Pages On: Personal Injury
Personal injury claims are usually made against an organisation or individual who has failed in their duty of care to you. Duty of care is the responsibility to maintain the health and safety of people interacting with you or a business. This can be in a store (occupiers liability) or in your place of work (employer’s liability), a medical professional (medical negligence), or even another road user (road traffic accidents). Regardless of how the personal injury came about, if the accident wasn’t your fault, or you were a victim of negligence, you are likely entitled to compensation.
Fatal Accident in Aberdeen Claims
Posted in: Personal Injury, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Losing a loved one is hard enough, but when it’s at the hands of a negligent party, grief turns to anger, confusion, and stress. When people important to you suffer a Fatal Accident, the consequences don’t end with them, they ripple across the whole family. Accidental deaths put a significant strain on the emotional and financial health of the entire family. Trying to hold those responsible to account can be almost impossible while trying to cope with losing another breadwinner, and/or suffering psychiatric distress from the death. This is where…
Read MorePersonal Injury Compensation Claims Solicitors of Aberdeen.
Posted in: Personal Injury
If you have been injured in Aberdeen, our team of personal injury claim experts can help you seek the maximum compensation you deserve. At Personal Injury Lawyers Aberdeen, we can help you seek damages on a No Win, No Fee* basis. This gives you piece of mind that your claim will be handled without any risk to your own finances, allowing us to get you the justice you deserve. Regardless of how or where you have been injured, our personal injury solicitors can help you both seek monetary restitution, as well as the…
Read MoreDo I Keep 100% Of The Compensation?
Posted in: Personal Injury
One of the most often-asked questions regarding personal injury claims is ‘do I keep all of the compensation’? The answer is often ‘yes’ and we’ll do all we can to ensure this is the case. Personal Injury Compensation Working out the amount you are entitled to will depend on the type and severity of the injury, the medical attention sought, any loss of earnings, the pain and suffering involved and any other important factors. Personal Injury Claims Aberdeen Limited solicitors will look at each case individually and they will be…
Read MoreParamedic compensated for broken nose after being headbutted by assailant
Posted: 1 May 2016
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A paramedic from Isleworth, who has opted to remain unnamed, has received an undisclosed figure in compensation for an attack that took place when he was called to an altercation in Acton, West London. The 46-year-old was responding to a call from a chip shop owner, who was being distressed by a customer who seemed to be very much under the influence of alcohol in the middle of the afternoon. The paramedic team attended the disturbance, but the assailant refused to receive medical attention from the paramedics. He seemed to leave the scene…
Read MoreInjured factory worker receives £122,000 after seeking legal advice
Posted: 21 April 2016
Posted in: Foot Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A factory worker, who sustained considerable injuries to his foot and ankle when a burning iron girder fell on him, has received £122,000 pounds after seeking legal advice. The worker, Shaun Powell from Chesterfield, was initially approached by his employer and offered £1700 for his time off work just six weeks after the accident. He decided to take advice from his union, who in turn referred him to their solicitors. The solicitor has condemned the underhand tactics of Mr Powell’s employers, stating: “This is the worst case I’ve seen of employers and…
Read MoreHorse rider wins £7000 in compensation after fall due to faulty gate
Posted: 4 April 2016
Posted in: Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shoulder Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Sporting Injuries
A horse rider has won £7,000 in compensation after claiming that a gate on a public bridleway caused her horse to bolt. The rider fell from her horse leaving her with a fractured right shoulder and soft tissue damage to her chest, back and right leg. The gate, which was badly maintained, sprung back as she was passing through which subsequently caused her horse to bolt. The claimant’s husband had previously complained to the council about the gate, stating that it was in a frequently used public area, and that it…
Read More£11m spent on under-5s treated in A&E for injuries at home
Posted: 7 March 2016
Posted in: Personal Injury
A new report published by the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM). It has revealed that Scottish hospitals spent more than £11 million in the period of 2013-14 treating under-5s in Accident and Emergency departments. It reported that almost three quarters of accidents occurred in the home, with half of the children being treated having fallen from heights of less than a metre. The main injuries being treated included falls, burns, poisonings and fractures, and health chiefs have called on £2…
Read MoreArmy death wrongly recorded as suicide
Posted: 15 February 2016
Posted in: Armed Forces Injuries, Criminal Injury and Assault, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
8-year-old Pte Cheryl James died at Deepcut barracks in 1995, which, at the time, was recorded as suicide. A second inquest into her death has, however, recognised that her death, originally recorded as suicide amid allegations of bullying and abuse at the barracks, may not have been suicide. Twenty years later, the army has apologised to her family, for “failing” young recruits. The inquest heard from Brig John Donnelly, the Army’s director of personal services, that the army had not been fully aware of the risks of leaving young soldiers to carry…
Read More£10K compensation following police dog bite
Posted: 9 February 2016
Posted in: Animal Attacks, Head and Brain Injuries, Shoulder Injuries
20-year-old Rhys Bennet has been awarded a £10,000 compensation pay out after being bitten by a police dog in October 2007. Rhys underwent a “terrifying” attack when aged 12 whilst playing in a park in Sapcote, Leicester with his friends. Police had been called to the park where it had been reported that children were kicking the pavilion. Police, together with dog handlers, were called to the park and an Alsatian police dog sunk its teeth into Rhys’ shoulder and bit him on the face. Rhys had to undergo surgery as a…
Read MorePort operator fined £300,000 over worker death
Posted: 30 January 2016
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Port operator, Clydeport has been fined £300,000 at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court following the death of 22-year-old worker Craig Logan in February 2015. The operator pleaded guilty to several breaches of health and safety laws, including failure to make risk assessments and ensure safe working practice. These led to Mr Logan being crushed to death on a crane at a coal terminal in Hunterston, Ayrshire. Mr Logan had gone to inspect the unloader crane cab when it had stopped working. It was revealed that Clydeport had failed to ensure that the cab was…
Read MoreMany streets in Scotland over air pollution limit
Posted: 19 January 2016
Posted in: Personal Injury
Friends of the Earth Scotland have revealed that many of the streets of Scotland are over the European legal limit for air pollution, which is linked to thousands of deaths in the country each year. Emissions of nitrogen dioxide are set at 40 microgrammes per cubic meter, but official monitoring stations managed by Friends of the Earth Scotland have shown breaches across the country in 2015. These emissions can be directly linked to asthma and other respiratory conditions. The most polluted street in Scotland was named as St John’s Road in Edinburgh,…
Read MoreThousands paid to Scottish teachers in accident compensation
Posted: 30 December 2015
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Head and Brain Injuries, School Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip
An annual report has revealed that a total of £180,000 was paid out to Scottish teachers and lecturers in 2013/14 in compensation. This figure has shown a dramatic decrease on the previous year, where a total of £300,000 was paid out. The report highlighted the highest payment, which saw a teacher being awarded £50,000 after suffering severe injuries from falling and hitting their head on ice in the school playground. Another teacher won over £3,000 after accidentally being hit in the face with a musical instrument. Educational Institute of Scotland…
