A 34-year-old Chester resident and her 12-year-old son both suffered personal injury when a concrete block fell from a crane. Lisa Walker suffered injury to her ankle and her 12-year-old son Louis sustained leg, ankle and back injuries. Some clothing was also damaged in the accident.

They were crossing a car park near a construction site in the city centre when the concrete block came loose from the crane, which was in the process of lifting a load from the fourth floor of a building. Witnesses reported that the block fell onto a wooden hoarding, which surrounded the construction area. Despite a warning shout from one of the workman, Lisa and Louis were unable to get out of the way as the block then bounced onto the pavement injuring them as they passed by, missing their heads by inches. They needed to be taken to (more…)

A woman who suffered an injury has launched a personal compensation claim against Thames Water as a result of injuries suffered in summer 2006, when she fell outside her house on a slippery piece of algae. The fall came after she was beset by floods, and a dangerous gas leak at her home.

Karin Imber is pursuing the claim for personal injury because the innocent fall transpired after the event, to be the result of water, sewage and gas leaks under her house. Cracks in the water and gas mains to her home were caused by pressure as a result of a burst sewage pipe.

As well as injuring her back and arm, the 52 year old has been coping with a series of infections.

Describing her experience Ms Imber of Woodford Green, said:

“It’s been horrendous. When I fell I ruptured three discs, and from the build-up of (more…)

The family of a pensioner who was injured by an automatic door have been awarded an undisclosed sum following the recent resolution of a personal injury compensation claim.

Tesco admitted liability following the incident in May 2008, at their Long Row branch in Nottingham, during which Margaret Buxton (84) was knocked to the ground by a malfunctioning automatic door.

Mrs Buxton failed to recover fully from the subsequent surgery on her right leg, and in November was found in a collapsed state at her home, by her daughter, Mrs. Susan Wilson, who said:

“She had previously been admitted to hospital with past health problems and she had always been able to pick herself up and was very positive about life. The trauma that she went through shook her greatly, causing her health to deteriorate.”

Mrs Buxton died some days later, following admission to hospital.

Although the compensation claim had been initiated by Mrs Buxton, it was continued on her behalf by (more…)

A Kent schoolboy was seriously injured and could claim for compensation after apparently falling from the window of a school bus.

13 year old Matthew Harwood, a pupil at Cornwallis Academy in Maidstone Kent, was injured after he fell through a side passenger widow near the front of the bus. The incident occurred on his journey home from school.

It was initially believed that the fall had been an accident. However, witnesses later confirmed that the incident followed an altercation with other youths on the bus.

Matthew was taken to Maidstone hospital following the incident where he received treatment for a broken right arm and a lacerated (more…)

Early this month the pushchair manufacturer McLaren agreed to pay compensation to more than 40 British families whose children have suffered injury as a result of a faulty folding and hinge system. The children, aged between one and eight years, suffered varying degrees of injury ranging from lacerations to the loss of a fingertip. McLaren has not admitted liability – but has agreed to pay full compensation to all children affected and it is expected this will range from £2,500 to £10,000.

The firm previously withdrew 1 million products in the USA in 2009 following similar complaints. When the McLaren story reached the UK it sparked a number of calls to the BBC and other media and consumer organisations from parents who had experienced similar problems. McLaren stated at the time that the fault did not affect UK products and subsequently provided hinge covers for (more…)