Claims Direct News Feed

More compensation claims for injuries in food and drink sector?

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:08:49 GMT

There may a higher rate of compensation claims made for injuries suffered by workers in the food and drink manufacturing sector.

According to Aviva, the industry is more dangerous than construction.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures cited by the firm revealed that the rate of injury among employees involved in production of food and drink is 1.6 times that of construction workers.

"When you look at the bigger picture, including serious and minor injuries ... food and drink workers are more likely to be involved in an accident than construction workers," stated Brian Wallace, head of Aviva Risk Management Solutions.

HSE figures show that over the course of 2008-09 there were a total of 246,000 reportable workplace injuries in the UK.

This represented a fall from the 299,000 recorded in the previous 12-month period but the organisation warned firms that more needs to be done to protect staff members.

09/03/2010 15:08

Couple seek compensation over poisoning outbreak

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:07:27 GMT

A couple who were on a ship on which passengers claim to have caught norovirus and other gastric complaints are seeking compensation.

Terry and Janet Robinson were among the people travelling on the Island Escape cruise liner when the alleged outbreak occurred, the Isle of Wight County Press reports.

Part of a group of viruses that cause gastroenteritis, noroviruses can be spread through contact with an infected person, via contaminated surfaces and by food and drink.

Bouts of recurring sickness can occur because people's immunity to the condition only lasts for 14 weeks after they have recovered.

According to the Robinsons, the ship was unclean and they cited what they suggest was a catalogue of errors and poor conditions.

However, a spokesman for Thomson said: "The vast majority of guests who sailed onboard Island Escape rated the ship very highly in customer satisfaction surveys."

The Robinson's case for compensation remains ongoing.

09/03/2010 15:07

Cyclist to sue over pothole injuries

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:06:39 GMT

A cyclist who suffered an injury to his head is planning to take legal action against the local authority he holds responsible.

Neil Parker was travelling on Frankton Lane in Stretton-on-Dunsmore last week when he struck a pothole, the Coventry Telegraph reports.

He sustained damage to his helmet and to his bike, as well as a cut to his nose and a grazed shoulder.

The 40-year-old holds Warwickshire County Council responsible and intends to seek compensation.

He remarked: "It was getting dark and water had filled the hole so I didn't notice it at first. I thought I avoided it and I had no idea just how deep it was."

According to the father-of-two, the local authority - which is headquartered in Shire Hall, Warwick - should do a better job of fixing the road surfaces.

He sees many defects when he is using the highways to get around, Mr Parker added.

09/03/2010 15:06

Woman seeks compensation over ankle injury

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:36:59 GMT

A woman who suffered ankle injuries as a result of a fall is seeking compensation.

Mandy Goldman was alighting from a bus outside Morrison's supermarket on Loughton High Road in Essex when she caught her legs on a long ridge of excess tarmac next to the curb, the Guardian Series reports.

As a result of the incident, she sustained a fracture to one ankle and broke cartilage in the other.

The 48-year-old is now taking legal action against Essex County Council, which is headquartered on Market Road in Chelmsford.

Commenting on the damage resulting from the accident, she said: "It's been completely debilitating. I'm in severe pain and I've had to go to 22 sessions of physiotherapy."

She went on to claim that the problem area of road surface has still not been fixed.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the local authority stated that it would not be appropriate for the organisation to comment on the case, as the matter is still proceeding.

08/03/2010 15:36

People seek compensation over hearing loss

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:58:56 GMT

A group of ex-workers are seeking compensation over hearing loss they claim they suffered as a result of their employment.

In total, nine individuals who used to be staff members at the East Lancashire Paper Mill are getting legal advice on the issue.

Their representative said she is seeing an increase in the number of people from the papermaking industry seeking help after being diagnosed with noise induced hearing loss.

One of those seeking money for his suffering is Albert Isherwood, whose role at the firm saw him in the engineering department, maintaining and repairing machinery.

He remarked: "There was hardly a day I wasn't exposed to the sound of massive machinery working and yet it wasn't until the last eight or ten years or so we were given any ear protection."

Even then, this would have to be removed to understand what colleagues were trying to say, he added.