Read MoreLate medical negligence application refused for birth injury claimant
Posted: 21 December 2015
Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence
A late application to amend a woman’s claim against a health board has been refused. 23-year-old Jill Clark was left permanently brain-damaged after suffering a severe brain injury during birth. She sued Greater Glasgow Health Board for £15million, claiming that midwives and doctors “negligently mismanaged” her mother’s labour. A Court of Session judge ruled that the minute of amendment — proposing a new “risk disclosure” case based on the UK Supreme Court’s decision in Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board — “conflicts with the principle of finality”. It was heard in…
Read MoreOne killed and two injured taxi passengers in Glasgow crash
Posted: 30 November 2015
Posted in: Car Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A car crash in the east end of Glasgow has left one passenger dead and another seriously injured. It was heard from police that a green Vauxhall Astra collided with a black Hackney cab at around 00:30 on Sunday. The accident happened at a set of traffic lights at the junction of Springboig Road and Stepps Road. It was heard that a 57-year-old woman, who had been travelling in the taxi, died at the scene. The other passenger, a 52-year-old man, was taken straight to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary with…
Read MoreReview into patient death at QEU Hospital in Glasgow
Posted: 8 November 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A thorough investigation is currently underway after an elderly man died on a trolley in one of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital’s corridors while awaiting treatment. It was heard that the patient suffered a cardiac arrest during his six-hour wait in the £842m hospital’s Immediate Assessment Unit corridor. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) said that a review of the patient’s treatment is currently being carried out. It was heard that the patient, who remains unnamed, arrived at the unit when it was extremely busy and “under pressure”. Patients that…
Read MorePothole damage includes six-figure back injury claim
Posted: 28 October 2015
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Pedestrian Injuries, Pothole Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Spine & Back Injuries
A recent Freedom of Information request has revealed that a total of £610,000 in compensation claims was filed against the Highland Council in the last six years because of potholes and poorly maintained pavements. One of the claims saw a member of the public awarded a six-figure payout after falling in February 2012 and suffering a severe back injury. Inverness Central councillor Richard Laird said that the council was “reaping what it sowed” after years of failing to adequately maintain the roads and pavements. It was found that of the…
Read MoreLegal action after man hits another with golf ball
Posted: 25 October 2015
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
A man has launched legal action against an Aberdeenshire golf club after he was hit by a ball outside his home. Army veteran Terry Gosling was forced to spend five days in hospital after being hit on the head by the ball near Alford Golf Club. The 75-year-old has taken legal action against the club, who were hosting the Gents Open when the accident happened on 27 June. It was heard in court that the responsible player had hooked his shot too far to the left, which resulted in the…
Read MoreFactory worker wins £125,000 injury compensation for crushed arm
Posted: 23 October 2015
Posted in: Arm Injury, Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries
A 58-year-old factory worker has been awarded a £125,000 work accident compensation package after having his arm crushed by machinery. Robert Faulds, from Falkirk, suffered severe injuries to his right arm after it was pulled into heavy machinery at a bottle-top factory in Bridge of Allan in September 2013. Mr Faulds claimed that after the accident, United Closures and Plastics blamed him and demoted him. It was heard that Mr Faulds had been working on a printing machine at the time of the accident. His right arm was pulled in by…
Read MorePensioner wins £10k following serious personal injury
Posted: 10 October 2015
Posted in: Knee Injury, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents
An 81-year-old woman has been awarded £10,000 in injury compensation after being pushed to the ground by a shopping centre’s automatic doors. Theresa Kean, from Dundee, had been walking through the doors at the Wellgate shopping centre in October 2011 when the incident happened. It was heard that a disabled access button activated the doors, which she pushed, yet the doors only remained open for a very short amount of time. The doors pushed her to the ground, causing her to suffer severe chest and knee injuries. “highlights the responsibilities…
Read MoreTattoo removal kits that burn users contain two banned acids
Posted: 2 October 2015
Posted in: Arm Injury, Personal Injury
A number of people have suffered serious burns after purchasing ‘do-it-yourself’ tattoo removal kits online. The kits are made up of a number of banned acids, which users are told to pour onto their skin to remove unwanted tattoos. The kits are being sold for no more than £15 on certain websites. Following the number of severe personal injuries that have come as a result of these kits, the Trading Standards Institute has apologised for not doing enough to warn people of the dangers of using these kits. 23-year-old Jess…
Read MoreDog owner fined following attack on 8-year-old
Posted: 30 September 2015
Posted in: Animal Attacks, Arm Injury
A dog owner from Fife has been ordered to pay compensation to the family of an eight-year-old boy after her dog attacked him in the street. The young boy, who remains anonymous, had been out playing when the dog managed to escape from its house and bite him. The strength of the dog’s grip caused the boy to fall and break his arm. The dog owner, 39-year-old Mandy Wallace, pleaded guilty to owning a dangerously out of control dog that caused injury and was ordered to pay £400 in compensation.…
Read MoreTimber firm fined over workplace injury
Posted: 7 September 2015
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A timber company has been fined £7,000 after a worker was dragged into machinery by his hand at a Lockerbie sawmill last year. Scott Gordon suffered life-changing injuries as a result of the incident at Steven’s Croft in March 2014, and was told by doctors that he would be permanently scarred. The company responsible, Forest Sawmills Ltd of Kidderminster, admitted to breaching health and safety regulations. It was heard in Dumfries Sheriff Court that the firm had failed to put any protective measures in place to prevent injury from happening…
Read MoreSchoolboy dies after industrial accident during work placement
Posted: 21 August 2015
Posted in: School Accidents, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A young schoolboy was killed last week in an industrial accident during his time on a work placement in Aberdeenshire. 17-year-old Michael McLean was found unconscious at Denholm Oilfield Services in Inverurie last Friday, before being rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Doctors were unable to revive him, and his life-support machine was later switched off. The teenager from Kincorth in Aberdeen had been on his last day of a summer placement with the company when the accident happened. The boy’s father, Mark McLean, works for the company and had secured…
Read MoreM&S fall victim receives hospital treatment and no apology
Posted: 28 July 2015
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents
65-year-old Jennifer Buchanan had to be rushed to Ninewells Hospital with a head injury after slipping outside her local Marks and Spencer. Mrs Buchanan said that she slipped on the wet ground outside the entrance of M&S in June, causing her to hit her head off the ground. It was reported last week that two women are suing the firm after suffering broken bones from slipping at the front door of the same store in Murraygate. Both incidents occurred after heavy rainfall. Mrs Buchanan said that she felt greatly let…
Read MoreGirl’s car crash death sparks call for speed limit change
Posted: 27 July 2015
Posted in: Car Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A 22-year-old woman died after suffering severe injuries in a car crash last week. Disneyland Paris performer Karen Gibson crashed into a tree on a notoriously dangerous road in Hamilton, and died in hospital two days later. Following the accident, a number of previous casualties were unearthed, inspiring her friends to draw up a petition to have the speed limit lowered on the road. The petition has already attracted over 2,500 signatures. The petition states that a total of five road traffic accidents had happened on Carlisle Road in Hamilton…
