive the press that is required to increase efforts to prevent them.”

“Hopefully, Operation Guardian’s reports will create enough awareness to spur our politicians into creating safer environments for our loved ones. Our parents and grandparents deserve to live out the remainder of their lives with more respect than many of these facilities provide.”Says Mr. Bisnar.

Victims of elder abuse are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement officials immediately following instances of maltreatment.

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ClaimsHeaven.co.uk Online Game Highlights Issues with Personal Injury Claims Marketing

Entertaining online consumer siteClaimsHeaven.co.uk has added a new free online game that takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the personal injury compensation industry in the UK to their array of claims resources.

If you’ve ever wondered about the personal industry claims market, and whether those adverts promising massive payouts if you have “been injured in an accident at home, at work or on the road” actually encourage a culture where people see being injured as a chance to cash in, then ClaimsHeaven.co.uk has a lot of interesting information and resources that can explain the way this controversial industry works, and help those who need to make genuine compensation claims avoid being ripped off or seduced by the promises of unscrupulous companies.

The latest tool the site offers consumers is a new free online game called Train 2 Claim that “trains” the player to become a better personal injury claimant. It involves the player’s character walking down a typical street with manhole covers and loose paving slabs, and having the ability to move to avoid these potential trip hazards. If you step on them, you’ll fall over, getting more and more injured the more times it happens. When the timer is up, you go and visit a compensation claims company to see how you’ve done. You then get a chance to try again, helping you learn what you need to do to get a bigger payout!

The game, and the supporting information can be found at:

www.claimsheaven.co.uk/games/train2claim.php

As well as being entertaining, it is intended to illustrate the problems in the personal industry claims market in the UK right now, and highlight the methods companies use that could potentially persuade people to make claims. The site is all about supporting legitimate claimants and helping people to understand the pitfalls and scams that exist in the UK claims industry, and aims to present its information through insightful, fun and interesting methods like this game.

Train 2 Claim is free to play through any popular internet browser, and users don’t need to submit any personal details to get access to the game, or any of the other information or games and resources on the site.

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RJW Joins Forces With Slater & Gordon In The UK Following ABS Licence Approval

RJW has been acquired by Slater & Gordon – the world’s first publicly listed law firm – for £53.8 million (approximately $AUD80 million). The acquisition took place on 30 April 2012 following the approval of an Alternative Business Structures (ABS) licence by the UK Solicitors Regulation Authority. The law firm notified the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) of its ABS licence approval on the same day.

Slater & Gordon was amongst the first organisations to be granted an ABS licence by the UK regulatory authority.

RJW and Slater & Gordon and announced their plans to join forces and capitalise on changes in the UK legal landscape in January of 2012, following 12 months of negotiations and due diligence.

RJW Chief Executive Officer Neil Kinsella said his team knew that changes were required to stay “at the forefront of a changing legal landscape” and Slater & Gordon was the “perfect partner” law firm.

Mr Kinsella said: “This is an exciting new chapter in our history, and an important step towards us achieving our ambition to become the largest and most trusted brand for personal legal services in the UK.

“We are in the midst of a changing landscape in the UK and we want to be at the forefront of that change – both in a regulatory sense and in service delivery.

“One thing that will not change is our commitment to make access to justice available and affordable to all, because that’s a common goal that we share with Slater & Gordon and it’s one of the things that attracted us to them in the first place.”

Slater & Gordon Managing Director Andrew Grech said it was the optimum time to enter the UK market because of the changes in ownerships laws and impending changes to the personal injury sector.

Mr Grech said: “Firms which do not adapt will simply not be able to compete effectively over the long term.

“This partnership gives RJW security so that they can continue providing a first class legal service, but it also gives them the resources needed to develop and grow whilst retaining and attracting talented people in a way that would not have been possible otherwise.”

Mr Grech said Slater & Gordon would support its UK business to continue to grow and meet the needs and expectations of their clients into the future.

He continued: “We have jointly identified the opportunities that will come as a result of the changes in the UK market and have already benefited from sharing our knowledge.

“The potential to share technology and have greater resources to retain and attract additional talented people will underpin our future success.”

RJW equity partners have exchanged ownership of a traditional partnership for share-ownership in Slater & Gordon Ltd. The partners will hold Slater & Gordon shares for a minimum of four years. RJW has traded as ‘Russell, Jones & Walker part of Slater & Gordon Lawyers’ from Monday 30 April, 2012. The acquisition includes RJW’s Claims Direct brand.

