Claims Direct News Feed

Holidaymakers seeking food poisoning damages

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:43:18 GMT

Food poisoning compensation claims have been launched by two holidaymakers after they fell ill while on holiday in Egypt.

According to the Scotsman, Alexander Keir and Ian Rawlings are taking legal action against First Choice and Longwood Holidays due to the company's alleged negligence after they went on a package trip to the African resort of Taba.

Mr Keir and Mr Rawlings both stayed at the five-star Movenpick Hotel in 2010 and form part of a 47-strong group claiming damages from the two companies for the gastro-intestinal illnesses they picked up while at the destination.

The pair - who travelled to the resort separately - claim the hotel committed a catalogue of food hygiene safety breaches, while swimming pools at the hotel were also not kept clean.

Recently, the Yorkshire Post reported that 27 travellers are pursuing damages claims against First Choice after they contracted food poisoning while holidaying in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.

Posted by Francesca Witney

01/02/2012 16:43

CIPD: Stress at work more common than in 1952

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:42:34 GMT

Stress at work is a more widespread issue across companies in Britain than it was 60 years ago, a new study has shown.

Research published today (February 1st) by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) analyses the differences between the country's professional sector when the Queen came to the throne in 1952 and the present day.

The report - which was conducted to mark the monarch's Diamond Jubilee year - unsurprisingly showed a raft of dramatic changes that have occurred during this period.

For instance, the number of people in jobs has gone up by six million, with 25 per cent of these being employed in part-time positions - a marked upturn on the four per cent recorded in 1952.

And John Philpott - chief economic adviser at the CIPD, which has more than 135,000 members - said the increased threat of unemployment these days means "people do not seem much happier about their working lives and many exhibit the symptoms of work-related stress".

Posted by Emily Swanson

01/02/2012 16:42

Broken pelvis to result in damages claim?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:42:07 GMT

An accident at work that resulted in a man sustaining a broken pelvis could lead to him seeking personal injury compensation for his ordeal.

Denis Cronin fractured his pelvis in three places while carrying out work at premises owned by Benchmark Fabrication - which provides services across the UK and Europe - in Hitchin in November 2010 and was subsequently in hospital for a week.

At the time of the incident, the 40-year-old was dismantling temporary racking at the company's factory and fell a distance of around two metres when the beam he was straddling gave way.

It took Mr Cronin around three months to fully recover from his injuries and being as his employer has now admitted breaching health and safety regulations, he could be entitled to a compensation award.

Graham Tompkins of the Health and Safety Executive commented: "Climbing warehouse racking is extremely dangerous - the managers at Benchmark should have been aware of this and provided the appropriate equipment."

Posted by Chris Stevenson

01/02/2012 16:42

Council awards £2m in compensation settlements

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:42:33 GMT

Personal injury compensation settlements worth more than £2 million have been agreed by a local authority over the last five years, new figures have revealed.

According to data obtained by the North West Evening Mail in a freedom of information request, Cumbria County Council has granted a total of £2.35 million in damages for claims made after accidents at work and through employment disputes since 2007.

The average sum given for an injury sustained during an incident in a workplace was more than £36,000, while an overall annual average in excess of £450,000 was being paid out.

Meanwhile, the highest single settlement was £129,000 to a professional who suffered a strain injury while working in 2009-10 and, throughout this time period, 43 industrial disease payments were also made.

This comes after the Staffordshire Sentinel revealed that Stoke-on-Trent City Council has awarded more than £744,000 in damages to pupils and staff injured at its schools in the last four years.

Posted by Francesca Witney

31/01/2012 16:42

Study shows many GPs struggling with stress

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:41:23 GMT

A significant proportion of doctors struggle with stress at work due to the pressures of their profession, new research has shown.

According to a study conducted by Dr Peter Orton of Aviation Medica - which involved analysing the mental state of more than 500 GPs across Essex - nearly half (46 per cent) are currently experiencing emotional exhaustion.

The survey - which has been published in the British Medical Journal - also established that 42 per cent of professionals in the healthcare sector feel depersonalised.

Dr Orton explained that such figures should be taken as a clear indication that many doctors are "in trouble" with regard to their mental health and could be on the verge of burnout.

Furthermore, it was found that female GPs are generally more resistant to the effects of depersonalisation than their male counterparts.

This comes after the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed that 49 per cent of people in middle management roles feel under excessive pressure at least once a week.

