Success stories
Click on a link below to read about successful claims made in the following areas:
Type of accident
Type of injury
Road traffic accidents
RTAs are unfortunately very common. Sometimes pedestrians are run over whilst crossing the road or on a pavement. One or more vehicles may be involved and drivers and/or passengers may be injured. Some drivers are uninsured. Witnesses can be hard to chase. Very often there is an argument about who was to blame for the accident. It is important that we trace and interview witnesses as soon as possible. Usually we will take photographs and prepare sketch plans. Very often we are able to overcome difficulties such as uninsured or untraced drivers and lack of witnesses.
Pedestrian struck by hit and run driver
Mrs G a part time nurse was the victim of a hit-and-run accident as she crossed the road outside her house. The driver of the car was never identified so we brought a claim with the Motor Insurer's Bureau. Mrs G had permanent disability of leg shortening and limp, total loss of sense of smell and risk of early arthritis. Her previous solicitors advised acceptance of £50,000 in settlement; we negotiated a final settlement of £444,300.
Foreign student hit by car
Ms C suffered a severe concussive head injury as a result of the Defendant's negligence when he drove his car into her bicycle. She had difficulties in organising and planning, an unreliable memory and her language and speech were badly affected. She was a foreign student and her English language skills had been affected by the head injury. She could not continue with her chosen career as an optician but instead, had to return to her home country to retrain. We recovered £275,000.00 in damages for her.
Injury to driver
Mr S was a driver involved in a collision with another car. He suffered minor injuries and bruising and post traumatic stress disorder - £10,000.
Zebra crossing accident
Mr B was autistic and lived in a residential home. He was on his way to his day care centre when he was knocked down on a zebra crossing. He suffered minor injuries. Through his brother we recovered £3,500 for him.
Elderly pedestrian
Mrs M was 78 years old and on her way to bingo. She got out of her minicab and was crossing behind it when she was knocked down and suffered injury to her right arm and hip. She needed a lot of ongoing help and we recovered £75,000 for her.
Child injured on bus
Miss B was a 6 year old passenger on a bus which braked violently. She hit her mouth on the back of the seat in front of her and damaged two teeth. We agreed a settlement of £5,000 which the court approved.
Fractured skull
Our client was involved in a road traffic accident shortly before she was due to go up to university. She suffered a fractured neck and fractured skull. Fortunately she made a good recovery from her injuries and gained her degree. Our client transferred instructions to our firm from a non-specialist firm. Liability was admitted by the Defendant but our client conceded that she was not wearing her seatbelt and agreed a deduction of 20%. Shortly before trial the Defendant made an offer which was close to Counsel's valuation of her claim. We continued to negotiate and the Defendant increased their offer to £61,500.
Building sites
Building sites are dangerous places. There is heavy duty equipment everywhere. Access is usually restricted and often there are makeshift arrangements by way of temporary paths, planks of wood and the like. Scaffolding can be constructed and deconstructed without notice. There are large holes, sometimes filled with water and debris. Regulations requiring workers and visitors to wear protective clothing including hard hats are often ignored. Warning signs are sometimes inadequate or non existent. Training in use of equipment is often poor.
Accident on river
Mr K was working on a structure floating on the Thames, constructed of scaffold poles and boards secured by rope, about 100m long. The boards were only a couple of inches above water level and were often wet. Mr K was using a jack hammer which slipped off the wet concrete, and punctured his foot. We recovered over £6,000 for him.
Construction site
Mr C, a labourer on a construction site, suffered injury when a concrete breeze block fell on him, striking his back. We recovered more than £15,000 compensation.
Scaffolding accident
Mr D - 33 year old working for sub-contractor fitting fire doors at nuclear bunker site in Northwood, slipped from a scaffold platform, fell 2 meters, sustained fracture to his spine at T12, and left scapula. Off work 1 year. We won £125,000 compensation.
Fall from rooftop
Mr M - 34 year old shutterer fell from an unguarded rooftop 30ft to ground below. Fractured both wrists. We won £80,000 compensation.