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PHC Law Helps Man Gain Compensation For Broken Ring Finger

Preston-based personal injury specialist company PHC Law has succeeded in recovering £3,250 in compensation for a man who trapped his ring finger in a window at his place of work.

When the window’s locking mechanism was found to be faulty, the man contacted PHC Law, and was advised by Mr John Cooper, a senior consultant solicitor at the firm, which specialises in personal injury law.

The incident resulted in the man sustaining a fractured finger, and when Mr Cooper contacted his employer to notify them of the claim, their insurers admitted liability due to the window’s defective mechanism.

Mr Cooper is a senior partner in PHC Law personal injury solicitors, based in Preston, Lancashire. He said: “We obtained a report from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon to assess the seriousness of the injury, and from this assessed the likelihood of being able to bring a successful injury claim using our many years’ experience, and this formed the basis of our submission.

“This case was similar to thousands every year, in which people suffer injuries in the course of their regular work through no fault of their own, and subsequently receive compensation for the injury and the distress caused, with help from dedicated and caring personal injury solicitors such as us,” he added.

If you have been injured in an accident at work and would like more information about how Mr Cooper and his team can help, visit www.phclaw.com or call 0800 612 7 612.

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PHC Law Recovers £2,750 Compensation For Supermarket Accident Victim

Well-known Preston-based personal injury solicitors PHC Law has recovered £2,750 for a women that was involved in an accident while shopping at a reputable supermarket, which resulted in injuries to her back and hip.

The woman had finished shopping at the supermarket and was getting ready to leave when she slipped and fell quite heavily, dropping her shopping and smashing four of the jars of jam she had purchased.

The supermarket instantly provided assistance to the woman and the incident was reported – it was discovered that she had slipped on a grape that have been left on the floor near the checkout. The store’s insurers later admitted liability.

When the woman decided to seek compensation for her accident she contacted PHC Law and her case was quickly passed on to senior consultant solicitor Mr John Cooper, who worked closely with her throughout the case.

“I am very pleased with the outcome of this case,” said Mr Cooper. “However, our client was very fortunate to have not suffered any serious injuries and has made a good recovery.

“Unfortunately accidents like this do happen, and I would urge anyone in this situation to get in touch and speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor to discuss their case”.

PHC Law was able to agree damages of £2,750 with the supermarket and the woman received one hundred per cent of the compensation, as the law firm always recoups legal fees from the other side. They also work on a no win no fee basis, ensuring all clients that come to them aren’t left with expensive fees should their claim be unsuccessful.

PHC Law specialises in a number of claim types, so whether you have been involved in an accident at work or have a personal injury claim you can contact the firm today to find out if you have a case for compensation.

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Factory Worker Gets £2k Payout With The Help Of PHC Law

A Polish migrant worker has been compensated after injuring his hand in a potato slicing machine at work.

The accident took place on December 10, 2010, while the man was operating a machine designed to shape potatoes for the catering industry. His role involved placing potatoes in the machine so they could be correctly cut, and then removing them. However, the machine became clogged with potato and then jammed, as it had done on numerous occasions.

The worker attempted to clear out the machine but it moved, trapping and injuring his hand. The man’s employer denied responsibility, but he decided to call on the services of personal injury solicitors PHC Law to find out if it was possible to claim compensation. Once the case came to court the worker was offered £2,270 by way of compensation.

Mr John Cooper, a senior consultant solicitor at PHC Law said: “This man was performing the same role as he had done many times before when the accident happened. And despite his employer refusing to accept responsibility, the company backed down and offered a financial settlement once PHC Law got involved and helped the man to take his case to court.

“This is yet another example of why it is vital that people who have suffered an accident at work should make sure they get in touch with a professional personal injury specialist. This man deserved to be compensated financially following the injuries he sustained and the team at PHC Law were pleased to be able to use their expertise to make sure this happened.”

Mr Cuerden, Managing Director of PHC Law added: “We’d urge anyone who has had an accident and sustained an injury in the last three years to contact to discover if they too could make a claim.”

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PHC Law Helps Worker Receive £100,000 Following Serious Injury At Work

A man who fell out of the back of a lorry and sustained a serious injury has received a £100,000 settlement.

The worker was being helped to load his lorry by a forklift truck driver who then left the area, before lowering the retractable steps at the rear of the vehicle. Without the steps the man had no safe way of getting to the ground and ended up falling off the back of the lorry. He sustained serious injuries to his right knee including damage to the tibia and the fibula.

