How to prevent common injuries

Injuries are an unfortunate fact of life and can be sustained in almost any situation and at any time of the year. Whether individuals are playing high risk sports or simply walking to work, accidents can happen and it is vital that the necessary measures are taken to prevent and address these risks.

Common injuries

Before injuries can be prevented against their source needs to be identified. Sports injuries and work-related accidents are both common, as are road traffic collisions. Even slips and trips are a key source of injury, with numerous individuals sustaining injuries of all severities as a result of these accidents.

The injuries which are sustained can range from broken bones and bruising to other common complaints such as whiplash and more severe damages such as internal bleeding or head trauma. Of course, these injuries only cover physical damages and individuals involved in accidents can also sustain emotional trauma following the incident.

Irrespective of the type or severity of the injury it is vital that those affected seek the compensation which they are owed in order to protect themselves, and others, from further harm.

Prevention is better than cure

Whilst personal injury claims may not seem like a preventive measure as they occur after the accident, they can help to protect others from harm in numerous ways. To begin with, filing these claims helps to identify risks and this allows industries to take the necessary measures to improve overall safety.

This can apply to places of work as well as public and private areas and means that those seeking compensation for their injuries can help others through their misfortune. On top of this, personal injury claims can give you the financial security you need should you be forced to take time off of work to recuperate.

In fact, figures from the HSE have shown that approximately one quarter of non-fatal accidents led those involved to take seven days off of work. A further third of those involved in non-fatal accidents took an absence of three days.

This means that a large proportion of individuals who have sustained injuries are left out of work, potentially without income. The compensation they may be entitled to through personal injury claims could help to address this financial concern and giving them the freedom they need to recover fully before contemplating a return to work.

How to claim

For those who feel they are entitled to lodge a personal injury claim, one of the preferred methods is to use a no win no fee solicitor. These are trained professionals who only charge claimants for their services if the case is upheld and settled in their favour – offering a fair agreement. This means that injured parties can seek the compensation they deserve without worrying about the costs this action may incur.

Here at Injurylawyers4u, we now offer this service and also provide personalised consultations to ensure claimants get the support and assistance which they need when making their personal injury claim.

New Workplace Injury Rules Puts Employees at Risk

The government is currently cutting back on Health and Safety regulations and it will no longer be assumed automatically that a company is to blame for many work related injuries.

The newly planned changes to the Health and Safety regulations announced by David Cameron will mean that the ‘strict liability’ rules, whereby companies are assumed to be responsible for workplace injuries, will be relaxed.

Currently strict liability means that a company can be held responsible for personal injury to its workers even if the prosecution is unable to prove that the company had either intent in disregarding safety issues or that it at least foresaw that there was an avoidable risk. In law this is refereed to as “mens rea”.  Even if a company argues that that it is not at fault and that it has taken reasonable care to protect its employees, under “mens rea” it can still be held responsible.

An example of this is if a ladder used by a worker was inadequate under the work at height regulations. If this was the cause of an injury, under strict liability there is no need to prove that the ladder was inadequate. The fact that a worker was injured is sufficient in itself for the worker to make a compensation claim.

If the strict liability rules are removed then it will be necessary for the prosecution to prove that the company is at fault. The dangers are that some companies will take advantage of this and that the risks for employees will increase, also it will be considerably more difficult for employees to gain compensation for work related injuries.

Currently there is no time frame for introducing the new regulations; however Downing Street has indicated that they will be announced in the “near future”.