Types Of Accidents

At the Accident Claims Helpline we deal with all types of personal injury accident and injury claims. We work on a no win no fee basis which means that whether you lose or win your claim, either way there are no fees to pay. We deal with a wide variety of personal injury claims. The most common type of accidents that we deal with are listed below. This list is not exclusive but it will give you an indication of the kinds of claims we can cover.

Road Traffic Accidents:

Auto accidents are the most common type of accidents. Every year nearly 1.2 million people die because of road accidents and approximately 50 million people all over the world are injured because of road accidents annually. Auto accidents include car crashes, rollover of vehicles, bicycle, motorbike accidents, accidents in buses, vans, lorries and accidents to pedestrians because of vehicles.

A road traffic accident is defined as an accident that occurs on a road or in a place which has public access. This can include bridleways and footpaths. In Scotland, a public road is defined as a road that a local authority has a duty to maintain.

Sometimes the liability is straightforward and obvious – it is clear who was responsible for the accident and there will be no dispute over liability. For example, as a general rule, the driver of a vehicle which runs into the back of another vehicle will be held liable for the accident. This rule pertains even if the car in front brakes sharply or stops suddenly. This is because drivers are meant to keep a safe distance between them and the vehicle in front. However there are times where things are not black and white. It is important to have a skilled road traffic accident solicitor representing your claim to ensure you get the best information and advice.

Accidents At Work:

An accident at work is any accident that occurs in the work place during working hours and directly or indirectly causes bodily injury, functional disorder or illness resulting in a decrease in the individual's ability to work or earn an income or in their death. It is the legal duty of every employer to ensure that you are kept safe from harm. Sometimes employers are negligent and the potential hazards at work lead to actual accidents and injuries. These are the basis for accident at work claims (also called employers liability claims). Even if your accident hasn't caused you to take time off work, you can still claim accident compensation for the physical pain and suffering of your injury.

Accidents at work can happen in all kinds of ways. You may think no-one was necessarily to blame, but it is possible you may receive compensation if your accident claim involves for example any of the following:

• Using dangerous machinery
• efective equipment or machinery
• Inadequate training in the use of machinery
• Lifting heavy objects
• Slippery Floors
• Lack of provision of adequate protective clothing or goggles
• Careless acts by other workers causing an accident

Slips, Trips or Falls

Claims for injuries as a result of slipping, tripping and falling are amongst the most common type of personal injury because these accidents can happen to anyone, anywhere, for example on a street, at work or in a shop. Owners of the places we visit are responsible to ensure we are safe and can visit places and move about without the risk of injury. Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that streets and pathways are free from hazards like potholes and are well maintained.

Often a simple slips or trips accident can cause a serious injury like a back or head injury or paralysis or broken legs, wrists or arms. It is common for these kind of accidents to happen in the workplace where the employer has not paid enough attention to health and safety regulations. Slips often occur in public places for example when someone may walk on a wet surface, or where there is a spillage of some kind like oil. Ice and snow are another very common cause of slipping

Tripping is as common as slipping. For example many people trip over electrical cords in the home or office, or trip over objects that have been left in public access areas.

Medical Negligence

Those who work in the medical profession have a 'duty of care' to ensure their patients receive the right and proper and treatment. Much of the time the medical profession do an excellent job in improving the health of their patients. However when mistakes are inevitably made the results can be severe resulting in injury, distress and sometimes death. Our lawyers are amongst the most experienced in the country when it comes to handling cases of medical negligence. We ensure you receive a sensitive, understanding and dedicated service from us and we will unswervingly fight for the fullest possible compensation for you.

Medical issues can be complex which means medical negligence claims can be long drawn-out. It can be difficult to prove that an injury was due to medical negligence and that a particular person was at fault. It is therefore essential that claimants get help from specialists such as us – solicitors with years of experience and expertise in handling medical negligence cases.

There are various types of medical negligence compensation claims, such as –

• Mis-diagnosis
• Surgical errors
• Wrong prescriptions or dosages
• Wrong interpretations of medical tests
• Neglect
• Injury to mother or child during childbirth

The amount of compensation you will receive if your medical negligence claim is successful can depend on various factors such as the number of dependants you have, your salary and the seriousness of the injury or disability.

Industrial Diseases

Industrial diseases are injuries, disabilities, or illnesses resulting from long term exposure to an occupational hazard in the workplace. One example is deafness and tinnitus. It is estimated that more than one million people are at risk of developing work - related hearing problems. Another example is exposure to asbestos which gives rises to conditions like asbestosis, pleural plaques, pleural thickening and mesothelioma. Occupational asthma can be caused by factors such as platinum salts, animals and insects in laboratories, colophony fumes, flour and grain dust, isocyanates, epoxy resin curing agents and proteolytic enzymes.

Product Liability

If you have been injured by a defective consumer product, the laws relating to health and safety give you the legal right to pursue a claim for compensation for those injuries. The claim is made against either the supplier or the manufacturer of the faulty goods.

Criminal Injury

If you have been physically or psychologically injured by a violent crime in the last two years you could be entitled to compensation. The Accident Claims Helpline are one of the UK's leading experts on criminal injuries and can operate on a no win, no fee basis.

Other Types Of Accident Claims

Other types of accident claims include toxic sofa rash, dog bite attack, accidents on holiday and construction injuries to name just a few. If your accident or injury does not fit into any of the categories mentioned here it does not mean that you cannot claim. It may very well be that you can claim so please do contact us by either filling out our simple online claim form or telephoning us on 0845 056 9269