The man called on Preston-based personal injury solicitors PHC Law to take on the case, which was accepted by senior consultant solicitor Mr John Cooper.

Mr Cooper said: “This was a particularly serious incident. While the man returned to his job, as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident at work, he was unable to complete his normal duties without the assistance of a helper.

Orthopaedic evidence was obtained by both parties, and doctors agreed that this was a serious injury. Following proposals and counter proposals, the claim was settled at the total sum of £100,000.

Mr.Cuerden, Managing Director of PHC Law said: “We were happy with the outcome of this case, which should serve as a reminder to anyone that has sustained an injury at work, that they could well be entitled to compensation and damages. We’d urge anyone in this situation to get in touch so they can discuss their case with a specialist solicitor.”

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PHC Law Hails Court’s Decision To Compensate Injured Kitchen Worker

Preston-based personal injury solicitors PHC Law has backed a court’s decision to award a woman £2,000 in compensation after she was injured at work.

Mrs Wilkinson was working in a hospital kitchen using a portable, combined fridge and oven unit when the accident happened. As she attempted to close the door of the fridge, another door attached to the cooker opened, causing hot air to rush out of the appliance and catch her in the face.

Mrs Wilkinson suffered scalding to her face and neck and was forced to take three weeks off work as a result. Thankfully, despite receiving extremely painful injuries, she went on to make a full recovery and was not scarred during the accident at work.

Following the incident, Mrs Wilkinson decided not to suffer in silence and contacted PHC Law to discover whether she was entitled to make a claim. The professional team at PHC Law talked her through the whole process and agreed to take on the case on a no win, no fee basis. The company’s legal costs were recovered separately and Mrs Wilkinson was able to keep 100 per cent of her compensation.

John Cooper, a senior consultant of PHC Law said: “We’re delighted that Mrs Wilkinson has been suitably compensated following an accident that shouldn’t have been allowed to happen. Every employer in the UK has a duty of care to their workers, and must ensure that they are providing a safe and secure working environment.

“We would urge anyone who has been injured following an accident at work to get in touch with a member of the team at PHC Law, just like Mrs Wilkinson did, to see if they could be entitled to compensation.”

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PHC Law Win Production Worker’s Compensation Pay-Out Following Accident At Work

A client of the well-known personal injury solicitors PHC Law has received £2,700 in damages following an accident at work.

The Preston-based solicitors work with victims of road traffic accidents, accidents at work, personal injury and criminal injuries, awarding claimants the compensation they deserve following devastating accidents. The company works on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis and provides free injury claim assessments.

The claimant of PHC Law’s latest case worked on a production line where breakfast cereals were packaged. The accident occurred when he was struck in the face by a cereal box that had been rejected by the machine he was working on. The corner of the box caused a scratch to the surface of his eye, after which he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was treated for his injury. As a result of the accident the man had to cover the injured eye with a pad for two weeks, in which time he was unable to attend work for a full six weeks.

Following the accident PHC Law contacted the man’s Consultant Eye Specialist and obtained a report detailing his recovery and confirming that there would be no long term damage caused to the injured eye.

The insurers admitted liability and damages were agreed at £2.700. All legal costs were recouped from the other side and, as per PHC Law’s ethos; the claimant received one hundred per cent of the compensation.

“We’re thrilled to have helped in winning this case for the man in question,” said Victoria Leah of PHC Law. “We believe that the compensation amount that has been awarded is suitable and are happy to have helped. At PHC Law we strive to recover compensation for victims and are pleased with the results of this case.”

To find out more about PHC Law visit www.phclaw.com today.

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Medical Malpractice Lawyers Online Lawyers Directory Released To Help Public

Medical Malpractice Lawyers Web Directory has just announced the release of their free high quality link and article directory targeting Medical Malpractice Lawyers. This web directory is unique in that, similar to the old directories society previously used to find local businesses, they too are including physical addresses and phone numbers. Not only location information is placed in the listings but also any unique specific information to each medical malpractice lawyers, i.e.; first ½ hour free, no fee until settlement, etc. plus varied locations and areas of expertise i.e.; divorce lawyer, bankruptcy lawyer, etc.

It is difficult for most people to locate the right attorney when needed and especially in the medical field. It is believed that there will be a growing need and demand for Medical Malpractice Lawyers in the future and this website desires to help coordinate the proper attorneys with the right clients.

