Tag Archives: Personal Injury

Injury Compensation Advice Company Accident Advice Helpline Has Launched Its New Website Detailing How Prospective Claimants Could Win Compensation For Their Personal Injuries

The new website intends to make clear the intention of Accident Advice Helpline to assist people with genuine claims discover what compensation they may be entitled to and includes information on the compensation claim process, how to claim online, a FAQ section and company news.

Accident Advice Helpline’s updated site also includes case studies, a 30 second “how much is your claim worth?” calculator and information about different types of injury compensation claims that can be made.

Prospective claimants are invited to visit the new website to read about what is available to them, but Accident Advice Helpline also encourages victims of personal injuries to phone them on a 24 hour free helpline offering legal advice.

From its new website, Accident Advice Helpline offers a no-win no-fee service to clients who have experienced a personal injury through no fault of their own. From traffic accidents to work accidents, Accident Advice Helpline can help victims of personal injury gain compensation. The injury compensation expert specialises in hassle free online and offline service, with no forms to fill.

For those who have suffered accidents at work, road incidents or other accidents, Accident Advice Helpline can provide round the clock assistance and advice – all free of charge on its legal advice helpline.

About Accident Advice Helpline
Accident Advice Helpline was established in 2000 following the removal of legal aid to accident victims with personal injury cases. The company was founded to provide access to justice for accident victims and, since its creation, has helped thousands of people claim compensation against the responsible parties.

The injury compensation specialist is the UK’s leading company of its kind and prides itself on quick and effective claims processing with high quality service and an admirable success rate. The level of customer satisfaction Accident Advice Helpline is known for is characterised by television star Esther Rantzen’s continued support for the company, which she has steadily provided since 2003.

Accident Advice Helpline Direct Ltd
Registered in England & Wales: No: 5107417
Registered Office: Quadrant House (Floor 6), 17 Thomas More Street, Thomas More Square, London E1W 1YW

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2008 – Record Year For Asbestos Claims

In 2008, the Asbestos Claims Group at law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP recovered record levels of compensation for victims of asbestos-related diseases in 124 successful cases, resulting in over £16 million. Over the years, the lawyers in the firm’s Asbestos Claims Group have recovered a total of £132 million in 2025 successful claims.

Some of the significant asbestos claims cases over the past year have included:

– Negotiating an award of £703,000 for the widow and family of a 52 year old partner in an engineering firm who died from mesothelioma following exposure to asbestos at work. This is amongst only a handful of awards exceeding £500,000 across England and Wales.

– Winning £100,000 damages (plus legal costs) for a retired teacher who developed mesothelioma by using drawing pins to pin children’s work to the walls of her prefab classroom, which contained asbestos.

– In a landmark case the firm recovered £12,500 for the value of hospice care as part of a £170,000 settlement for a man who worked with asbestos in 1963 and contracted mesothelioma in 2005. The funding of hospice care is almost exclusively by charitable donation and this is thought to be the first time a firm of solicitors has recovered the cost of care in this way.

– Field Fisher Waterhouse acted for the family of a 75 year old man who died due to mesothelioma, and who used to take care of his grandchildren after school in term times. The defendants initially denied that this was compensatable, since there was no reported precedent for it, however the firm recovered£109,352 at a High Court hearing including £27,960 for the grandchildren’s care.

The FFW team of asbestos lawyers has also been actively lobbying the House of Commons, requesting that the Government overturn the House of Lords ruling that pleural plaques – a scarring of the lining of the lungs as a result of exposure to asbestos – is not a compensatable disease. The team also responded to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on the Law Lords’ pleural plaques ruling.

Asbestos-related diseases affect thousands of people in the UK each year. Factory workers and labourers are amongst those who are commonly affected, but Field Fisher Waterhouse has also acted on behalf of professionals such as doctors, nurses and teachers who have been exposed to asbestos through their work. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a leader in the field of Asbestos Claims.