Read MoreHospital halts children's heart operations after three deaths
Posted: 29 June 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A Glasgow hospital has suspended heart operations on children after it emerged that three children died after having operations there. The fatalities occurred at Yorkhill Hospital, which was closed earlier this month, within one month of each other. The National Services Division, on behalf of the Scottish Government, has since launched an investigation, which will look at the cardiology department, intensive care, anaesthetics and cardiac surgery. Where the hospital has been closed, the services have been moved to the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children at the South Glasgow Hospitals…
Read MoreConstruction firm fined £200,000 over employee death
Posted: 25 June 2015
Posted in: Neck Injuries, Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A construction firm has been fined £200,000 after a worker died on a building site in Glasgow. 31-year-old Daniel Hurley, from Cork, Ireland, died in 2009 after a steel frame fell on top of him, crushing him. The firm, Morris and Spottiswood, was fined after admitting to health and safety failings that caused the death. It was heard in Glasgow Sheriff Court that Mr Hurley’s partner, 34-year-old Carrie McArthur, felt that the case took far too long to reach court, which she stated in a letter written to Sheriff Norman…
Read MoreClutha victim launches legal battle for promised charity funds
Posted: 5 June 2015
Posted in: Hip Injuries, Neck Injuries, Shoulder Injuries, Workplace Injuries
Following the Clutha tragedy in November 2013, a charity fund was set up to help survivors of the crash. Douglas Naismith, a retired firefighter who was injured as a result of the helicopter crash, has launched a legal battle against Glasgow City Council for failing to provide him with financial assistance from the charitable fund. The Clutha Appeal Fund was set up by the city council to support anyone that was affected by the accident. Mr Naismith, however, claims that he, and half of the casualties involved in the crash,…
Read MoreGolfer to payout £10,000 in compensation to fellow sportsman
Posted: 1 June 2015
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Personal Injury, Public Place Accidents, Sporting Injuries
A golfer from Lanarkshire is being forced to pay £10,000 in compensation to a fellow golfer who suffered serious injuries as a result of his ‘mis-hit ball’. 46-year-old John Ure was playing at Bellshill Golf Club when an erroneous drive hit him directly on the head with such force that he fell to the ground. Mr Ure suffered serious injuries as a result of the incident, for which he required hospital treatment. He raised action against golfer Stewart Muir for his injuries. Mr Muir offered his sincerest apologies to Mr…
Read More100's of cyclists claiming for injuries caused by tram tracks
Posted: 28 May 2015
Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Finger Injuries, Leg Injuries, Public Transport, Road Traffic Accidents
Following a surge of cyclist injury cases since the opening of Edinburgh’s tramlines, lawyers have warned the city council that action must be taken to prevent a future fatality. Speculations have been made that the number of officially reported incidents on the tramlines is in fact a lot less than the reality of the problem. One legal firm told the BBC that they are currently dealing with 100 cases. It is estimated that the council could be facing a compensation bill of hundreds of thousands of pounds. One lawyer, Patrick McGuire,…
Read MoreWorker sues over leg-crushing injury
Posted: 22 May 2015
Posted in: Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries
59-year-old Melvin Price is suing his employer, Tayside Contracts, after a tarring machine caused him serious injury. Mr Price had been operating a tarmac chipper when it rolled on to his left leg in November 2012. Reports stated that Mr Price, who was 55 at the time, had to be freed by a colleague before police and ambulance teams appeared at the scene. It was heard that Mr Price had been working behind the machine when it rolled backwards and ‘shattered’ his leg. He was immediately rushed to Ninewells…
Read MorePrison officer loses injury claim after training course accident
Posted: 16 May 2015
Posted in: Arm Injury, Neck Injuries, Shoulder Injuries, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A prison officer has been refused compensation after claiming for an injury suffered during a training course. Bernadette Smith, who worked for the private security firm Kalyx, was stationed at Addiewell Prison in West Lothian when the accident happened. She had been involved in a ‘mock riot’ training session when she was hit by a 12ft long plank of wood. She suffered injuries to her wrist, shoulder, back and neck. The training course was organised by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and took place on the 22 September 2010. Ms…
Read MoreTyre maker fined after worker is trapped and killed in industrial oven
Posted: 3 May 2015
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Tyre-making company Pirelli has been fined £150,000 after one of its employees died in an industrial oven. 48-year-old George Falder, from Carlisle, was found dead in the machine, (which reaches temperatures of 150C) by one of his colleagues. The Health and Safety Executive described it as a “tragic death”. Pirelli admitted to health and safety failings that caused the death in the Carlisle Crown Court. The company was forced to pay £46,700 in costs. The HSE brought further criminal proceedings against the company after an investigation found that there was no…
Read MoreSleepy driver awaits sentence after hitting couple on motorbike
Posted: 14 April 2015
Posted in: Arm Injury, Car Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Motorcycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents
Having been found guilty of dangerous driving, Bridge of Allan resident, Christopher Thornton, 36, is awaiting sentencing by Inverness Sheriff Court. Thornton had sent a text message to his partner before leaving Elgin on 23 August 2013 stating that he was “Just leaving Elgin, hopeful of staying awake” and attaching a photograph of four caffeine drinks, the court heard. He was later spotted drifting onto the wrong side of the road by witnesses and went on to strike a motorbike carrying Malcolm Traquair and Ruth Keighley, of Bearsden, on the A9 near…
Read MoreMountain warnings issued due to adverse weather conditions
Posted: 31 March 2015
Posted in: Personal Injury
People are being warned not to climb any of Scotland’s mountains in the coming weeks unless they are highly experienced and well-equipped. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) warned potential climbers that wind, snow, and freezing temperatures would make walking/climbing potentially very hazardous. MCofS expressed its concerns in advance of the Easter weekend, traditionally one of the busiest times of year for Scotland’s mountains. The council’s safety adviser, Heather Morning, said that only experienced mountain climbers should attempt to go out in these conditions. She stressed that inexperienced climbers were not…
Read MoreMother wins £5m in compensation for son brain-damaged at birth
Posted: 26 March 2015
Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence
A mother has been awarded £5million in compensation after her son was born with severe brain damage following birthing complications. 40-year-old Nadine Montgomery won the compensation over the claim that doctors failed to provide her with proper advice, which could have led to her son having had a safer caesarean birth in 1999. Sam Montgomery, now 16-years-old, requires around the clock care. Mrs Montgomery had previous had her claim rejected on two occasions at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. Judges at the Supreme Court, London, however, supported her claim against…
Read MoreBoy's neck broken at same Edinburgh school that crushed girl to death
Posted: 16 February 2015
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Neck Injuries, Public Place Accidents, School Accidents
A young boy is currently recovering after breaking his neck in the gym hall of his Edinburgh school. The accident happened less than a year after a pupil was crushed to death by a wall at the same school. 12-year-old Alan Ramsay had been swinging on a goal post in his PE class at Liberton High School when it collapsed, knocking him unconscious and causing him to suffer several broken bones, including his neck and jaw. Fellow pupils crowded in terror as he lay unconscious for three minutes. He was immediately…