It has been projected that there will be an increase in medical malpractice lawsuits in the near future as each state starts to mimic the system implemented by California which has been using this system for some time. Originally it was thought that there would be an increase in medical costs by allowing more ‘smaller’ cases to be resolved however, with the ‘cap’ that has been placed on the large lawsuits, this appears to have had no affect on medical costs, thereby it is assumed that Doctors are not absorbing larger insurance costs by dealing with the increase of cases being pursued. Medical Malpractice Lawyers is the target of the unique detailed lawyer directory, however, all types of lawyers are invited to submit their businesses and the proper categories will be set up to allow for them. Only family type content is allowed on this directory.

Not only is this a linking directory but an article directory and the company seeks interesting articles from the many people, both public and lawyers to submit their experiences or even case history for the public to view and read. The company is also seeking Medical Malpractice Lawyers to write very interesting articles which it can promote for them and the company.

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Whatever the Legal Battle, Pentlarge Lawyers Want Alaskans to Know they’re on Your Side

Injuries are one of life’s sad realities. However, Alaskans should not fear as their cases are in very good hands, thanks to the existence of the Pentlarge Law Group.

Run out of Anchorage, the Pentlarge Law Group are a skilled team of personal injury attorney anchorage who place a special focus on helping those Alaskans who have suffered an injury.

Their clients come from many situations and backgrounds, including those accused of a DUI, truck accidents, car accidents in Alaska, insured motorists and the high costs of personal injury medical bills.

“We are constantly focused on getting our clients the best results for all injury cases. We have helped thousands of Alaskans and their families get through personal injury” say the attorney Alaska at Pentlarge Law Group.

The group offer a free initial consultation, within which they will carefully examine the specific details and situations of each personal injury, and give honest advice about their ability to fight on the side of the victims, and get them the money and closure that they deserve.

So far the law firm has helped thousands of individuals, couples and families find a safe and successful conclusion to even the most complicated of personal injury cases, and they stand by to help others today.

“It all starts with just one phone call. From this we can examine your case and get going in the best direction to ensure that both you and we obtain the best possible outcome” they say.

To find out more information about the Pentlarge Law Group, to schedule a free consultation with them and get your personal injury case closed for good, please visit their website: Pentlargelaw.com.

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Paskvan & Ringstad – Two Personal Injury Lawyers Who Won’t Charge Unless You Win

With many personal injury lawyers taking their client’s bank account for a run, Fairbanks-based Paskvan & Ringstad stand by their core value – they won’t charge a client unless the case is won.

Acting as the region’s leading injury attorney fairbanks ak– the partners bring their wealth of knowledge and experience to the benefit of their clients.

“We want all Alaskans to be confident that we are equipped with both the skills and experience to tackle any claim of personal injury” says attorney Joseph L Paskvan.

His partner, Kenneth Ringstad, echoes the testament:

“We are 100% client-focussed, and have worked solidly to establish our firm as the premium answer for the need for attorney fairbanks ak” he explains.

The firm’s website also goes a long way to help those looking for a personal injury lawyer in the area – showcasing a number of videos about the firm and their work, as well as offering options for a free case assessment.

These resources have won the firm many clients, in cases ranging from claims arising from A Wrongful Death Situation, An Automobile Accident /Collision, Insurance Disputes, Unsafe Conditions, Road Defects, Construction Injuries or Accidents and Defective Products.

To find out more about the firm, to take advantage of their useful resources or to get a free case assessment today, please visit: paskvanlaw.com.

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Have A Safe & Healthy Workplace Over Christmas – What Employers Can Do Over The Festive Season

Although this is a traditional time of year for enjoyment and celebration, employers need to take extra care in dealing with hazards created by workplace related festivities.

Hazards that may arise include: –
+ fire caused by poor quality electrical items, e.g. festive lights on Christmas trees
+ falls from chairs or tables when decorating offices and trees
+ alcohol related incidents, e.g. violence, vehicle accidents.

By implementing some simple procedures, risk of harm or damage can be minimised, for example:
+ for work related parties, ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to control alcohol consumption and that employees have arranged safe means of transport for after the event
+ ensure that all portable electrical items brought onto the premises are inspected and tested, where relevant
+ turn electrical items off when not in use
+ follow manufacturer’s guidance for using electrical items
+ keep decorations away from hot surfaces e.g. light bulbs, heaters
+ use good working at height practices and suitable access equipment when putting up decorations, lights, etc.
+ ensure that celebrations do not affect the safety performance of employees undertaking their work activities.

