Serious accidents which usually result in a substantial RTA claim will often leave psychological trauma which can result in heightened anxiety, panic attacks, depression, mood swings as well as many other conditions. Such symptoms are notoriously difficult to treat and often medication is prescribed to suppress rather than cure such complaints. The latest medical technique which attempts to treat the mental distress caused by such a severe accident is cognitive behavioural therapy.

Cognitive behavioural therapy aims to help individuals who are making an RTA claim as a result of a serious accident, manage their problems by changing the way they think or act.

The principle behind cognitive behavioural therapy is that it is not the accident itself which leads to the mental anxiety and depression, rather the circumstances which surround such an incident. To use a relevant example, a young man has suffered a serious car accident and as is pursuing an RTA claim:

The man suffers significant physical injury as a result of the accident which damages his back. At this stage there is no psychological injury. However, in time the man develops depression; this is not as a direct result of the accident but due to the circumstances the physical injuries have brought about. Due to the man’s injuries he has a prolonged period off work. This leads him to feel isolated and unfulfilled. Due to a loss of earnings his wife then has to take a second job to maintain the level of income required to meet the couple’s expenses. This leads to further feelings of inadequacy on behalf of the man which creates a negative emotion of sadness. This will further deepen the depression.

Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on the problems and difficulties of the present, ignoring issues from the past. In doing so it looks for practical ways to improve an individual’s state of mind on a daily basis.

If you have suffered a serious car accident then contact the dedicated team of RTA claim solicitors at http://www.rtacompensation.org

Manual Handling
Manual handling is responsible for up to a third of all the workplace accident claims made in the UK. The majority of instances occur as a result of a lack of proper training or individuals not asking for help when lifting heavy objects. Injuries include musculoskeletal disorders to backs, strains to hands, arms, feet and tendons.

Slips and Trips
Almost a third of the workplace accidents which occur in the UK are due to slips and trips, so if you can reduce their frequency then that’s an excellent start. In a vast number of these instances an accident is a result of a wet surface or objects left on the floor often as a result of poor housekeeping procedures. A trip or fall may seem minor but serious and persistent injuries can be incurred as a result.

Workplace Traffic Accidents
Busy workplaces where heavy machinery is used can be especially treacherous and workplace accident claims resulting from any incident can be major. Such accidents are not only confined to warehouses and depots but any location where motorised vehicles are in use. Common accidents include being struck by a moving vehicle, being hit by materials falling from a moving vehicle or if a vehicle crashes or overturns.

Electrical Accidents
Lastly, all too common are electrical accidents which are extremely serious and can result in the loss of life. Electricians are not the only workers at risk of suffering an electric shock as a result of their employment, all workers who use electrical equipment are at risk.

If you have suffered an accident at work then contact Howells Solicitors and we will tell you whether you have grounds to make a workplace accident claim. More information is available here: http://www.yourworkplaceaccident.co.uk. Our friendly team of specialist solicitors work quickly and professionally to ensure successful and high value workplace accident claims.

Two of the most common indicators that you have a whiplash injury, which may give rise to whiplash claims, are neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches. There are various methods which can be used to treat whiplash depending on the severity of the injury. Prescriptive medicine and mobility exercises are sufficient in most cases, although surgery may be required for the most extreme cases.

The physical symptoms giving rise to whiplash claims include:

Neck pain and stiffness – this symptom will be present in 100% of cases, with pain extending up to the head and down through the shoulders. Muscle spasms are also likely to occur.

Lower back pain – this is especially common in the lumbar sections of the back.

Numbness – the vertebrae of the neck can be pulled closer together by muscular tension. This can lead to disc degeneration or pinched nerves, causing numbness or tingling in the arms and hands.

Headaches – these will occur in 80% of whiplash claims cases.

Vertigo – unusual head movement and an unbalanced head position can cause distorted sensations from the balance centres of the inner ear and brain.

Interscapular pain – pain occurring between the shoulder blades which may extend down the arms.

As well as these complaints you may experience auditory problems – a ringing in the ears and tinnitus; visual complaints – distorted or blurry vision and dyshagia – the inability to swallow.

If you experience any of these symptoms then your first course of action should be to seek immediate medical attention. You should then contact a solicitor who will work quickly and professionally to secure your whiplash claims compensation. Expert help can be found at Howells Whiplash Claims

36% of workplace injuries are categorised as slips, trips and falls, so businesses are being called to put safety measures in place to guard against them and educate employees on ways to avoid them.

Nearly 5 million sick days were taken in the UK over the past 12 months due to accidents at work. Not only is the money paid for injury compensation claims a significant cost to businesses, but so is the reduced productivity in the lost man hours.

Figures from Scottish Compensation show that in Scotland each year, nearly 3000 workers are killed and 10000 are injured in work-related accidents.

Slips, trip and falls commonly take place at construction sites, often due to tools and machinery left lying around. The report also showed that many workplace accidents also happen in offices, meaning all businesses need to be aware of the risks and implications of not providing a safe working environment.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is seeking £200,000 in compensation, although he could be able to claim twice as much according to legal experts. He has taken early retirement from work since his son’s death in 2007.

The personal injury claim is bad news for Haringey Council, who are also facing a multimillion pound compensation payout to the six carers who lost their jobs for failing to protect the toddler. The former staff claim they were unfairly dismissed for gross misconduct and are appealing against the council’s decision to sack them.

