Injury Claim Damages: Growth In UK Cases Leads To Concern At National Level

Over the last decade the UK courts have experienced an increase in the number of personal injury claim cases. Every year many UK people will have an accident, often resulting in painful and debilitating injury. They may just be hurt in a fall while on the way to the shops, they may be in a car crash, or injured by negligence at work or even in hospital.

National organizations such as the NHS, the AA (Automobile Association)and the Local Government Association all report a rise in compensation claims by the victims of personal injury accidents.

Is there a compensation culture in the UK where those who suffer trivial injuries such as minor back strains and whiplash are encouraged to make excessive and unjustified accident claims by unscrupulous no-win no-fee personal injury lawyers?

Or is it simply a case of fair treatment at last for those who have become victims? The innocent victims of negligent doctors, careless drivers and shoddy work-site safety practices.

According to the BBC (Inside Out program) in five years West Midlands councils faced 35,000 claims for compensation. The councils paid 60 million pounds damages to the claimants. In one case a three week old boy was very badly hurt when his mother tripped and fell. The child had a fractured skull and a hemorrhage. It was found that the council should have fixed the broken paving slab his mother tripped over. The child was awarded 3,500 pounds. The council also had to fix the paving slab.

Other payouts in the same council area were 8,200 pounds, 10,395 pounds and 15,728 pounds. Interestingly the injuries in the other cases were less severe than those suffered by the child, but as the victims were adults their injury claim can include an element for loss of earnings.

Accidents at work also led to many injury claims in the UK. Under UK law employers must take proper steps to protect employees and visitors. Accidents are caused by poor training, poor supervision or just by carelessness. One machine operator had not been trained properly for his job. He had just received one week of training. When he injured his lower back in a fall it was found that the inadequate training was at fault. He received 32,000 pounds. Another man was awarded 13,500 after his job, which involved repeatedly lifting heavy bags of coins, led to back strain.

Other areas of UK economy report growth in claims. The AA reported that comprehensive insurance premiums had increased by 18.7% from 2009-2010. Insurers struggled with an increase in claim settlement costs, said a spokesperson. Claimants often had minor injuries such as mild whiplash pain. In the past they wouldn’t have bothered claiming. Claimants were encouraged because marketing by injury claim lawyers emphasized that the insurer would meet full legal costs.

In the UK now there are many such lawyer firms. They advertise that they can help win damages for people who suffer accident injury that was not their fault. Usually there is a free advice line which the accident victim can call. The firms will take these cases on a no-win no-fee basis if they believe their client has a good case. Under the usual arrangements any legal fees get awarded against the defendant so the claimant gets to keep all the damages awarded.

You can find important details on the steps you need to take to file a personal injury claim today. When you have an injury claim, working with a professional who has expertise and knowledge in your type of injury will help you to resolve the matter quickly!

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