Detached excavator bucket
The Claimant suffered severe orthopaedic, neurological and psychiatric injuries when struck on the head and left (dominant) arm by a 1-tonne bucket that became detached from an excavator and fell on him. He was rendered unconscious immediately. He suffered a left brachial plexus and arterial vascular injury; the left circumflex nerve was ruptured, the medial cord was contused and the lateral cord narrowed. There was also a dislocation of the acromio-clavicular joint, a fracture of the left radius and fractures to the metatarsals of both feet. The Claimant underwent several operations and remained for many months in very severe pain. We recovered £800,000.00 for this man whose dominant arm was functionally useless as a result of the accident and who consequently was unlikely to work in any capacity again.
Children
Sadly all too often children have accidents. They do not understand or obey the Highway Code. Building sites and railway lines are tempting playgrounds. Glass doors, lift shafts, balconies and derelict cars all present hazards. Owners of land need to take extra care where children might be tempted to play. Drivers must be more careful when children are likely to be around.
Slip on hospital floor
We acted for child W who was 4 years old at the date of the accident. He attended a local hospital for a vaccination and was playing in the Children's play area whilst waiting for the appointment. As he was playing he slipped on a tiled floor and struck his head on the broken chassis of a nearby fixed seat which had exposed metalwork. The court approved a settlement of £2,250 for him which the court will hold in a special account until he is 18 years old.
Child struck by a car
C, a child suffered a head injury when she was struck by a car. She remembered nothing of the accident. Eye witnesses said she had run out into the road without looking. Nevertheless we successfully recovered £5,000.00 for her which was approved by the court.
Trip in the park
D, aged 16, broke her collar bone when she tripped over the remains of a tree stump on park land belonging to a local authority. The tree stump could not be seen in the long grass and the whole area was poorly maintained. D was just about to start a sports course and found this difficult after her injury. Liability for the injury was never admitted but the Council offered £9,000 which she accepted.
Accident in shower
Master P - Glass door in a shower room of the changing room at a private health club shattered and caused minor cuts and bruises as well as some psychological injury. £3,000 settlement approved by the Court
Accident on kerb stone
Master N tripped on a raised kerb stone fracturing his clavicle. He fully recovered after 3 months. £2,600 approved by the Court
Accident on school playing field
Master K was playing in a field at school when he tripped on an object hidden in long grass. He sustained a laceration to his lower leg requiring several sutures. The residual scar measures 6 cms. £5,000 compensation award approved by the Court.
Slipping and tripping cases
Tripping accidents are common. They can occur on pavements, in supermarkets, in shops, on escalators, on stairs, at work, on public transport. Proving that the trip was at least partly someone else's fault is essential and not always easy. Places like supermarkets must have a strict regime of regular inspection and cleaning. Flagstones on the highway are subject to inspection and repair. Everything depends on whether the person responsible for the area where the trip occurs has acted reasonably.
Rap artist injured while football training
Our client was a rap artist who ran into a perimeter fence while football training at his local leisure centre. The fence was broken, and he cut his face on the sharp wire. The local authority admitted the accident was their fault, and we settled the claim for £8,000.
Trip at work
Ms A tripped at work on a section of packing strapping which had been left lying around. She has a serious knee injury and could not work for several months. She had a good sick pay scheme at work but had to have a further operation on her knee to improve her condition. We settled the case for £21,000.
Paving stone trip
We acted for Mrs M who tripped over a defective paving stone and broke her hip. We recovered £20,000 compensation for her.
Slip in the pub
We acted for Miss K who was attending a Christmas party in a local bar when she slipped on a wet wooden parquet flooring and fell to the ground injuring her back. She recovered £5,000 compensation.
Slip in local shop
Mrs H went to buy a newspaper from her local newsagents. As she was leaving the shop she stepped down from the step onto the tarmac forecourt leading down to the pavement, she was surprised by the drop in height and therefore her right foot slipped away from her causing her to fall backwards, landing on her bottom and back. She sustained a fracture to her right ankle and a fracture to her right fibula. Mrs H received £18000.00 in compensation.
Slip at McDonalds
Mr P - Student working in McDonalds part-time, slipped on wet floor, sustained fracture to right dominant wrist. Had to repeat a year at University, we won £17,500 compensation.