Read MorePensioner hit by car whilst woman was texting
Posted: 9 February 2015
Posted in: Pedestrian Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A motorist that knocked down a pedestrian in Aberdeen in 2012 has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. 21-year-old Rachel Forsyth, from Westhill, had been accused of killing 79-year-old Lillian Morrison as a result of driving while using her mobile phone. Despite denying the charges, she was found guilty at the High Court in Aberdeen last week. The accident happened on 27 December 2012 on Aberdeen’s Queen’s Road. Ms Forsyth had been on her way to work at a squash club when she decided to send her mum…
Read MoreCoach company to compensate injured pensioner
Posted: 2 February 2015
Posted in: Bus Accidents, Public Transport, Road Traffic Accidents, Shoulder Injuries
A coach company has been ordered to pay £10,000 in compensation to an elderly woman who suffered severe injuries after falling on a coach in May 2013. The accident happened after the driver pulled away from the stop before she was properly seated, causing her to fall and severely injure her shoulder. 82-year-old Mary Steel had been travelling from Braehead shopping centre in Renfrewshire to Dunoon when the incident happened. Judge Judy Stacey ruled at the Court of Session in Edinburgh that the driver of the McGill’s bus was at…
Read MoreCyclists to sue Edinburgh council for injuries caused by tram tracks
Posted: 25 January 2015
Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Bus Accidents, Foot Injuries, Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Public Transport, Shoulder Injuries
Following numerous cases of cyclists severely injuring themselves on Edinburgh’s new tram tracks, a lawyer is taking the City of Edinburgh Council to court. Stewart White said that the council was responsible for the injuries suffered by his 60 clients, and argues that something should be done about it. Injuries caused by the tracks include broken jaws, collarbones and cheekbones, as well as a broken foot after a bus drove over it. Mr White said the clients he will be representing are only a very small percentage of people that…
Read MoreWoman dies in hospital blaze
Posted: 18 January 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
An elderly woman died after a fire broke out at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Fire crews were immediately called to the scene after the fire broke out in the Royal Victoria building at around 02:28. The fire crew managed to move fourteen patients from the ward to another complex, but a 75-year-old woman died as a result. The Royal Victoria building is the part of the hospital that specialises in treating the elderly. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was immediately contacted through an automatic fire alarm call.…
Read MoreBin lorry crash victim released from hospital
Posted: 30 December 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Following the tragic accident that saw six killed on 22 December in Glasgow, one of the victims has been released from hospital. The 18-year-old was released today following the bin lorry crash that happened in George Square just before Christmas. The teenager had been receiving treatment in a Glasgow hospital. NHS Greater Glasgow Clyde said that three people are still receiving hospital treatment following the tragic accident. These include the 57-year-old driver of the bin lorry who is being treated at the Western Infirmary and is believed to be in…
Read MoreNurse suing NHS Tayside for slip that broke her wrist
Posted: 18 December 2014
Posted in: Arm Injury, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip
A nurse at Ninewells Hospital is suing NHS Tayside after she slipped and broke her wrist. 42-year-old Verita Roach had been working at the hospital as a theatre nurse in the maternity block when the accident happened. She had been moving between emergency operations, pushing a trolley of used surgical equipment into another room to be cleaned, when she slipped and fell. She suffered a severe fracture to her left wrist. The hospital’s cleaning procedures are currently being investigated, but the hospital said that cleaning regimes have to be scheduled in…
Read MoreSix-figures for family of worker killed in garage accident
Posted: 8 December 2014
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The family of a man who died while working at a garage has received a six-figure sum in compensation. Stevie Conway was working in a chemical tank at the Diamond Wheels Tech site in Dundee’s Baird Avenue when the accident happened in 2011. Mr Conway’s partner, Angela Garthley, launched legal action against the firm following his death. She claimed that the firm had been negligent and that the accident could easily have been prevented. The case was meant to go to the Court of Session in Edinburgh last Friday, (5…
Read MoreWorker blinded in one eye after being struck by wiring
Posted: 3 December 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries
An Edinburgh-based company has been fined after one of its employees was struck in the eye by a piece of wire that left him blind in one eye. 20-year-old Declan Shipcott, from Alexandria, was working for Viridor Enviroscot at its Glasgow-based materials recycling facility when the accident happened two years ago. It was heard at Airdrie Sherriff Court that Mr Shipcott had been helping two colleagues clear a blockage in a machine. The wire cutters he was using allowed a piece of wire to bounce and strike him on the…
Read MoreUpset over c. diff deaths from hospital outbreak
Posted: 26 November 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death
MSP Jackie Baillie broke down in tears in parliament earlier this week with the belief that not enough has been done following the numerous deaths caused by a C. diff outbreak between 2007 and 2008. Ms Baillie has campaigned on behalf of those patients who lost their lives in the infection outbreak for several years, but says that there has still been no justice. The outbreak happened at Vale of Leven Hospital between 2007 and 2008. Of the 143 patients who became ill from the outbreak, 34 patients lost their lives. An…
Read MoreBollard that killed young boy was ‘unstable’
Posted: 20 November 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A court has heard that the bollard responsible for the death of a young boy at the Royal Highland Show in 2008 was ‘unstable’. Three-year-old Ben Craggs died from severe head injuries after the concrete bollard toppled onto him at the showground six years ago. The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland denies all eight charges brought under the Health and Safety at Work Act, despite farmer Stephen Crawford saying that he thought two of the bollards to have been ‘unstable’. Failed to secure the bollards with clamping Mr…
Read MoreMotorcyclist injured by 4x4 in road traffic accident
Posted: 14 November 2014
Posted in: Hand Injuries, Motorcycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents
A biker from Innerleithen suffered severe injuries in a motorbike accident when a 4×4 and trailer pulled out in front of him in 2012. 25-year-old Adam Russell had been on the A72 between Peebles and Innerleithen when the vehicle pulled out from a field just past the entrance to Glentress. He broke multiple bones in his right hand and required extensive surgery, which involved the insertion of metal pins into each finger. The accident happened in September 2012, after which Mr Russell could not use his hands for two and a half…
Read MoreInvestigation launched following farmer death
Posted: 28 September 2014
Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A Health and Safety Executive investigation has been launched after a farmer was killed in March. 66-year-old Jim Sharp had been operating a grain auger on Monday the 17th of March when the workplace accident happened. Mr Sharp was well known in the farming community, having been a former convenor of the NFU Scotland livestock board.. The president of the farming union, Nigel Miller, said that Mr Sharp has definitely left his mark on farming in the borders. He said: “As a man he had a sharp intellect and a level of…
Read MoreMotorcyclist left with severe brain injuries following car crash
Posted: 20 September 2014
Posted in: Car Accidents, Head and Brain Injuries, Motorcycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents
An Aberdeenshire man has been awarded compensation after he suffered serious injuries during a crash in October 2011. Graham Clark had been heading home on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road when his motorbike collided with a car. He suffered severe brain injuries and several fractures from the collision, which have since forced him to leave his job. The driver of the car received a 50-day driving ban and a £750 fine after being convicted of dangerous driving. Despite the conviction, the motorist’s insurance company denied liability, which led to a…
