On 19 September 2024 the Care Quality Commission published its report on the state of Maternity Units in England. The report was based on inspections of 131 Maternity Units over a two year period. It found 47% of services were inadequate or required...
Following a flurry of news reports involving individuals who have been injured at fairgrounds, this article discusses the obligations of theme park, funfair and fairground attractions and how we can help should an injury occur. A family day out at an...
An accident at work claim may be brought by an individual who has suffered an accident in the workplace which was someone else’s fault. Recent statistics have revealed that the number of accident at work claims registered with the Compensation...
Martha Mills sadly died in 2021 after developing sepsis in hospital. Her family had raised concerns about her deteriorating condition, but these concerns were not responded to promptly. At the inquest hearing in 2023, the coroner ruled that Martha’s...
Following continuous reports about Amanda Abbington’s diagnosis of PTSD after her time on Strictly Come Dancing, this blog explores the condition of PTSD, how it can be caused, possible treatments, and making a claim for PTSD. Post-traumatic stress...
Recent press coverage over a proposed group action by nearly 300 rugby players in relation to concussion injuries has raised the issue of this type of injury and how it occurs. Below is a quick summary from our Personal Injury team of concussion, how it...
Farm Safety Week (17-21 July 2023) is an annual campaign which focuses on raising awareness and changing attitudes to prevent life-changing injuries. The latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (“HSE”) for 2022/2023 show that 21...
Multinational supermarket chain Aldi recently made headlines when a customer found a live snake coiled inside a pack of shrink-wrapped broccoli which had been purchased from one of their stores. The report sent legal tongues wagging and it has been...
A report commissioned by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (“APIL”) has shown that an estimated 1.6 million people in the UK say they have become a victim of negligence. This means that 30,000 people fall ill or are injured per week. ...
One of the main components in any personal injury claim is to recover compensation for the injury suffered, but it is also important to ensure that there is a provision for the cost of any recommended treatment to aid ongoing recovery. To put this into...
We recently acted for a client in connection with a claim against an entertainment company as a result of an accident at an outdoor screening event. Whilst personal injury claims of this nature appear to be less common than other types of personal injury...
The reforms were part of an insurance backed crackdown on whiplash and soft tissue personal injury claims, arising out of road traffic accidents. Those affected by the reforms, which were introduced in England and Wales on 31 May 2021, are only entitled...
In 2018 the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) asked the Law Commission to undertake a review to enable the safe and responsible introduction of automated vehicles on roads and public places. The Report The report contains a series of...
On the 29th January 2022 the Highway Code is changing: how many of us are aware of it? It seems that there hasn’t been a lot of publicity about the topic, but these rules will affect every user of roads, be it as a pedestrian, as a cyclist or as a...
A landmark case (Paul v Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust) is heading to the Supreme Court on so called ‘secondary victims’ of clinical negligence claims and who may fall into this category of claimants when considering liability. A possible...
The one place you expect to feel safe is home so when you engage a specialist to undertake any big projects or home renovations, you rightly expect to receive the highest level of service. However, this does not always happen, and substandard and...
We recently acted for a client in connection with his personal injury claim which arose as a result of a slipping accident on private property. The facts of the case are relatively straightforward, but the approach adopted by the defendant caused...
During the lockdown, owning a dog has become a popular choice for many people, particularly those living alone and facing months in isolation or those looking for a reason to enjoy the great outdoors. However, many are coming to realise that having a...
Our Personal Injury team recently took part in #SolicitorChat, a conversation on Twitter where solicitors answer questions on a set topic. A recent one covered personal injury claims in winter, and we thought our answers would provide a useful...
Cyclists: The ‘menaces’ that provoke fury amongst road users like no others. Cognitive Scientist Tom Stafford argues that motorists hate cyclists because they believe that they disrupt the moral order of the road. Contrary to popular belief,...
Despite the horrors of the pandemic, it seems children and their parents may still be blowing blow the cobwebs off their costumes this Halloween ready to threaten unimaginable horrors if not rewarded with chocolate and sweets, so it is time to perhaps think...
One of the things we are often asked is Why should I use a lawyer to handle my personal injury claim? It’s a fair question and it is indeed possible to handle a claim yourself, but there are a number of benefits to taking the help of a...
The Government has announced the use of electric scooters could be trialled on our streets as early as June 2020. This was something that was always in the offing, but the fact this was announced as part of a Coronavirus update, and trials are taking place a...
A recent press release from the RAC revealed that pothole-related breakdowns for the first three months of 2020 were more than during the same period last year. Whilst the statistics relate to drivers only, they seem to support the ‘pothole...
These are unprecedented and uncertain times. The daily headlines in the media are dominated by the coronavirus pandemic and we are all concerned about our health and the health of our loved ones. Sadly injuries continue to happen, but if you have...
Since the Government’s announcement of lockdown, it seems likely that many more individuals will be looking to get their daily fix of exercise by alternate means whether that be walking, running or cycling. It, therefore, feels an apt time to talk...