Trip at home
Our client was injured when coming home from the pub into his own house. He had been drinking, although not excessively. He tripped on a crumbling step and as a result, hit his head on scaffolding erected outside his property. He was dazed, let himself into his flat and fell down the stairs, unconscious for a few minutes and with post traumatic amnesia for about 24 hours. Clinically then the head injury suffered was medium/ severe, but the client had recovered well. He was 72 at the time of the accident. He reported some problems with his memory which - on balance - were caused by the accident, but were not disabling. The client had also fractured his cheekbone and whilst this mended without surgery, he did have a loss of sensation in his cheek from the injury. The Defendant Council who owned the property where Mr C lived, accepted 2/3rds of the blame, and paid £9000
Lifting cases
People at work must carry out lifting tasks carefully so as not to injure their backs. There are strict regulations about how when and what to lift. The load must not be too heavy and training in how to lift is essential.
Care workers lifting injury
O -v- London Borough of Camden. Mrs O was a care worker working in an old people's home. Part of her job was to help lift patients. As a result of the Council's unsafe lifting practices, she developed a back injury which prevented her from working. She was awarded £90,000 at trial.
Lifting a roll of cloth
We acted for Mr F a cloth cutter who injured himself whilst lifting a heavy roll of cloth from floor/ankle level to above his shoulders. He recovered £12,500 compensation.
Nurse's lifting injury
Ms S, a Nursing sister, injured her neck while moving a large immobile patient in bed. Ms S' injury meant that she was unable to return to 'hands-on' nursing although she found a clinic-based job, which did not involve any lifting or moving. Ms S had had two previous firms of solicitors acting for her. Neither firm had managed to understand the case properly nor obtain the appropriate expert medical evidence. We obtained £70,000 compensation for Ms S.
Uninsured drivers
Unfortunately many drivers on British roads are uninsured against compulsory third party risks. This is a criminal offence. There is a myth that persons who are injured by an uninsured driver are unable to claim compensation. In fact, although there are additional procedures to be observed, to make a claim against an uninsured driver is no different to any other road traffic claim.
Even if the driver in a "hit and run" accident is untraced it is still possible to make a claim although the legal fees regime is different.
We have solicitors who are experts at making these claims which certainly need special technical knowledge.
Pedestrian knocked over by uninsured driver
We acted for Miss Q who was knocked over by a driver who was uninsured. She suffered injury to her neck and back and we recovered £5,000 for her.
Child passenger of uninsured driver
When he was 9 Tom (not his real name) was a rear seat passenger in a car being driven by a relative who was uninsured. The driver of the car in which he was travelling caused a horrific accident in which passengers in other cars were killed. Four people in his car were injured including Tom who fractured his lower leg. Tom was very good at football and now that he has recovered he is going to football school. He was awarded £7,500 by the court.
Overseas accidents
Even though an accident occurs overseas, the English courts may have jurisdiction to deal with the claim. Package holidays are frequently organised by companies based in England and thus, in some cases, customers on such holidays can claim here.
We have connections with personal injury lawyers in many countries in Europe, and in Australia and the USA whose expertise we can call on to assist where necessary.
Back injury in hotel in Mexico
Mrs A injured her back when she slipped on a wet marble floor in a hotel in Mexico, just two days into her holiday. She had a very unpleasant time in a hospital in Mexico before she had to fly home. Her holiday was completely ruined. At home she managed to struggle back to work. Liability was never admitted for the accident which had to be dealt with under Mexican law but because Mrs A was travelling with a package tour she could take advantage of the Package Tour Regulations and was thus able to bring the claim in England. The claim was successfully settled for £12,500.
Fatal accident in Paris
We acted for the widow of a EuroDisney site worker who was killed in a road traffic accident in Paris whilst in a van driven by an English driver. We chose to sue in England. It was necessary to liaise with French lawyers as the accident was caused by a motorcyclist insured by a French insurance company. Damages were very substantial as the widow and her child had been deprived of the victim's financial support.