According to figures produced by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, there are currently almost nine million hearing impaired people in the UK, some of whom developed the condition due to their working conditions.

05/03/2010 15:58

Pleural plaques sufferer expresses compensation anger

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:35:54 GMT

A man who developed pleural plaques due to his exposure to asbestos during his working life has expressed his anger over the government's decision not to reverse the decision of the Law Lords which ended compensation.

In 2007, it was ruled that people with the condition - which is a form of scarring of the outer lining of the lungs - should not be eligible to make claims for money.

Now, the Ministry of Justice has decided this will not be changed, meaning many people with be left unable to seek recompense.

However, those who had lodged claims at the time of the Law Lords' decision will be paid a £5,000 lump sum.

An individual referred to by Rochdale Online simply as Mr Molyneux said in response to the move: "Can the government live with its decision today to compensate some but not others?"

He added that he was wrongly exposed to asbestos for many years and has seen the effect the substance has had on the health of others.

04/03/2010 14:35

Family to seek compensation over holiday illness

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:35:05 GMT

A family who suffered illness while on holiday are seeking compensation from their tour operator.

Lisa and Kelvyn Price and their children were on vacation on a Thomson cruise ship when fellow passengers succumbed to norovirus, the Leicester Mercury reports.

The condition is part of a group of viruses that cause gastroenteritis and between 600,000 and one million people in the UK suffer from it every year, the NHS states.

Ms Price also experienced bites to her left eyelid which she claims required injections of antihistamines.

In addition, teenage daughter Jessica is said to have developed problems with her throat while on the trip.

Ms Price remarked: "For three full days we were at sea, it was difficult to find a toilet that was working. There were awful smells coming through the air-conditioning."

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Thomson said that all its ships were closely monitored to ensure strict safety and hygiene levels.

04/03/2010 14:35

Food poising to result in compensation claims

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:19:46 GMT

A group of people are set to sue after suffering food poisoning last year.

In September 2009, more than 300 prisoners at Wandsworth jail experienced diarrhoea and vomiting after consuming meals, South London Press Today reports.

When the problem struck, notices were put up outside the prison warning that visiting was restricted.

Around 80 people have now approached solicitors with a view to taking legal action against the Prison Service - which serves the public by keeping in custody individuals committed by the courts.

According to the Health Protection Agency, salmonella was to blame for the sickness, but doctors are still looking into how many inmates caught the bug.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman remarked: "This is an ongoing matter so it would be inappropriate to comment."

Meanwhile, legal representatives acting on behalf of the claimants pointed out that the case rests on establishing negligence on the part of the Prison Service.

03/03/2010 14:19

Road surfaces result in over £300k compensation payments in Cumbria

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:19:02 GMT

Accidents and injuries in Cumbria caused by faults in road surfaces have resulted in citizens getting compensation totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds.

This is according to figures cited by the News & Star, which revealed that the local authority has issued £303,000 to those affected by such highway problems.

The publication, which obtained its statistics through the Freedom of Information Act, noted that Cumbria County Council's highways hotline took 865 phone calls from people in January, with most referring to potholes.

It also revealed that local authorities in the north of England as a whole paid out £4 million for damages caused by road and pavement defects between 2004 and 2009.

There has been a rise in the number of people suffering accidents and injuries as a result of highway surface issues over the last few months.

This is a result of the icy conditions which have been affecting the country since December.

03/03/2010 14:19

Pensioner 'may seek compensation after suffering fall'

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:38:04 GMT

A pensioner has sustained injuries as a result of a fall in West Lothian, Boness Today reports.

It is not yet clear whether David Dawson will seek compensation from his local authority as a result of accident, which left him with a badly cut cheek and a swollen eye.

He had been walking along Braehead Road when he tumbled to the ground.

The highway's surface had been damaged by grit lorries, with rubber torn from speed bumps.

According to the news source, he is the second person to tumble at the location within weeks.

Previously, a woman had a similar experience and reported it, Boness Today suggests.

West Lothian Council - which describes itself as the largest employer in the area and has around 8,000 staff working for it - said workmen had been to clear the area.

As a result of the recent bad weather, many of the UK's highways have experienced erosion.

02/03/2010 16:38