Read MoreKilled zookeeper’s family demand answers
Posted: 19 September 2014
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Neck Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The family of 24-year-old zookeeper Sarah McClay has demanded that their questions are answered following her death in May last year. The accident happened at the South Lakes Wild Animal Park, near Dulton-in-Furness, whereby Miss McClay was mauled to death by a Sumatran tiger. It was heard during the inquest that the tiger had managed to get through an open door from its enclosure to a corridor in which Miss McClay had been working. Animals and their keepers are supposed to be kept apart by lockable self-closing doors. However, the male…
Read MoreLink found between inmate brain injuries and offending
Posted: 29 August 2014
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Head and Brain Injuries, Personal Injury
Researchers have called for more to be done to raise awareness within the criminal justice system of how brain injuries and offending can often be related. Recent reports have found that the level of brain injuries among offenders in custody is far higher than the general population. Research conducted by Tom McMillan, professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Glasgow, said that his study, which looked at three prisons in Glasgow, found 23% of prisoners to have suffered a head injury in their life, 50% of which were classified as…
Read MoreHelicopter crash victims remembered a year later
Posted: 25 August 2014
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
One year after a helicopter crash in Samburgh Airport killed four people, 100 people gathered in Shetland to pay their respects. Last August a Super Puma helicopter crashed while trying to land at Samburgh Airport in Shetland, killing Sarah Darnley, from Elgin, Gary McCrossan, from Inverness, Duncan Munro, from Bishop Auckland, and George Allison, from Winchester. 100 people gathered at the dedication service held at the Samburgh Airport memorial site on Saturday (23 August). Wreaths were placed into the sea and a helicopter flypast also took place to mark the occasion.…
Read MorePoundland pays compensation to pensioner injured by display
Posted: 24 August 2014
Posted in: Hip Injuries, Leg Injuries, Public Place Accidents, Shop Accidents
An 86-year-old woman from Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, is to receive £3,000 in compensation after a display of batteries collapsed on her in a Poundland store. Peggy Dempsey suffered serious injuries in the incident in 2012, and required weeks of physiotherapy before she was able to walk properly again. The accident happened at the Perth branch of Poundland, whereby a poorly stacked display of batteries collapsed on top of her. The batteries had been stacked on only one side of the display, causing it to topple over and injure Mrs Dempsey’s…
Read MoreWorker death at abattoir caused by collapsed steel door
Posted: 20 August 2014
Posted in: Neck Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
An abattoir in Galashiels has been fined after being found guilty of two health and safety breaches which led to the death of one of its workers. The owners of Scottish Borders Abattoir Ltd were fined £100,000 after being found guilty by a jury at Jedburgh Sherriff Court. They originally denied the charges. 48-year-old David Barker from Selkirk died in an accident at the abattoir in January 2011. It was heard that he had been in a storage container, loosening the fixings of a steel partition door, when the door collapsed and…
Read MoreScientist admits blame for car crash fatality
Posted: 9 August 2014
Posted in: Car Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Leading scientist, Nathan Bailey, has admitted to causing a car crash that led to the death of an elderly man. The accident happened on the 28th of April last year on the M9 near Stirling. 34-year-old St Andrews University academic Nathan Bailey had been approaching junction 10 southbound on the M9 when he lost control of his car and crashed into a car being driven by 83-year-old Ronald Highcock. Sadly, Mr Highcock died in hospital a few weeks after the accident. Mr Bailey will be sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving…
Read MoreStair lift worker awarded compensation for falling down steps
Posted: 4 August 2014
Posted in: Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip
A stair lift worker from Inverness has been awarded compensation after falling down a step. Kathryn Hay (45) won £2500, after she slipped from one step to another while measuring them during the installation of a stair lift. Ms Hay had been using an expandable meter stick when the accident happened in a house in Lossiemouth. One end of the stick began to fall while she was measuring, causing Ms Hay to reach out and grab it. This caused her to slide from one step to the one below. The accident caused Ms…
Read MoreAberdeen lorry driver sues for £30k after serious fall
Posted: 28 July 2014
Posted in: Arm Injury, Foot Injuries, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Slip
A 58-year-old lorry driver from Aberdeen is suing an engineering company for around £30,000 after an accident left him with life-changing injuries. Robert Craig had been carrying out a delivery when the accident happened in July 2011. He has now opened a legal battle against Whittaker Engineering with the hope to win around £30,000 in damages. Whittaker Engineering is an Aberdeenshire-based firm that designs and builds equipment and components required for the marine and offshore industries. It has been supplying demand for the last three decades. “Caught in reinforcement panels” Mr…
Read MoreFootballers should be protected from concussion risk
Posted: 17 July 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Sporting Injuries
The footballers’ union FIFPro has called for an investigation to be launched into how concussion protocols could be introduced into the sport. It has been argued that an independent doctor, as opposed to the player or coach, should make the decision regarding whether a player should return to the pitch following a head injury. It has been stated in a journal in ‘The Lancet Neurology’ that these decisions should not be made “by those with a vested interest”. This debate was sparked by the recent World Cup whereby many of the players…
Read MoreNo procedure to avoid accident that lead to farmers death
Posted: 23 June 2014
Posted in: Falls from Heights, Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Following the death of well-known farmer William Davidson (62), a sheriff has ruled that there was no procedure in place to prevent the workplace accident from happening. Mr Davidson died in January 2013 after he fell from a silage pile at his farm near Moffat. He had been pulling back plastic sheeting when the accident happened, causing him to fall from the 16ft silage pile. It was heard that Mr Davidson’s feet had become tangled in the sheeting. Mr Davidson was a well-respected man in the farming world, having been a director…
Read MoreMotorsport safety review scheduled after 3 spectator deaths at car rally
Posted: 4 June 2014
Posted in: Car Accidents, Public Place Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Following the deaths of three spectators at a car rally in the Borders, the Justice Secretary has announced that a review of motorsport safety in Scotland is to be carried out. The individuals who lost their lives on Saturday were Iain John Provan (64), Elizabeth Allan (63), both from Barrhead, and John Leonard Stern (71) from Bearsden. Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary, said that lessons had to be learned from the accident so that it does not happen again. The review aims to include Police Scotland, The Motor Sports Association, Scottish…
Read MoreAccident that crushed worker's legs leads to £10,000 fine
Posted: 25 April 2014
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Leg Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A Stirlingshire firm has been heavily fined for serious Health & Safety breaches after a worker’s legs were crushed by a one tonne mould.The injury occurred when a worker, with more than 35 years of experience, was using an overhead crane to lift a mould. As the mould was moving, it struck him below the knees, crushing his legs between the casting box and a cast iron platform.An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that although risk assessments were in place relating to operations at the foundry,…
Read MoreAnimal shelter fined over volunteer saw injury
Posted: 24 April 2014
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Hand Injuries, Workplace Injuries