Posted by Emily Swanson

31/01/2012 16:41

Man could seek damages after accident at work

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:41:04 GMT

An accident at work that left a man with broken bones may lead to him seeking a personal injury compensation settlement.

Stephen Thompson fractured his right leg in four places when he was knocked off some steps at a factory owned by Green Marine - a firm with around 75 permanent employees - in Southampton in December 2010.

Mr Thompson was using the steps to check on some work he was about to do when a dislodged piece of timber struck the equipment, causing him to fall a distance of around three metres to the floor below.

The 59-year-old was subsequently in hospital for a period of two weeks and had to take ten months off work due to the severity of his injuries.

David Bibby of the Health and Safety Executive observed: "In their haste to get the factory closed down, Green Marine failed to consider the risks apparent from this project."

Posted by Francesca Witney

30/01/2012 16:41

Broken bones to lead to compensation claim?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:40:12 GMT

Several broken bones sustained during an accident at work may lead to a scaffolder pursuing a claim for personal injury compensation.

Gary Hampton suffered a shattered thigh bone, broken wrists, fractures to his back and bruised lungs in an incident that saw him fall a distance of around seven metres through a roof while he worked for the Fred Lewis Scaffold Company.

At the time of this accident in April 2010, Mr Lewis was installing scaffolding at a factory in Stoke-on-Trent and an investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive established that he had not been given proper training on working at height safely.

As a result of his injuries, the 28-year-old will never be able to conduct manual work again.

Recently, Christopher Carson sustained multiple fractures to his back and shoulder when he fell a distance of around 6.5 metres while working for Robert AS Crockett and Partners in Dundee.

Posted by Chris Stevenson

30/01/2012 16:40

Councils face £1.5m school claims

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:31:11 GMT

Accidents in schools in one area of the UK have resulted in more than £1.5 million in damages being granted by its local authorities over the last four years, it has emerged.

According to the Staffordshire Sentinel, Stoke-on-Trent City Council has awarded in excess of £744,000 in compensation since 2008 in 34 separate claims from pupils injured during incidents such as slipping and tripping.

For instance, in excess of £260,000 was granted to a woman who sustained a broken ankle after she fell over a new carpet tile at a school in the area, while another two settlements of more than £100,000 were awarded for injuries caused by people slipping on ice.

In addition, Staffordshire County Council agreed to sums totalling £890,880 over the same timeframe after facing 88 claims - 52 of which were from pupils and 36 from members of staff.

This comes after Haverhill Weekly News reported that a ten-year-old boy had received £7,500 for a head injury he suffered in an accident at school.

Posted by Francesca Witney

30/01/2012 16:31

Student awarded £61,800 medical negligence damages

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:38:41 GMT

Medical negligence compensation of £61,800 has been awarded to a woman after her two front teeth were removed during an operation to remove her tonsils.

Sarah Marshall - who is now 21-years-old - underwent the procedure in 1996 at the age of six and professionals at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital decided to take out the teeth as they were getting in the way.

However, they subsequently failed to re-root properly and Ms Marshall had to have them removed permanently three years later, leading her family to take legal action against the Fife Health Board for their negligence.

And a case at the Court of Session in Edinburgh has now ruled in favour of the woman - now a student at Dundee University, an institution with more than 17,000 students - meaning she has been granted a six-figure damages sum for her ordeal.

This sum is comprised of £38,000 for her pain and suffering, £15,300 for dental costs and £8,500 for services.

Posted by Emily Swanson

27/01/2012 16:38

Pensioner awarded £75k injury compensation

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:37:50 GMT

An incident of slipping and tripping that left a pensioner with several broken bones has resulted in her being awarded £75,000 in personal injury compensation.

The anonymous 70-year-old fell over a mat in the Lanterns cafe on Havelock Street in Swindon in October 2008 and sustained fractures in her shoulder, This is Wiltshire reports.

She also dislocated her other shoulder and seriously damaged her knee, meaning the customer subsequently had to undergo treatment and spend over two weeks in hospital.

As a result of her injuries, the pensioner struggles to sit down and has also been confined to the ground floor of her home as climbing the stairs is too painful.

She told the news source: "I stumbled for several feet and all the tables went over… it has completely changed my life and I think I am only 50 per cent now."

This comes after Josephine Ashenden told Worcester News she is considering claiming for damages after suffering a knee injury when she fell over on a pavement in Worcester.

Posted by Francesca Witney

27/01/2012 16:37