Assault at work
Employers have a high duty of care to ensure safe systems of working and a safe environment. There are statutory obligations to undertake risk assessments and then take appropriate measures.
Assault by hospital inmate
Mrs M a 62 year old care assistant at a psychiatric hospital, was assaulted by an inmate in the course of her duties. The assailant should not have been on the unit. Mrs M was deeply traumatised by the event and was unable to return to work. We obtained £60,000 for Mrs M from her employer.
Assault in pub
We acted for Miss J a barmaid, injured at work when a fight broke out in the bar she was working in, an ashtray was thrown and struck her on the back of her head. She sustained a head injury and we recovered £16,000 for her.
Prison worker attacked by inmate
Mr Y was employed by the Defendant, the Home Office, at a prison as a civilian instructor teaching inmates manual trades. On 16th November 1994 he was assaulted by two inmates in the course of their escape from the prison. Mr Y suffered a laceration requiring 13 stitches and a hairline fracture to his skull. He subsequently became depressed and made suicide attempts. He developed post traumatic stress disorder and took medical retirement. The Home Office, who initially denied liability, made an offer to settle the claim for £18,000. The case settled the day before trial for £180,000.00, which was one of the highest, if not the highest award for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Accident at work
Employers have a high duty of care to ensure safe systems of working and a safe environment. There are statutory obligations to undertake risk assessments and then take appropriate safety measures.
Strain from lifting too heavy a load
Mr M's accident happened when he was working as a clerk in the Prep Chiller Department. Whilst attempting to lift a tray of meat to place it on the scales he sustained a straining type injury causing him pain and discomfort in his left arm, shoulder and neck. Mr M was awarded £7400.00.
Back injury
We acted for Miss E - a residential care worker who injured her back when a resident in the care home where she worked, lost his balance and fell on top of her. We recovered £20,000.
Welding accident
We acted for Mr C who was employed as a welder and was injured in the course of welding 2 pipes together. He suffered injury to his neck and head and we recovered £31,000 for him.
Whiplash
Whiplash injuries are very common indeed. Typically they occur when one car hits another from behind: the classic 'rear end shunt'. It is a mistake to regard whiplash injuries as always being minor injuries. Sometimes these injuries can subside within 3-6 months but we have acted for whiplash victims whose injuries have disabled them for the rest of their lives requiring major surgery and ongoing care. It is very important in whiplash claims to ensure that the medical evidence is first class.
Businessman's accident stopped him working
Mr T ran a successful business until he had a car accident which caused the back problem that he already had to get worse. He tried to carry on his business but could not do so and had to give up work. He was the sole owner of his limited company. His loss of profit was taken into consideration in his claim and the settlement was £150,000.
Whiplash causes depression and loss of employment
Ms M had a whiplash injury in a road accident. She had a senior job in a local authority and could no longer work at the job she loved. Her symptoms became chronic and she got depressed. The case was settled for £220,000.
Rear end shunt on motorway sliproad
Business man injured when a car ran in to him on a slip road coming off a motorway. He suffered the symptoms of a whiplash type injury for about 6 months, though he could not afford to take time off work. Liability for the accident was admitted and we settled the claim for him for £2,500.
Taxi driver off work
Mr A - London taxi driver, sustained whiplash injury to neck and shoulder. Unable to work for 12 weeks. Complete recovery in 1 year. £4,000 compensation won.
Minor whiplash and head injury
A retired male client approached us in late July 2001 following a road traffic accident, in which another vehicle had ploughed into the rear of his vehicle, causing our client to sustain a whiplash-type injury and also a laceration to the head. We negotiated an award of £4,750 within 12 months of the accident.
Broken bones
Broken arm
We acted for Mr Z who was involved in an accident as a result of which he sustained a compound comminuted fracture of his right tibia and fibula. He lost income from his business and needs a lot of care and assistance. We achieved a settlement of £26,000
Broken leg on building site
Mr G was a shutterer working on a building site. An RSJ fell onto his leg, fracturing his tibial plateau (knee joint). Off work 3 months, full recovery. We won £30,000 compensation.