Rodney Nelson-Jones, head of the Asbestos Claims group at Field Fisher Waterhouse, said: “I am delighted that in 2008 we were able to win over £16 million in compensation for the victims of these terrible diseases. It is crucial that sufferers and their families receive the compensation they deserve.”

About Field Fisher Waterhouse
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a full-service European law firm with offices in Brussels, Hamburg and London. With 119 partners, over 200 other lawyers and nearly 300 support staff, FFW assist a wide range of international clients, advising across a full range of legal issues.

The main areas of practice are corporate and commercial, IP and technology, banking and finance, regulatory and real estate. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP also have particular expertise in competition & EU law, dispute resolution, employment, asbestos claims and mesothelioma claims, personal injury, spinal injury cases and medical negligence, public sector and tax.

 

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Quadriplegic Man Awarded $10 Million in Bad Faith Case

In January 2002, Atlantic Mutual had a chance to settle a quadriplegic personal injury case for $1 million but chose to “roll the dice.” The jury awarded a $16 million verdict and the injured party sued for bad faith. Today, a LA jury found that Atlantic committed bad faith.

A Los Angeles jury today awarded a quadriplegic man $10 million in a bad faith case against Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company. The jury found that Atlantic Mutual acted despicably and with malice and oppression in wrongfully refusing to settle his personal injury case in 2002. Lawyers return tomorrow to deliver closing arguments in the second phase of the trial to determine whether plaintiff is entitled to $5 million in attorneys’ fees.

More on www.smithchapman.com

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Field Fisher Waterhouse Has Recovered Compensation For A 33 Year Old Man In South London Who Was Left With Brain Injuries Following A Serious Fall On A Poorly Maintained Road

Law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has recovered compensation from Homes for Haringey Ltd on behalf of Kyle Bullock, a 33 year old from South London, who suffered severe brain damage following a serious fall on a poorly maintained road.

It was the Claimant’s case that Kyle was walking with friends in North London one evening in July 2007, when they called for him to catch them up. Kyle then broke into a gentle jog and tripped in a deep pothole in Lightfoot Road. He stumbled and lost balance, falling heavily and rolling down the steep hill striking his head on the edge of a second pothole. It was subsequently apparent that the road was in a poor state with multiple pot holes present.

Kyle was taken to Whittington Hospital and was later transferred to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. He suffered severe traumatic brain injury; with damage to the frontal lobes and multiple skull fractures requiring surgery and changes to his personality leading to the breakdown of his relationship and inability to work. Kyle has since been through rehabilitation but still requires help and assistance.

Jill Greenfield, partner in the Personal Injury Group at Field Fisher Waterhouse, represented Kyle and brought a claim against Homes for Haringey Ltd, a subsidiary of Haringey Council, which was set up in 2006 to manage Haringey’s council housing and was responsible for the maintenance of the road. While the Defence admitted the road was poorly maintained, they refused to admit that it was the road surface that caused the accident. A trial was due to take place in November 2008.

After negotiations the organisation accepted the majority of responsibility, 72.5%. Kyle has received an initial £75,000 interim payment but expects to receive a substantial award once the claim has been fully quantified.

Amanda Bailey his litigation friend and ex partner said, “Kyle’s accident left him with serious brain damage and changed our lives forever. This money is there to assist Kyle with his financial and rehabilitation needs. Money can never bring back what he has lost but it will allow Kyle to live as good a life as possible, getting access to therapy in Australia and helping him to build his life.”

Jill Greenfield, personal injury partner at Field Fisher Waterhouse said, “My client was simply returning home after a night out with friends when he fell and suffered brain damage. My initial inspection of this road made it clear to me that it was poorly maintained, with deep potholes. It was our case that a pot hole had caused the fall. The road should never have been left in this state and I felt Kyle had a strong case. The compromise represents the fact that Kyle could be seen to be partially at fault and the fact that the Defence was disputing the fact that the poorly maintained road was the cause of the accident. I am pleased that we have been able to recover compensation for Kyle so that he is able to join his family in Australia and begin to rebuild his life.”

