Fraudulent Claim Still Gets Payment

A man who faked the seriousness of his injuries sustained from an accident at work on a forklift has still been rewarded with £90,000 of a £900,000 claim even after the insurance company obtained footage of him leaving a medical examination on crutches, only to be seen walking fine and unaided when he got out at the other end.

Judges decided that the genuine part of his claim could still be kept which was £90,000 but the insurance company, Zurich, are arguing that the whole claim should be thrown out since the majority of it was fraudulent.

You can read more about the case and see the video footage by following the below link.

'Liar' who faked work injuries to make fraudulent claim for £830,000 awarded £88,000 compensation by court

Accident Blackspot Being Rectified

It’s not just accidents at work where workers can suffer a personal injury, the journey into work can also be filled with hazards on the road as workers all battle for position to get to work on time. Around the country there are a lot of danger hotspots where improvements could be made, one of which is soon to undergo in South Yorkshire.

A new stretch of road is going to join Junction 31 of the M1 to the B6463 junction at Todwick near Rotherham and is looking at being finished by December 2013. The reason for the introduction of this new road is because the road that currently runs from the M1 junction to Todwick crossroads is one of the most dangerous accident blackspots in Yorkshire. From 2006 to 2011 there was:

• One fatality
• Seven serious accidents
• 30 other road accidents.

It’s good to see a council taking note of these statistics and looking to implement a solution to reduce the number of accidents in this area.

Man Stuck as Trench Collapses

I always spend some time looking at different accident at work cases from across the UK, sometimes even the world, and this one caught by eye recently. A man was buried waist deep in a trench on a housing development after the trench collapsed because of a mixture of heavy rain and the digger digging the trench. He suffered serious injuries and the engineering company were fined £10,000 because of the accident.

You can read more at the Ashley Ainsworth compensation claims website.

Injuries from Vibrating Tools

I recently came across a news story relating to a man that won a compensation claim because of a personal injury caused from using vibrating tools. The use of vibrating tools such as drills and other equipment can result in an injury known as carpal tunnel syndrome or vibration white finger. The condition can take years to fully develop and leads to numbness in the hands which causes a decrease in your dexterity.

Employers should make sure their employees are aware of the dangers these tools can cause and make sure that they are all using the right protective equipment to ensure their safety.

You can read this compensation for vibrating tools injury case for more details.

Different Types of Accidents at Work

No matter what type of environment your workplace is there are plenty of potential risks. Some accidents can happen from a mistake on your part, something someone else has or hasn’t done or from a completely random chain of events. Here is a list of some of the most common causes for suffering an accident at work.

Old Fashioned Safety Poster

Whilst this is an old fashioned poster from the 1970s I think it’s still a very poignant poster that would still have a place in today’s work factories to try and reduce the number of work accidents relating to eye injuries.

img src: http://www.designweek.co.uk/whats-on/a-history-of-accident-prevention-posters-revealed/3034536.article

The thought of not being able to see your wife and child is very hard hitting so if anyone working in an environment where there is risk to the eyes and sees this poster, they will hopefully make sure they are protected efficiently. The wording on the poster is also very clever and is a great example of encouraging safety in the workplace.

Work Safety in the Middle East

Health and safety gets quite a lot of bad press but the majority of work they do is very important to protected people and ensuring accidents don’t happen. For every bonkers conkers story there is a positive story about the work of health and safety experts doing work that really does help to ensure a safer working environment.

Accidents at the Farm

In the news this week was the Ulster Farmers Union who has said that more needs to be done to reduce the number of farmers killed in accidents whilst at work. When we think about an accident at work situation you will most probably think about accidents taking place on building sites or factories or maybe even office related accidents. Of course there are accidents in all types of workplaces and the farming industry is no different.

Accident at Work Case Study - Hearing Loss

More than £270,000 compensation was paid out to a group of workers because of an accident at work because of “exposure to excessive noise in the workplace” that resulted in hearing loss.

Bad Chair Posture Could Lead to a Personal Injury

If you work in an office then chances are you spend the majority of the day sat in a chair working on a computer. If you’re not sat correctly in your chair though you could be doing yourself a personal injury that could result in long term issues and problems related to your back, arms, legs or eyes. It is the responsibility of your employee to make sure you know the correct posture for sitting at a desk and the human resources department will help ensure you know the correct method. Here’s a look at some advice though that will make sure you are sitting correctly.

Technology Replacing Limbs and Organs

The extent of an injury suffered due to an accident at work varies greatly. The seriousness of your injury can depend on the environment you’re working in and the type of risks that you are exposed to on a daily basis. If you do suffer an injury then the recovery time also varies greatly, and could be anything from a ice pack to the knee or a couple of days off. Sometimes though there are more serious accidents that result in people losing limbs or other body parts.

NHS Compensation Claims

Have you ever suffered an accident at work? Well have a look at this list of NHS claims that have happened that have cost over £20million in a year.