Fall at work
The male claimant sustained an os calcis fracture to his heel, after having fallen from some height at work. His injury meant that he could not walk for longer than 400m unaided and that he was unable to pursue his hobbies of cricket and squash. His career and work were unaffected by the injury. A settlement of £20,000 was negotiated.
Spinal injuries
These can vary from minor whiplash injuries to injuries of the utmost severity causing paralysis and life in a wheelchair.
Sash window falls on cleaner's back
Mr B was employed as a cleaner and maintenance man. One of his tasks involved clearing a roof space of litter. The only way out onto the roof was to hoist himself through an old sash window, which had to be propped open with a mop handle. He had complained about this aspect of the job but had been told to "get on with it". However, one day, as he was struggling through the window, the mop handle was dislodged, and the sash came down on his back. Court proceedings were issued against his employers for unsafe working practices. The consultant spinal surgeon we instructed for the case reported that the accident had damaged our client's spine, but that this had exacerbated a pre-existing problem which Mr B would eventually have suffered from even had he not had his accident. The case settled (with an admission of liability) for £23,000.
Rescuer falls on railway line
Ms M climbed over her rear garden wall of her Council house to rescue a child stuck on a ledge on the railway cutting wall. She fell and broke her back. She was confined to a wheelchair for life and had her young daughter to care for. We sued the railway authority and the Council both of whom denied liability until the morning of trial. After some negotiation at court we secured very substantial damages to enable her to adapt her house and provide other necessities for the future.
Serious whiplash
Ms S was in a car involved in a collision with another vehicle. She suffered a whiplash injury. At first it was thought that she would make a recovery within a few months but as time went on it became apparent that the injury would have a permanent effect and she had to undergo several operations including spinal fusion. We took this case over from other solicitors who had advised that settlement would be appropriate in the region of £6,000. We eventually settled the claim at the court door for a six figure sum.
Head injuries
Head injuries can be very serious and the long term effects of the injury are sometimes difficult to ascertain. To an outside observer a person who has suffered a head injury can appear to have made a complete recovery but the injury can have subtle effects which may be noticeable only to family and close friends. They can occur at work, on the road - anywhere.
Teenager's fall on derelict building
Miss F, 13, suffered a very severe head injury in 1998 when playing with friends in a derelict building. She fell through a hole in the top floor and fell 15 feet, landing on concrete. Although she was a trespasser, we succeeded in establishing that the occupier was 75% responsible and went on to recover £275,000.00 damages for her.
Falling concrete block
Mr H a construction worker was hit on his head by a falling concrete block. He sustained a fractured skull, loss of consciousness and permanent loss of sense of smell and taste. Psychologically he suffered some cognitive deficits, reduced organisational skills, short term memory problems and mild depression. Won £285,000 compensation.
Cyclist hit by car on wrong side of road
Mr X suffered serious head injuries when he was knocked off his bicycle by a car driven by the Defendant. Liability was in dispute throughout. His injuries included frontal lobe injuries which resulted in language and communication difficulties and some intellectual impairment. There were no independent eye witnesses to the accident. Our investigations found a tyre mark on the road which showed that the defendant's car was on the wrong side of the road at the time of impact. Following negotiations, the claim settled for £350,000.00, which took into account Mr X's failure to wear a cycle helmet.
Pedestrian hit by car on pedestrian crossing
Mr S was hit by a car as he was walking to work early one morning. He sustained a severe head injury and was unable to return to work. Liability was disputed until the day of trial when a compromise on liability was agreed and a settlement of £165,000.00 was reached at the court doors.
Overtaking accident
Mr H was driving his soft top motor car down a country lane when another car which was attempting to overtake him hit him. Mr H's car turned over and slid along the road for some distance. He sustained a serious degloving injury of his scalp but, miraculously, no brain damage. He was able to return to his former employment after extensive medical treatment and we recovered £110,000 in damages.
Oklahoma resident injured in RTA in England
Our client was an agricultural student at an English college and injured when a passenger in a car. The driver had looked down to change the cassette. Our client's family business was farming hogs. His head injury affected his future career. The Defendant's insurers refused to accept that our client was permanently affected by his injuries and were not prepared to pay what we regarded as an appropriate sum in compensation. We arranged for his parents and the family lawyer to attend court in England to give oral evidence to the judge. The latter was persuaded that our view was correct and awarded substantial damages beating the Defendant's payment into court.