About Field Fisher Waterhouse
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a full-service European law firm with offices in Brussels, Hamburg and London. With 119 partners, over 200 other lawyers and nearly 300 support staff, FFW assist a wide range of international clients, advising across a full range of legal issues.

The main areas of practice are corporate and commercial, IP and technology, banking and finance, regulatory and real estate. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP also have particular expertise in competition & EU law, dispute resolution, employment, asbestos claims , personal injury cases and clinical negligence, public sector and tax.

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Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP Has Reported The Recovery Of £405,750 Settlement In Erbs Palsy Case

Law firm, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP, has reported the recovery of £405,750 to a nine-year-old girl, who was injured in 1998 whilst under the care of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; the highest reported settlement in an Erb’s Palsy case of its type.

The claimant was injured during birth as her head was delivered but there were difficulties in delivering the shoulders, known as shoulder dystocia. Field Fisher Waterhouse acted for the claimant in the case that the antenatal care was negligently managed, and there was a failure to deliver by caesarean section. There were further negligent acts and omissions in the obstetric management, including inter alia – the application of strong traction to her head.

As a consequence, she suffered a severe traumatic injury to the nerves supplying her right arm, causing paralysis. She underwent four extensive surgeries to attempt to improve function in her arm in the first seven years of her life. Despite this the claimant has been left with a permanent disability and the right limb remains for all practical purposes, functionless.

The claimant’s mother brought the clinical negligence case against the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. Samantha Critchley, a solicitor in the Personal Injury and Medical Negligence Group at Field Fisher Waterhouse, acted for the claimant.

The hospital accepted that there were elements of the management of the labour, which were not appropriate and admitted negligence in the claimant’s care and invited proposals for settlement. After a lengthy negotiation the amount of settlement was agreed, in principle, between the parties.

At an Infant Settlement Hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on 28 July, the terms of settlement were approved. In addition to the substantial damages recovered by Field Fisher Waterhouse for the claimant, the hospital was also ordered to pay the claimant’s legal costs.

The claimant’s parents said: “We now know that our daughter will have enough money to help her get through the rest of her life. We would encourage any parent to be very patient in a case like this and not to jump at the first offer they are given.”

Samantha Critchley said: “I am delighted to achieve such a significant award on the claimant’s behalf. She is a delightful and brave little girl who will be affected by her disability for the rest of her life. I hope that the compensation will allow her to obtain the necessary support, now and in the future, to ensure she reaches her full potential in life.”

The claimant was represented by Henry Witcomb of 1 Crown Office Row.

About Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP:
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a full-service European law firm with offices in Brussels, Hamburg and London. With 119 partners, over 200 other lawyers and nearly 300 support staff, we assist a wide range of international clients, advising across a full range of legal issues.

The main areas of practice are corporate and commercial, IP and technology, banking and finance, regulatory and real estate. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP also have particular expertise in competition & EU law, dispute resolution, employment, personal injury and clinical negligence, public sector and tax.

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Field Fisher Waterhouse recovers substantial compensation against Barts & the London NHS Trust on behalf of brain-damaged youth

Law firm, Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP has recovered a substantial sum in compensation on behalf of Matthew Ellerbeck, who sustained serious brain damage after contracting herpes at the age of six.

In 1997, Matthew suffered a prolonged convulsion, and was taken in an ambulance to the A&E department of the Royal London Hospital. Herpes Simplex Encephalitis (HSE) should have been suspected, and aciclovir (an antiviral drug) should have been administered immediately. However the drug was not given to Matthew until over 30 hours later.

As a result of this delay, Matthew sustained serious brain damage. He is now 17, and as a result of the brain damage he suffers daily epileptic attacks and severe learning difficulties, as well as serious attention and behavioural problems.