British Summer Time officially started on the last Sunday in March, but in another unprecedented event, many parts of the UK experienced temperatures below freezing and saw snow fall. Weather in general always sparks conversation, and whilst snow and ice...
We are fast approaching that time of year when we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). This year, the marked event will take place on Sunday 8 March, but did you know it has been celebrated from as far back as 1911? Despite happening...
Whilst everyone recognises pressures on the NHS, as long as there is ongoing medical negligence, there will be medical negligence claims to right any wrongs. It should be remembered negligence does not mean simple errors or mistakes but the medical...
For World Cancer Day, specialist Rob Dempsey answers your frequently asked questions regarding a missed diagnosis of cancer. What do the guidelines say regarding a missed diagnosis of cancer? To establish negligence or breach of duty, it is...
Recent news reported that Swedish giant Ikea had agreed to pay $46m to the parents of a child killed when the company’s Malm drawers toppled over, suffocating him in May 2017. This may shock some, given the presence of the Malm range in so many homes...
A report in the news today highlights findings that miscarriage may lead to long-term post-traumatic stress. The study of 650 women carried out by Imperial College in London found that 29% of women who had had a miscarriage showed the symptoms. It is...
We receive more enquiries during spells of bad weather. More accidents seem to happen because roads and footpaths are more dangerous. The number of enquiries increases from road users, pedestrians and cyclists. But it does not necessarily mean that...
In light of the recent news that Scotland is set to ban children under 12 from heading the ball in a game of football, we felt this earlier blog was particularly apt to share. It shows that the consideration of the development of later health issues as a...
Below are our top tips for anyone who feels they might have a personal injury claim. Photographs – never underestimate the value of photographs. Whether it be of the hole in the pavement that you have just tripped over (even better, crack...
Sometimes if you’ve been involved in an accident which wasn’t your fault, the other party’s insurers will make an early offer to settle your claim, often at the same time that they accept liability for your accident. A...
The Personal Injury team at Roythornes is renowned for successfully handling claims brought against the MOD, and so we are often contacted by both serving and retired members of HM Forces. The enquiries are usually about a possible claim arising...
If you had to create a simple Venn diagram of drivers and cyclists, there would be a significant number of people who would occupy the central sector. Yet you would be forgiven for thinking these two groups, cyclists and drivers, are diametrically...
The key area I am focusing on today is getting your dates right. You might wonder why this is so important, but the success or failure of a claim can largely depend on the evidence obtained at the outset of a claim. Pursuing a personal injury claim ...
I recently acted for a client in connection with a claim against Essex County Council as a result of an accident on the highway. The facts of this case are relatively straightforward but there were some slightly unusual factors afoot. The facts The...
On 15 July 2019, the Justice Secretary, David Gauke, announced the new Discount Rate figures used to calculate future losses in personal injury claims . Where a claimant’s injuries are long term or permanent, they may receive a lump sum award to...
Every week, The Law Society invites law firms to take part in #solicitorchat and gives them the opportunity to answer a few quick legal queries. On this occasion, our Personal Injury team won! Here’s what happened … How can a solicitor help...
Monday 17 June saw two contrasting stories relating to the Health and Safety Executive’s efforts to prevent injuries or fatalities in the workplace. Radio 4’s “Farming Today” featured Andrew Turner, Head of Agriculture at the HSE....
Bereavement damages have been in the spotlight again following the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Smith v Secretary of State for Justice. Bereavement awards in England and Wales are provided for under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976. The...
In the space of just a few days, the charity Headway, which offers support to victims of Traumatic Brain injuries, has had reason to be critical of FIFA, football’s governing body, following serious head injuries on the pitch. On 17 March,...
We talk a lot about how we can help if you have suffered injuries and financial losses as a result of an accident that wasn’t your fault . But we receive a significant amount of enquiries from people who have received court documents through the...
What would happen if you were involved in a car accident and it wasn’t you driving, but the vehicle itself? In November 2017 the Chancellor promised to have fully driverless cars in use by 2021. All drivers have a duty to other road users under...
To mark the 10 th anniversary of Airbnb, Rob Dempsey of Roythornes Solicitors considers the legal issues surrounding this recent holiday phenomenon in the context of personal injury law . Airbnb has become an increasingly popular preference for...
According to the Government, 3,806 cyclists were killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads in 2018. As concerns grow over cyclist safety on British roads, personal injury lawyer Robert Dempsey has shared his top five tips on the best ways for...
The outcome of a case where a minor was injured falling into a collapsed manhole cover in Nottingham is likely to set a precedent for future cases regarding disputes on the maintenance of private land. Acting on behalf of the child, who cannot be named...
Recently, mud runs, such as the fashionable Tough Mudder event, are becoming increasingly popular around the UK with thousands of people signing up each year, meaning it’s even more imperative to ensure that both organisers and participants...