Citation has found a common concern for employers at this time of year is around the company Christmas party. Many businesses organise a company Christmas party, however some employers are concerned about a small minority of employees who may behave inappropriately at such social events.

Lindsay Hill, Chief Executive of Citation plc says:
“In general, employees attending employer-organised Christmas parties are doing so ‘in the course of their employment’, so employers have some liability for their employees’ actions and welfare when they are attending these functions.

“Putting aside the obvious health & safety issues, the more boisterous the party, the more likely it is that things could go wrong; and the more you’ve done to help make it boisterous – a free bar, themed it ‘devils and tarts’, etc. – the more responsible you’re likely to be if it does go wrong.

“My number one advice is don’t have a free bar. Either mingle and try to buy each of your employees a drink, or arrange to have bar tickets – one ticket, one drink – and issue each employee with a couple of tickets. If you must theme the evening, don’t make the theme provocative – stick to ‘back to the 70s’, or ‘country and western’, etc. Think about designating some senior members of staff to be ‘alcohol free’, so that they can deal sensibly with any unacceptable behaviour.

“Employers also need to think about the steps they can take to help employees to get home safely, such as organising a coach or mini-bus, making sure that no-one will be walking home alone, or having a phone list of local taxis available.

“Finally, because employees are attending ‘in the course of their employment’, the employment laws concerning discrimination and harassment still apply, so there’s no harm in gently reminding employees that they too have responsibilities and that they are expected to comply with the company’s discrimination and harassment policies and to behave in an acceptable manner.”

Operating throughout the UK since 1995, Citation provides professional advice and compliance packages to business clients, mainly SMEs with between six and 200 employees.

Independently endorsed at the highest level, its market leading services provide guaranteed protection in the high risk areas of employment law and health and safety regulations.

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Win A Chance To See British Superbikes For Free With Sorrymate.com At Motorcycle Live 2011

Motorcycle accident claims specialist Sorrymate.com will again be roaring into Birmingham’s NEC for the annual Motorcycle Live show, and repeating a competition it first staged last year which attracted hundreds of entries.

A daily prize will be offered to the person who wins the company’s ‘Guess the mileage on the rear tyre’ competition, with the winner each day going forward to a grand draw for a top prize of a weekend away at the British Superbikes round of their choice for the 2012 season.

Meet the Sorrymate.com team on Stand G451 at Motorcycle Live, where you can find out about how this specialist firm of solicitors – and keen bikers – helps many motorcyclists every year who are involved in accidents which were not their fault.

“We’re really looking forward to being back at Motorcycle Live, and promise that, along with the exciting arena shows and other attractions, we can offer people who come to see us sound advice should they ever need to make a motorbike accident claim,” said Sorrymate.com’s Paul Dutton.

“Even when they’re on their way to the NEC, some of those who attend may well experience someone pulling out of a junction or changing lanes in front of them, knowing that it could easily result in an accident,” he added.

“So while they’re here, they can come and talk to us about their experiences, and find out how we can help them in the event of them needing to make an accident claim.”

Sorrymate.com wants to make sure that every biker knows about their right to appoint a solicitor of their choice to represent them, with specialist knowledge of bikers’ needs. So the company will be giving away its valuable ‘smidsy’ cards, explaining this, which means that, should they need to make a claim, their case won’t be sold on to just any other company, but will be handled by experts.

Collect your free ‘smidsy’ card on stand G451 at Motorcycle Live telling you how you could save money, and at the same time get your name entered into the free draw to win tickets to one of the biggest get-togethers in the British biking calendar. It’s just another great reason not to miss the biggest bike show of the year.

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Sorrymate.com to Exhibit at Motorcycle Live 2011

Motorcycle accident claims group Sorrymate.com is set to return to the Motorcycle Live event this year, with an industry stand available for the duration of the show at the Birmingham NEC.

Motorcycle Live is an annual event that has taken place since 1981 and continues to draw in thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts every year. The show is set to run from 19-27 November 2011 and has something for everyone. You will be able to see some death defying motorcycle stunts performed by trained professionals at the Ramp’d Up show and get some hands on training at the Get On area if you are just taking up motorcycling or returning to it after a long while. Those interested in purchasing new bikes can try before they buy in the Test Ride Zone, and anyone wanting to have a go at off-road motorcycling can sign up for a Yamaha or Suzuki Off Road Experience.

The Sorrymate.com team will be available at the company’s exhibition stand in hall four during Motorcycle Live to answer any questions about motorbike accident claims.