Matthew’s mother, Susan Culling, brought the case against Barts & the London NHS Trust on his behalf in the High Court. Richard Earle, a lawyer in the Personal Injury and Medical Negligence Group at Field Fisher Waterhouse, conducted Matthew’s case to settlement.

The hospital accepted the delay in treating the HSE was negligent, but it argued that most of the damage and subsequent consequences to Matthew would have occurred anyway.

The case had gone on for nine years, in which time a number of concessions were made by the hospital, when a settlement was agreed two months before the case was due to go to trial.

Following this long legal battle, Field Fisher Waterhouse recovered substantial damages. This includes provision for periodical (annual) payments to be made for the rest of Matthew’s life to cover his care and accommodation needs.

Susan Culling said: “I was determined to press on and seek justice for Matthew. I am very pleased at the level of compensation which will make a huge difference to Matthew’s life.”

Richard Earle said: “I am absolutely delighted that substantial damages have been recovered on Matthew’s behalf, in what was an extremely complex case on the medical evidence where both Matthew’s lawyers and medical team had worked extremely hard to overcome the Defendant’s arguments on causation. This will improve the quality of Matthew’s life and provide protection for the future.”

Matthew was represented by James Badenoch QC and Dennis Matthews of Counsel.

About Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP:
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a full-service European law firm with offices in Brussels, Hamburg and London. With 119 partners, over 200 other lawyers and nearly 300 support staff, we assist a wide range of international clients, advising across a full range of legal issues.

The main areas of practice are corporate and commercial, IP and technology, banking and finance, regulatory and real estate. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP also have particular expertise in competition & EU law, dispute resolution, employment, personal injury and clinical negligence, public sector and tax.

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An update by Russell Jones & Walker on severe skin reactions caused by leather sofas sold by several leading high street retailers

Following a recent BBC Watchdog expose of severe skin reactions caused by leather sofas sold by several leading high street retailers, Russell Jones & Walker announces update.

Back in February, the BBC’s Watchdog programme exposed a story about leather sofas, sold by a number of leading high street retailers, which had caused severe skin reactions in some people. The Chinese manufactured sofas, the majority of which were purchased from Land of Leather, Argos and Walmsleys, were thought to contain a chemical which was causing extreme allergic reactions in some people, including rashes and blistering that resulted in hospitalisation for some.

Watchdog reported on 12 May 2008 that, in conjunction with Russell Jones & Walker (RJW), it has since discovered that the cause of these ‘sofa burns’ is Di-methyl Fumarate (DMF), a chemical known to cause skin irritation. This fungicide is contained within a sachet which is placed inside the sofas in order to protect against mould during storage, transit and everyday usage. Argos’ independent investigations have also now confirmed these results.

A team of Solicitors led by Richard Langton and Christian Shotton of RJW is currently representing injury claims on behalf of more than 500 people who have suffered due to the affected sofas, and this number is continuing to grow. Around 1000 individuals are now launching a group action in the high court to sue the retailers who sold the sofas for damages.

The majority of the sofas have now been recalled, but a list of known affected sofa batch numbers has been compiled on the RJW Solicitors site in order to enable worried consumers to check whether their sofa might be one of those affected.

In light of the ongoing problem, RJW Solicitors has also advised that anyone who has experienced similar skin problems, even if their sofa’s batch number does not appear in the list, should still contact the retailer where they originally purchased the sofa from.

About Russell Jones & Walker
Russell Jones & Walker is a leading national firm of solicitors dedicated to upholding the legal rights of individuals. From the firms foundation in the 1920s the focus has and continues to be, people and those who represent them.

The firm has grown from its trade union roots into a respected national organisation with nine offices across England and Wales, and an associated office in Scotland.

The reputation of Russell Jones & Walker is built on the range of expertise offered by its partners and staff and on the scope of their practical experience.

RJW Solicitors represents clients across a range of areas from personal injury work to commercial and criminal litigation; from employment to defamation and reputation management; and from clinical negligence to family law.

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