The largest shelter for horses and donkeys in Scotland has been fined after a volunteer lost part of his hand in a saw accident. Mountain Animal Sanctuary Trust has been fined a total of £6,000 for breaching health and safety regulations. The trust pleaded guilty to the health and safety offence at Forfar Sherrif Court earlier this week. The volunteer had been using a defective circular saw when the accident happened. The court heard that he had been operating a bench saw to cut up pieces of wood from an animal…
Read MoreAberdeen Firms Fined for Worker's Serious Fall Through Floor
Posted: 21 April 2014
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Falls from Heights, Spine & Back Injuries, Workplace Injuries
Two construction firms based in Aberdeen have been fined for serious safety failings after a worker fell and fractured his spine in several places.The worker had been replacing a floorboard over a hole in the first floor of a hotel in Aberdeen when he fell nearly four metres to the ground floor. Having suffered eight fractures and two broken ribs, he had to undergo physiotherapy to learn how to walk again and will have permanent damage to his lower back.Following in investigation into the incident, the Health and Safety Executive…
Read MoreInquiry date for farmer death
Posted: 15 April 2014
Posted in: Falls from Heights, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A fatal accident inquiry has been scheduled following the death of a farmer in Dumfries and Galloway. The 62-year-old livestock farmer, Willie Davidson, had been working at Poldean Farm near Moffat when the accident happened in January of last year. He died as a result of falling from a 30ft (9m) shed. The Crown Office has announced that an inquiry is to be held into the circumstances of the workplace death of Mr Davidson. He had been a well-known figure in the farming community of southwest Scotland, having played an active role…
Read MoreSeveral schools walls cordoned off following death
Posted: 4 April 2014
Posted in: Public Place Accidents, School Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Following the death of 12-year-old schoolgirl Keane Wallis-Bennett, multiple walls have been cordoned off around Edinburgh believed to be structurally unstable. Keane was fatally injured after a freestanding wall collapsed and crushed her at Liberton High School on Tuesday. As a result of the shocking incident, structural checks have been carried out across Edinburgh, with many areas being cordoned off as a result. Similar unstable walls have been identified in the changing rooms and toilets of Leith Academy and Castlebrae High School, alongside eleven of the city’s primary schools. A spokesperson from…
Read MoreParalysed artist pays £180 a week for care on NHS hospital ward
Posted: 31 March 2014
Posted in: Accidents and Sickness Abroad, Medical Negligence, Spine & Back Injuries
A man who is paralysed from the neck down has to pay £180 a week to receive care on an NHS hospital ward after his living allowance benefit was cut. Edward Rainey (52) has suffered with paralysis since 1984 when he was involved in a swimming accident on holiday. Since the accident, Mr Rainey was able to live in his house in Pollock, Glasgow, but social workers have advised him to go into a care home, or lose his benefits. Edward Rainey is paralysed from the neck down and was “strongly…
Read MoreEx Driving Instructor Turned Child Carer Hit Girl With Car
Posted: 24 March 2014
Posted in: Car Accidents, Leg Injuries, Pedestrian Injuries, Road Traffic Accidents
61-year-old Carol McGlone has lost her driving licence after hitting a six-year-old girl with her car in May 2013. The former driving instructor turned child-minder was on her way to work when the accident happened, hitting the young girl and knocking her to the ground. Ms McGlone had been driving on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow when she failed to spot a red light. A young girl and her child-minder stepped on to the road after the green man appeared, but Ms McGlone drove directly through the crossing, hitting the girl. The child…
Read MoreFamily to sue NHS after major care failures leave mother brain-damaged
Posted: 12 March 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence
The family of a woman who has been left with serious brain damage after doctors mistakenly turned off her life-support machine is planning to sue the NHS for damages of £5million. It has been speculated that this could be one of the biggest compensation cases seen in Scotland. Lorna Baillie was declared “technically dead” after suffering a heart attack two years ago. Doctors then agreed to turn off her life-support system, informing her family that she would be “medically dead” within an hour. 45-minutes later, relatives noticed that she was still breathing…
Read MoreCompensation conditions to be broadened for psychiatric injuries
Posted: 5 March 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Personal Injury
Personal injury lawyers are currently pressing to broaden the conditions under which psychiatric patients are compensated. It is widely believed that the current test is far too restrictive, and that those suffering with mental injury are not fairly supported. A campaign has been launched to widen the legal definition as we see the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough stadium disaster. The present test suggests that people only have “close ties of human affection” in parent-child relationships, or spouse-fiancé relationships. Furthering this, Alcock v Chief Constable of Yorkshire Police commented…
Read MoreChildminder banned following baby head injury
Posted: 14 February 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Personal Injury
Police are currently investigating an accident whereby a 14-month-old boy was found with severe head injuries at the Edinburgh home of his childminder. Halima Nassif, from Limefield, has had an “emergency condition” placed on her by the Care Inspectorate, which will remain until the police investigation has closed. The boy is currently being treated for his head injuries in hospital. It is believed by the Care Inspectorate that Halima Nassif had left the baby with a family member while she went out to work at another job. The family member was not a…
Read MoreCairngorms hillwalker survives 800ft fall
Posted: 20 January 2014
Posted in: Hand Injuries, Personal Injury
A 25-year-old hillwalker has survived a fall of around 800ft from a cliff edge in the Cairngorms. Ollie Daniel had been trekking in the Coire Sputan Dearg area on Sunday when he fell through the snow off a steep cliff. He and two other men, including his father, had been navigating in “near zero visibility in a white-out” when the accident occurred. He was later airlifted to hospital, with injuries including nine broken ribs. BBC Scotland asked Mr Daniel about the accident during his recovery at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, whereby he…
Read MoreSuper Puma that killed sixteen in accident “fell like a torpedo”
Posted: 7 January 2014
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
An accident inquiry has been launched after sixteen men died in a helicopter crash in the North Sea. One eyewitness of the accident said that the Super Puma helicopter “fell like a torpedo” through the sky, with the rotor blades coming down several seconds after the fuselage of the helicopter. The crash occurred in 2009, but many family members are still awaiting answers. The Bond Super Puma came down just off Peterhead, and all fourteen passengers and two crewmembers lost their lives. Immediately after the accident, a rescue boat was launched to…
Read MoreLorry driver dies in storm after HGV is blown over
Posted: 6 December 2013
Posted in: Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Yesterday’s (5th December) strong winds saw the death of a lorry driver when his HGV was blown on top of two cars in Bathgate. The storm conditions led to the closure of many public transport links, including trains and buses, and people were warned not to drive. The accident occurred yesterday afternoon and the driver of the lorry was reported dead at the scene. It was recorded by the Met Office that Edinburgh saw winds of 59mph, Glasgow 63mhp, and a gust was recorded in Glencoe, Stirlingshire that reached 106mph. At the height…
Read MoreTimber company fined over trapped worker
Posted: 27 November 2013
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Hip Injuries, Workplace Injuries
Timber firm, Hunter Wilson Ltd, have been fined £44,000 after one of their workers became trapped in a log haul machine when cleaning. The Gretna-based company admitted to breaching numerous safety regulations and pleaded guilty in March 2011. The injured worker was 28-year-old Steven Cairns who sustained serious injuries in the workplace incident, including a broken pelvis. It was heard at Dumfries Sherrif Court that no other workers actually witnessed the incident, but his screams were heard by workmates, who quickly rushed to his assistance. Mr Cairs was instantly airlifted to a…