Paul Dutton at Sorrymate.com said: “Motorcycle Live is going to be an amazing event, one of the best in 2011 for motorcycle enthusiasts in fact. While everyone is having a good time though, we just want to be there to lend a helping hand to anyone who has ever been involved in a bike crash accident claim with an unobservant car driver, which is still a huge problem on the UK’s roads.

“You can guarantee that many of the motorcyclists coming to Motorcycle Live will have had some experience of a car driver pulling out of a junction or changing lanes without looking, and all too often that can result in an accident. We want to help them with their accident claims, because we know how difficult it can be out on the roads – a lot of us at Sorrymate.com are motorcyclists ourselves.”

Sorrymate.com also represents motorcyclists involved in no collision accidents – crashes caused by diesel spills or pot holes- as well as industrial accidents in the workplace. To find out more about the services offered, go to the official website now.

Via EPR Network
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Be More Aware Of Winter Driving Hazards, Warns Solicitor

The numerous crashes earlier this week on the regions motorways has prompted a local personal injury claims solicitor to remind motorists that extra care is needed throughout the long winter days and nights.

“Throughout the autumn and winter months, the weather conditions, darker days and nights, spark a hike in the number of road traffic accidents throughout the UK,” said Mr Cuerden of PHC Law Ltd.

And he said that a “frightening” rise in personal injury claims is usually seen at this time of year, due to a variety of causes, including speeding, drink-driving, and driving carelessly.

Mr Cuerden said: “I would urge all drivers to slow down, abide by the law and stick to the speed limits on the side streets, in residential areas, as well as on main roads and motorways.

“Check your blind spots and always be aware of other road users around you, especially motorcyclists, pedestrians, the elderly and young children.

“Make sure you are alert at all times while driving, and take a break if at any point you feel tired. Don’t get behind the if you have had a drink too many. Drive carefully and consider other road users around you.

“It is easy to make assumptions that ‘it won’t happen to me’. Even the most experienced of motorists can become complacent.

“Drive carefully, and ensure you take care of your own well-being as well as for others.”

Mr Cuerden is the owner of PHC Law personal injury solicitors, based in Preston, Lancashire.

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident and would like more information about how Mr Cuerden and his team can help, visit www.phclaw.com or call 0800 612 7 612.

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Russell Jones & Walker Views Future Of Personal Legal Services As A Battle Of The Brands

Russell Jones and Walker Solicitors view the future of personal legal services as a ‘battle of the brands’ and believes it is best placed to capitalise on this through extensions of its market leading personal injury name ‘Claims Direct’.

Independent research shows that Claims Direct is the best known name within the personal injury sector with double the unprompted brand awareness levels of its nearest rivals. As such Russell Jones and Walker plans to use this recognition to promote Claims Direct in the other areas of personal law that it already has strong expertise in. This includes employment and family law, wills and possibly even conveyancing.

“The public recognise few legal brands currently but that is all set to change with the introduction of alternative business structures next year.” Neil Kinsella Chief Executive of Russell Jones and Walker said. “This will give well-known high street names the opportunity to compete directly with Solicitors and we, at Russell Jones and Walker, have been developing our strategy since the review which led to the Legal Services Act. This included the re-launch of the Claims Direct brand in 2007 with a multi-million £ above-the-line and digital campaign.”

The Legal Services Act enables people other than those qualified as solicitors to own a law firm with the Solicitors Regulation Authority approved to be its regulator. However, the original October start date for licensing these businesses had to be delayed and it is now thought this will start in January 2012. Organisations including retail brands such as the Co-Op and insurance companies including D.A.S. have already stated their intentions to offer legal services and many believe others are queuing up. This influx of known brand names into a largely unbranded and fragmented legal sector has commentators suggesting this could lead to a significant number of smaller high street law firms closing down within the next three years.

Kinsella believes this presents Russell Jones and Walker with an ideal opportunity. “Recent Russell Jones and Walker research shows that people now know and trust the Claims Direct name and have said they would be happy to contact it about legal issues other than their personal injury claims. We intend to offer them this option.”

With over 85 years’ experience, Russell Jones and Walker Solicitors are considered one of the UK’s leading law firms with over 420 employees in 10 offices nationwide. Its focus has always been to provide accessible, affordable legal services for individuals. Neil Kinsella is one of the country’s leading commentators on the changing face of the legal profession and aims to ensure that the firm remains at the forefront of it irrespective of the likely new competition.

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