Pedestrian struck by car
Ms H was injured when she was struck by a vehicle as she was crossing the road in Islington. She sustained a fracture of the base of the skull on the left side, with a linear fracture going through the lateral margin of the right middle ear cavity. She had an extradural haematoma with some bleeding over the surface of the brain. She subsequently suffered with deafness and developed a facial palsy on the left side within a week of the accident. She was unable to return to her career as an IT consultant. A compromise on liability was reached holding Ms H 25% to blame for her accident and the Defendant 75% to blame. We obtained £100,000.00 in compensation for her.
Customer in shop injured by falling stock
We acted for Mrs R who was a customer in a Pound Saver shop. As she was shopping a stack of boxes fell on her and hit her head. We recovered £1,500 for her.
Professional man in cycling accident
Our client was cycling when the driver of a parked car opened the door and knocked him off his bike. Our client suffered a major head injury and had to give up work. There were complex issues regarding his future earning capacity. He received £500,000 compensation.
Sexual abuse cases
These are not accidents but they are personal injury actions. They require highly specialist solicitors. Three of our solicitors (male and female) are trained to handle these cases with sensitivity and understanding.
There are many reasons why an adult survivor of childhood abuse does not bring a claim within the strict time limits imposed by the court. For example, the adult may not have recognised that the abuse was wrong, or may have been so traumatised that he or she is emotionally unable to speak to anyone about it. The time limit for bringing a claim against the abuser for assault is 6 years (because this is an assault rather than an accident) from the date of the abused person's 18th birthday. This time limit cannot be extended and therefore many claims fail because they are out of time. Where the claim is for breach of duty, however, different rules apply. The time limit for breach of duty, is only 3 years, but unlike the 6 year time period, can in some circumstances be extended. This allows some claims to proceed that would otherwise fail.
Abuse by foster father
From the age of 8 to 13 Ms X was abused by her foster father. She was able to consider taking legal action when she was 32 but by then the time limit (6 years) for bringing a claim against the foster father was statute barred. In one of the first cases of its kind, we sued the foster mother for failing to protect her from the abuse and successfully argued that the 3 year time limit should be extended. Ms X recovered £25,000.00.
Sex abuse in children's home
In I -v- D, we acted for a client who had been sexually abused whilst placed in the care of her local authority many years ago. The man who abused her was the manager of the children's home, and he had since died. Our client was extremely affected by the abuse and could not come to terms with what had happened to her for some years. We alleged that the local authority were responsible for her while she had been in care, and had failed to protect her. At all stages, solicitors for the local authority argued that our client had issued proceedings "out of time" and therefore could not recover damages. They also denied that their clients were responsible, although we found out through making several court applications for relevant documents, that personnel at the council had had their suspicions about the manager for many years and even before our client was placed in his care. The defendant's final offer of £50,000 was accepted just before trial, and we also negotiated an apology from the council to our client.
Repetitive strain injury and work related upper limb disorders
Upper limb disorders (sometimes called "RSI") are often painful, long-lasting, and disabling. Claiming compensation for them involves a careful analysis of the Claimant's work and medical histories. Sometimes there are a number of medical conditions, one overlying another, with the added complication of a depressive illness brought on by the physical symptoms and/or by the loss of income and employment. We take time and care to establish the full story, we instruct the best-informed experts, and we advise on related aspects of employment law.
Keyboard operators upper limb disorder
Ms T worked for a large company. She was conscientious, and her work involved long hours of keyboard at the office, stretching well in to the weekends. She began to develop painful upper limb symptoms but struggled on until she was physically unable to continue. She was depressed and very worried about asserting her claim, for fear of jeopardising her job and the sick pay she was receiving. We investigated her medical condition, and found that she had 3 separately-diagnosed upper limb disorders, some caused by her work and some not. Legal proceedings were issued, and within 6 months of those proceedings being sent to the opponent, we had negotiated a settlement of her injury claim, and advised her on a package of terms for voluntary redundancy, totalling £45,000.
