Personal injury claims

In this section of our blog we will keep you up-to-date with the latest developments in personal injury law. In addition, we will report on the most interesting personal injury cases that are currently in the news.

Many personal injury claims are pursued under a no-win, no-fee agreement. No-win, no-fee agreements, or conditional fee arrangements as they are also known, also feature heavily in the news. Check this blog regularly to see if the rules regarding the use of no-win, no-fee change.

Contact Law can help you if you think you have a personal injury claim. Call us today and we will put you in touch with a local personal injury specialist. We can recommend no-win, no-fee personal injury solicitors as well.

10-year-old girl can sue MoD for father’s death

Courtney Ellis, 10, has been given permission by the High Court to sue the MoD for negligence after her father was killed in Iraq. Private Lee Ellis was killed while travelling in a Snatch Land Rover off-base in 2006. Snatch Land Rovers have been referred to as ‘mobile coffins’ because of their ineffectiveness against roadside [...]

Insurance industry’s ‘dirty’ secret exposed, and it’s pushing up the cost of insurance

An investigation by Jack Straw has revealed that motor insurance companies have been selling personal information about customers to claims-management companies and ‘ambulance-chasing’ lawyers. This has led to a rise in personal injury claims, despite falling numbers of car accidents resulting in injuries, and a rise in the amount of compensation paid out to injured [...]

Family of boy killed by falling branch claim £300,000 in damages

The family of an eleven-year-old boy who was killed instantly by a huge falling branch whilst on a school trip to a National Trust property has started proceedings against the national charity for damages of £300,000. Daniel Mullinger was killed instantly by the branch that fell from a 180-year-old beech tree in the Great Wood [...]

£11,000 compensation for pupil scalded by teacher’s hot drink

Middlesbrough Council has released figures revealing the cost of settling personal injury claims brought against schools in its area by parents of children who have been injured whilst at school. The figures, obtained via a freedom of information request, show that the Council has paid out £34,400 in out-of-court settlements for seven incidents between 2008 [...]

Woman awarded £6m in compensation for facelift injuries

A woman from Godstone, Surrey, has been awarded £6m in personal injury compensation after a facelift in 2003 left her with permanent nerve damage and caused her business to collapse. Penny Johnstone sued plastic surgeon Mr Le Roux Fourie for carrying out an “experimental surgery” that left her face “constantly contracting”.

Personal injury claims and the use of no-win, no-fee agreements

With the emergence of the lawsuit culture, it may seem natural to want to bring legal action when you have suffered bodily injuries due to another’s negligence. With all the television adverts promoting quick-fix personal injury solicitors, who promise you compensation and no-win, no-fee funding options as opposed to paying hourly, it can certainly sound [...]

Personal injury solicitors responsible for rise in whiplash claims, says insurer

The AA, one of the UK’s leading insurers, has said personal injury solicitors are to blame for the rise in the number of whiplash claims that have been made, despite the number of road collisions decreasing. Simon Douglas, the director of AA, also said personal injury solicitors are responsible for the significant rise in the [...]

Girl sues homeowner after dive leaves her paralysed

Kylie Grimes, 23, is suing a businessman for £6mn after she broke her neck by diving into the shallow end of his indoor swimming pool. Miss Grimes was 18 at the time of the accident and she has been left permanently paralysed from the chest down.

Land Rover prosecuted for safety risks

Vehicle manufacturer Land Rover has been prosecuted for failing to properly address safety risks in its Solihull factory. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, prosecuted Land Rover in response to investigations it undertook in 2007.

NHS hit with increase in birth-related compensation claims

The NHS is being hit with massive compensation bills for negligent practice by maternity-unit staff. The mistakes by staff are leading to not-insignificant numbers of stillbirths and permanent disability to newborn babies. One type of medical negligence claim is made when maternity-unit staff incorrectly interpret a cardiotocogram (CTG) – the scan of a baby’s heart. [...]

Dangerous cycling to be met by harsher penalties

A private members bill urging the introduction of tougher cycling laws, including ‘death by dangerous driving’ provisions, is currently under consideration in the Commons. The bill, introduced to the Commons by Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom last month, was introduced in response to the perceived inadequacies and injustices of the law in its current form.

Boy wins £8million compensation for midwife mistake

A 12-year-old boy who was left with cerebral palsy and epilepsy after negligent care during his birth has won one of the highest medical negligence compensation awards approved by the High Court. Nathan Humphries of Staffordshire was starved of oxygen in the womb when midwives at North Staffordshire Hospital failed to react to his mother’s [...]

No-win, no-fee solicitors’ fees to be curbed by Ministers

The Justice Minister Kenneth Clarke is due to announce the Government’s plan to reduce the cost of civil litigation and the fees charged by no-win, no-fee solicitors today. The proposals, which follow on from Lord Justice Jackson’s review of the civil litigation system published in January 2010, will shake up the no-win, no-fee system in [...]

Employers warned of new ‘BlackBerry thumb’ health hazard

BlackBerrys are joining the long and ever-increasing list of potential health hazards in the workplace. Employers are being warned by their lawyers to ensure the use of the handheld devices are monitored by adequate health and safety policies to avoid personal injury claims for repetitive strain injuries. BlackBerry thumb occurs from the overuse of the [...]

Budget 2011 to bring changes to no-win, no-fee

Chancellor George Osborne delivered his second Budget speech on Wednesday 23 March 2011. Whilst outlining the taxes and spending he said  Lord Young’s recommendations on health and safety law would be “fully implemented”. Lord Young’s recommendations, found in his published report ‘Common Sense, Common Safety’, are intended to remove the red tape currently surrounding health [...]

Crash victim can keep £3.4 million payout, says Judge

The High Court has struck out a claim by the insurer Direct Line to have Mark Noble return his £3.4 million compensation payout for disability after he was secretly filmed walking unaided. The insurer hired private investigators to collect evidence that Mr Noble could walk after he was awarded the substantial amount of personal injury [...]

Medical negligence claims – what’s the future for injured claimants?

Claimants who have been injured by medical professionals are going to find it a lot harder to bring their claims against the negligent parties in the future thanks to two moves by the government aimed at cutting costs and reducing the budget deficit.

Lawyers to challenge no-win, no-fee restrictions

The proposals to restrict no-win no-fee agreements for personal injury claims could be against the law and open to challenge, according to a legal opinion obtained by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

High Court approves £6.4 million award to brain damaged boy

Eight-year-old Theo Kramer has been awarded £6.4 million in settlement of his medical negligence claim.

Case against epilepsy drug abandoned because of legal aid cuts

A personal injury claim being brought by 80 families against the manufacturer of the epilepsy drug known as Epilim has been dropped because of the withdrawal of legal aid to fund it.