Sharon Shoesmith, the former head of children’s services, was sacked last December. She could be in line to receive the highest amount of compensation if her claim is successful, at around £1 million. If all six of the carers’ claims are successful, the council could be forced to pay out a maximum of £1.4m.

Peter Connelly was 17 months old when he died in his home after months of abuse from his mother Tracey Connelly, 28, and her lover Steven Baker, 33, whose identities have only recently revealed to the public after a court order granting them anonymity expired. A third defendant, Jason Owen, 37, Baker’s brother, was also named.

There has been some speculation that the lower casualties are a result of the current economic climate; with high petrol prices, there are less cars on British roads. This could also explain the rise in personal injury claims, with some people resorting to their accidents for financial gain.

The director of AA Insurance, Simon Douglas, has stated that these figures suggest that “those involved in accidents are much more inclined to make personal injury claims, even for non-serious injuries such as minor whiplash cured by painkillers over a couple of days.”

Last year, there were on average 1,300 whiplash claims each day. It can only be expected that personal injury claims will be significantly higher for this year.

David Green, the chief executive of MTA, specialist lawyers in personal injury, has stated that “the school run is one of the most dangerous times of the day to drive.” With parents fearing for their children’s safety – if they were left to walk to school alone – many parents had included the school run in their morning routine before racing the traffic on their own way to work. Driving under pressure and while distracted had increased the amount of road accidents during the morning hours.

As fuel prices increase within the economic climate, many parents have now been forced to tighten the purse strings. This has led to a considerable number of parents walking their children to school instead.

The most recent figures from the Department of Transport have revealed that the number of children killed or suffering serious personal injury has decreased by 9% on the previous year.

The news is welcomed after publics fears are heightened amidst recent attacks abroad, particularly those by the Spanish Basque terrorists across popular tourist resorts in the country.

Unfortunately claims are not able to be made in retrospect, which comes as a disappointment to many. In one of the most harrowing cases, Will Pike, who was left severely disabled in the attacks on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, will not be able to claim anything for his injuries. He faces a lifetime in a wheelchair after falling out of a window whilst trying to escape from the attackers. In stark contrast, if Mr Pike had been injured in a road traffic accident here in Britain, it is likely that he may have made a successful personal injury claim of up to £5m.

Mr Pike’s father has been campaigning for better treatment and Government support for those injured abroad. It is thought that Jack Straw’s meeting with him has prompted the Government to reconsider the plight that injured victims may face on their return to the UK.

Once the new changes are brought in, British tourists injured in terror attacks abroad will be able to claim for up to £500,000 for their losses.

“Alfie came running home with his mouth hanging off,” said Clare Metson. “His lip had come away and was hanging like a flap. I could see his teeth even though his mouth was shut.”

Alfie Albrighton, 6, was rushed to hospital, where he underwent several hours of surgery and was left with 170 stitches on his face. It is likely that he will be scarred for life and may need plastic surgery at a later date.

However the physical injury Alfie has sustained appears to be only the beginning of the damage caused by the accident. His mother has expressed her worries about her son’s future and the mental scars he may have left him with from the accident. Alfie has lost half a stone in weight and Ms Metson affirms that the incident has “changed him completely. He is always hiding his face trying not to look at people.”

Alfie is due to start Year 2 at St. John’s Primary in Bow in September, but he is fearful of how the other children will react to the prominent scarring caused by the incident.

Ms Metson is requesting compensation for her son’s personal injury from Old Ford Housing Association, which is part of the Circle Anglia Group. When asked about the incident, a spokesperson expressed their concern.

“Our priority is to provide a safe environment for all our residents to live in,” the spokesperson said. “We immediately inspected the railings with our contactors and they are of a standard type and designed to fence off the bin areas.”

The spokesperson also commented that the compensation claim Ms Metson has filed is currently being reviewed. However Ms Metson states that she “hasn’t heard a single thing” from the Old Ford Housing since the incident.

Dave McGowan, 41, was looking for and collecting fossils with his girlfriend along the shoreline at Seatown, near Bridport in Dorset, when rocks fell from the cliff above. The incident left his leg and ankle broken but he believes that he could have lost the bottom half of his leg if he hadn’t been protected by his walking boots.

The taxi driver from Bournemouth is now seeking compensation from whoever is responsible for the land. “I want to try and get compensation but it doesn’t look as if anybody cares,” he said. “I want to say to people ‘please don’t go down there’. Even if I don’t get compensation, the best thing I can do is to warn people.

He explained that the accident could have been avoided if warning signs had been erected in the area. He added: “If there were notices to say how dangerous it is and what you can expect, people wouldn’t go there. I wouldn’t have gone there.”

After receiving a letter from the victim, West Dorset County Council have said that it does not own the land. The Wraxall family, who has owned the beach at Seatown for three generations, has also said that the incident took place outside its land.

Mr McGowan claims the accident has ruined his life, as he might not be able to return to work and also fears that he may lose his home.

“I know it’s a bad time of year for taxi drivers anyway but I’ll lose about £5,000 in earnings,” he explained.

“I will be off work for four months but it could be more depending on how my leg heals – it might never heal and I might not be able to work again. The rent needs paying and I’ve got no money to pay it.”

However a spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has commented that “the cliffs and seashore are dangerous” at the location of the accident and that Mr McGowan should have been able to make “[his] own risk assessment,” regardless of the lack of notices or warning signs present at the scene.