Read MorePensioner’s wheelchair fall from medical lift on bus investigated
Posted: 25 November 2013
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Leg Injuries, Medical Negligence, Public Place Accidents, Public Transport
The Scottish Borders Council is currently investigating why a 75-year-old pensioner fractured her skull when her wheelchair fell from a minibus just outside her care home. The incident occurred on Thursday the 14th of November, and Margaret Bell has remained in the Borders General Hospital since. Mrs. Bell, from Galasheils, was being assisted out of the minibus by a medical lift at the Oakview Day Centre when she fell to the ground. The Scottish Borders Council is investigating the incident so that it definitely does not happen again. The investigation will allow a…
Read MoreFife council fined following chainsaw accident
Posted: 5 November 2013
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Foot Injuries, Workplace Injuries
Fife council has received a major fine after janitor Craig Davies lost his toe while chainsawing a tree that had blown down in high winds. The 40-year-old janitor was seriously injured at work after a large branch from the tree fell onto his foot and trapped it against the trunk. Despite three major operations, doctors were unable to save one of his toes. Fife council has been fined £20,000 after failing to carry out basic risk assessments surrounding the use of chainsaws. Mr Davies was called to Canmore Primary School in…
Read MoreTributes paid 60 years after lifeboat tragedy
Posted: 27 October 2013
Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
60 years ago a lifeboat disaster took the lives of 6 men just off the east coast of Scotland — a service is due to take place today to commemorate their deaths. The accident occurred only quarter of a mile from the harbour in Arbroath on the 27 October 1953. The men who died in the tragedy were David Bruce, Harry Swankie, William Swankie, Thomas Adams, David Cargill and Charles Cargill; the only survivor was Archibald Smith who managed to keep hold of a rope that had been thrown to the boat…
Read MoreFirm admits failures following River Clyde deaths
Posted: 15 October 2013
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
After a tug boat sank in the River Clyde in December 2007, killing three crew members, the owner of the vessel has admitted to health and safety failures. The ‘Flying Phantom’ had been trying to guide a cargo vessel to a dock when it sank directly opposite Clydebank College in West Dumbartonshire. The tug boat capsized when thick fog rolled in and the boat’s towing winch had not released quickly enough, causing the boat to capsize by the vessel it was pulling. Three crew members lost their lives in the accident:…
Read MoreNHS nurse mistakes blood poisoning for heartburn
Posted: 9 October 2013
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death
43-year-old John Willock died after an NHS 24 nurse misdiagnosed him, and instead told him to take the heartburn remedy Gaviscon. He was in fact suffering from blood poisoning. Mr Willock phoned the NHS telephone line multiple times after he fell ill on Christmas Eve 2009. The father of two from Erskine had been delivering presents to friends when he fell on ice, after which he became seriously ill. When Mr Willock fell on the ice he injured his knee, started to show “flu-ish” symptoms, was shivering and felt sick — the…
Read MoreNursing home investigated following four deaths
Posted: 19 September 2013
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death
An Edinburgh nursing home, Pentland Hill, is being investigated after four of their residents died in the last few months. Police Scotland were first called to the home in July when a 67-year-old woman died suddenly, but soon discovered that the problem was far greater than first anticipated. Inspectors discovered that the home was battling some serious issues, including problems with their management sector and problems with the level of care being provided to their residents. The Bupa-run home is currently receiving multiple complaints from residents’ families and has been ordered…
Read MoreNHS Lothian fined following patient attack on staff member
Posted: 12 September 2013
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Employer Negligence, Head and Brain Injuries, Workplace Injuries
NHS Lothian pleaded guilty last week to two charges of employer negligence after one of their nurses was violently attacked by a schizophrenic patient in March 2009. The nurse had thirty years of experience with difficult patients and managed to break free, but sustained injuries to her head after the patient ripped out her hair and “violently” shook her head. Magdalene Anderson was attacked from behind in the patient’s home in East Lothian. The patient, who has suffered thirty years of psychiatric illness, had previously attacked another NHS nurse with a knife. Due…
Read MoreSwinney to make statement regarding Super Puma crash
Posted: 4 September 2013
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
While the reason for last month’s Super Puma crash continues to be investigated, Scotland’s Finance Secretary John Swinney is due to make a statement at Hollyrood. Twelve days after the crash occurred — killing four people off Shetland — Mr. Swinney is expected to offer condolences to the families of those killed in the accident. As well as praise those who helped during the search and rescue operation. He said that ministers would co-operate with an industry inquiry, but that a decision is not ready to be taken concerning a wider…
Read MoreTribute paid to Shetland helicopter crash victims
Posted: 27 August 2013
Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The family of Gary McCrossan (59) — one of the four who died in the Shetland helicopter crash on Friday — has released a statement paying tribute to him. Described by family members as being “a fun, loving guy who was full of life”. His family and the families of the other crash victims — George Allison (57), Sarah Darnley (45) and Duncan Munro (46) — all have unanswered questions regarding the cause of the crash. A senior executive of CHC Helicopter — the operator of the Super Puma —…
Read MoreTom Gadsby dies competing in horse trials
Posted: 21 August 2013
Posted in: Personal Injury, Sporting Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
26-year-old Tom Gadsby died on the weekend while competing at The Somerford Park international horse trials in Congleton. The young rider from New Zealand took a fall on the final day of the event during the cross-country, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Olympic riders and eventers from all around the world attended to compete in the event at the River Dane valley site, which began on Friday. However, the competition was abandoned following Tom Gadsby’s fall on Sunday. Had been in Europe to fulfil his dream The head of Equestrian Sports New…
Read MoreCrown office wants firmer conviction for cyclist killer
Posted: 13 August 2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Gary McCourt’s driving has caused the deaths of two cyclists, twenty years apart, which the Crown Office feels should be punished with a less ‘lenient’ sentence. Following a previous conviction for causing death through reckless driving, the Crown Office argues that he should be banned from driving for life and should receive a prison sentence. Gary McCourt was banned from driving for five years and was punished with 300 hours of community service after he was found guilty of killing 75-year-old Audrey Fyfe in Edinburgh (August 2011). However, after prosecutors described…
Read MoreLegionnaires’ outbreak in Edinburgh cost NHS £750,000
Posted: 24 July 2013
Posted in: Industrial Deafness and Disease, Personal Injury, Public Place Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
After Edinburgh saw an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that killed four people last year, a report has unveiled the overall cost to the NHS — £750,000. Despite the fact that the root cause of the viral spread has not yet been pinpointed, the death of these four individuals prompted an NHS payout to cover further hospital admissions and advanced staffing. Further additions to the bill included medication, lab costs and public information. The outbreak was restricted mainly to the south-west of Edinburgh, with the report pinpointing a source around the…
Read MoreBaby dies in hospital due to poor care
Posted: 19 July 2013
Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death