Occupational Disease
Diseases caused by work can take many forms. One of the most common is asbestosis (see below). There is however a multitude of other situations in which diseases can be contracted. Factory premises will often have chemicals and other hazardous substances stored in and around working areas. Risk of infection in hospitals can be high. Working with dirty water is dangerous. Sometimes protective clothing and other preventative measures are disregarded.
Exposure to chemicals
F -v- North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust. Our client was a nurse who used a chemical called glutaraldehyde to sterilise surgical equipment. As a result of the hospital's failure to take special precautions when instructing staff to use the chemical, Mrs F became severely asthmatic from prolonged exposure to the chemical. As a result she had to give up nursing, a profession she dearly loved. The case went to trial in the High Court. The judge found that indeed the hospital's failure had led to our client contracting this most "insidious" form of asthma, and awarded compensation of £225,000 - the biggest award to date for this type of case.
Dermatitis
University cleaner, exposed to chromic acid used to clean laboratory glassware. She had a pre-existing psoriasis, which was severely exacerbated by the exposure. She was unable to work as a cleaner again. Compensation £42,000.
Exposure to solvents
Carpenter exposed to solvents while working in a confined space, suffered hallucinations, collapsed and feared that he was dying. Unable to work as a carpenter again, despite attempts to return to that work. Compensation £125,000.
Weil's disease
G was a foreman in charge of works by the side of a London canal. Rats infested the site and had urinated on the building materials. Our client was not issued with any warning cards regarding this disease and when he consulted his doctor about his flu like symptoms there was a delay in diagnosis. Our client became very ill indeed and was unable to work again. We sued his employer and obtained six figure compensation.
Asbestos Caused Diseases
Asbestos has been described as "the killer dust", and has been in use in many industrial and domestic contexts for over a hundred years. Protection against its hazards has been dangerously inadequate during most of that time. It is implicated in a number of fatal lung diseases. The time-lag between the Claimant's exposure to asbestos and the development of his or her disease may be 3 or 4 decades, during which time the guilty party may have gone out of business and the physical evidence (buildings, plant and machinery) is likely to have been destroyed. There is a statutory but not very generous compensation scheme which does not cover every person who has been exposed to it. A recent House of Lords decision has removed some but not all of the obstacles faced by Claimants when making claims. We work our way carefully through these issues with clients, who are often surviving spouses claiming on behalf of a partner who has died in the most distressing circumstances.
Widow's claim for engineer with mesothelioma
Mrs B is the widow of a retired engineer, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma 15 years after he had retired. He died from that disease. He had had a number of different employers during his working life, and his widow knew little of his working conditions. A friend of the deceased was able to provide some information about those conditions. We investigated the employment and medical history, and analysed a large quantity of relevant records from a former employer. Legal proceedings were issued and served and shortly afterwards we negotiated a settlement of £25,000.
Pipe lagger's asbestos injury
B -v- Michelin Tyre Plc: Mr B had worked as a pipe lagger at Michelin's plant in Stoke. While working there he had come into contact with asbestos, which had lagged the pipes. He had inhaled large quantities of the dust at a time (back in the 1950's and 1960's) when he did not realise that to do so was extremely unsafe. Much later (and well after he had retired), he was diagnosed with asbestosis and sued his former employers for the damage they had done to him. He was at risk of contracting lung cancer and would probably require specialist nursing care for the last years of his life. A High Court Judge awarded him over £63,000.
Beauty Treatments
Beauty and cosmetic treatments can go wrong!
Muscle tone treatment
A female client approached us with a claim in respect of injuries sustained following a session of Fisiotron, this being a beauty treatment, the purpose of which is to improve muscle tone and condition. The treatment had resulted in a number of small cigarette-like burns to her legs. Previous solicitors had handled the case on a private client basis, whereby the client had to regularly pay their hourly fees, but they had not made any progress. Further, the client could no longer afford to continue to pay them. We assumed conduct of the claim on a "no win, no fee" basis close to the expiry of its third anniversary and negotiated a settlement of £3,000 within one month.