After a baby died in April 2012 due to a fractured skull, a coroner has said that this could have been prevented by better care. On the day of baby Frank Gamble’s birth, hospital staff tried to deliver him with forceps and called for a caesarean section after their third failed attempt at delivery. Soon after he was delivered, Frank died from a brain bleed at Colchester General Hospital in Essex. Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray strongly believes that this could have been prevented had they opted for a caesarean after their first failed…
Read MoreStudy reveals impact of air pollution on weak hearts
Posted: 13 July 2013
Posted in: Industrial Deafness and Disease, Personal Injury
An international study has revealed the impact of air pollution on weak hearts — causing major damage, and in some cases, death. The British Heart Foundation, who funded the Lancet work, argues that the UK has to make serious changes in order to clean up the air. The levels of air pollution in many of the UK’s cities are above safe levels set by the European Union. This is not only a problem in the UK, but worldwide Despite major gains in lowering pollution throughout the European Union, some major metropolitan cities…
Read MoreChest Injury Claims – Get Compensation for an Accident in Aberdeen
Posted in: Personal Injury
Our chests contain some of the most vital parts of our bodies, from organs such as the heart and lungs to important muscles, arteries, veins, and bones. The chest is protected by the rib cage, however, where the rib cage is damaged not only is it very painful, but it also exposes the bodily parts that it houses to injury which could cause significant problems and discomfort. If you suffer any such injury at the hands of a third party, albeit by accident, then you may be able to make…
Read MoreChildren at Edinburgh primary school targeted by airgun pellets
Posted: 3 June 2013
Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Personal Injury, School Accidents
An arrest has been made following the terror caused by an airgun attack that took place on Thursday at an Edinburgh primary school. The airgun-user mysteriously targeted a total of 10 children as they were playing in the playground of their school, Gilmerton Primary, at lunchtime. One child, a young girl who was attacked with her friends, described her minor injuries: “I got shot twice on my thumb, and it started bleeding”. Other children reported redness and bruising following the incident — but luckily there were no fatal injuries. Shortly after the…
Read MoreZoo Worker is Mauled to Death By Tiger in Freak Accident
Posted: 3 June 2013
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Neck Injuries, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Described by colleagues as a “very experienced” staff member, who was both “proficient and passionate” at her job, was mauled to death by a tiger on Friday. Sarah McClay (24) — originally from Glasgow — worked as a zookeeper at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, near Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria and was attacked by a Sumatran Tiger when in the staff area of the big cat enclosure. The reason for the tiger being in the staff enclosure is unknown, but detectives have put it down to either “human or mechanical” error. Police believe that…
Read MoreWorkers’ Memorial Day Increases Awareness With New Website
Posted: 25 April 2013
Posted in: Employer Negligence, Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Sunday 28th April is Workers’ Memorial Day, the day on which we remember the thousands of lives lost or affected due to workplace accidents or ill health. The day also coincides with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which is marked by the International Labour Organization to help raise awareness of occupational accidents and industrial diseases around the world. Workers’ Memorial Day is an internationally recognised event which gives people across the world the chance to remember those who were killed or seriously injured while…
Read MoreFatal Accident Inquiry into helicopter tragedy
Posted: 26 March 2013
Posted in: Workplace Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The Crown Office has recently announced the results of its investigation into the deaths of all 16 men on board the Super Puma helicopter AS332 L2 G-REDL, which crashed into the North Sea on 1st April 2009. Having carefully considered all the circumstances of this incident, Crown Counsel have decided that there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution and as a result no criminal proceedings are instructed. The deaths of all 16 men who lost their lives in the tragedy are to be the subject of an inquiry in terms…
Read MoreWorker injured in unguarded machine
Posted: 12 February 2013
Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment, Finger Injuries, Workplace Injuries
A Kilmarnock firm that makes engine parts has been fined after a worker was injured when his hand got trapped in unguarded machinery. Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard that the agency worker was a trainee operator working on the rolling mills when the incident happened. He was attempting to free a strip of metal from the rolling mill when his gloved right hand became caught on an in-running nip and was trapped between two powered rollers. His hand was released when a colleague dismantled the top of the unit. The injured…
Read MoreDamages awarded for injury at stately home
Posted: 22 January 2013
Posted in: Foot Injuries, Public Place Accidents
A grandfather has been awarded £8,750 in damages after he injured his ankle falling into a ditch in the grounds of Hopetoun House, reports the BBC. The court had initially awarded John Cowan damages of £35,000, however the judge reduced this amount by 75% to reflect the contributory negligence on the part of the Mr Cown. The accident happened when Mr Cowan and his grandson went on a guided bat walk in the grounds of the Hopetoun House. At the end of the walk, he took his grandson to the…
Read MoreMother wins compensation for son brain-damaged at birth
Posted: 15 January 2013
Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence
A mother has successfully claimed compensation on behalf of her son, who suffered severe brain damage at birth as a result of errors by medical staff, reports the Daily Mail. Clare Scott pursued her claim against the Royal Bournemouth Hospital Trust for 12 years, after the Trust initially denied liability in the case. Mrs Scott had a normal, healthy pregnancy until she went into labour and attended the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in Dorset. During her labour, the midwives did not notice for some time that the umbilical cord had become…
Read MoreCare home provider fined after elderly resident died
Posted: 15 November 2012
Posted in: Medical Negligence, Neck Injuries, Wrongful & Accidental Death
A South Lanarkshire care home provider has been fined after an elderly resident, Mrs Elizabeth Stevenson, died after breaking her neck in a fall. The company admitted to failing to review and update a risk assessment for Mrs Stevenson and failing to provide adequate care instruction and supervision to their employees engaged in moving and handling residents of the care home in Uddingston. In October 2008, a carer in the home was in the process of assisting Mrs Stevenson in undressing in order to transfer her from her bed to…
Read MoreLatest figures on Scottish road traffic accident casualties
Posted: 25 October 2012
Posted in: Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
Transport Scotland has recently published statistics on road traffic accident casualties in Scotland for 2011. The figures show that the number of fatalities on Scotland’s roads is down 11% on last year and 47% on 2001 data, and those seriously injured are down 5% on last year, and 45% on 2001. The figures also show that there were: 9,974 reported injury accidents in 2011 — 3% fewer than in 2010 and the lowest number since accident records began in 1966;176 fatal accidents — 7% fewer than in 2010 (note that…
Read MoreCalls for Changes to British Summer Time To Decrease Road Traffic Accidents
Posted: 25 October 2012
Posted in: Bicycle Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents, Wrongful & Accidental Death
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has recently called for changes in the way British Summer Time operates, to give more daylight hours in the evening, when road traffic accidents are more likely to happen. The IAM would like to see the British time zone brought forward by an hour in both winter and summer. Figures from the Department for Transport show that this could prevent about 80 deaths and at least 200 serious injuries on our roads each year. Road casualty rates increase with the arrival of darker evenings.…
Read More