House Fire Survivor Underlines Importance of Smoke Detectors

All residential properties must be fitted with a smoke detector, personal injury solicitors Bolton have warned, echoing the comments of an unidentified man who escaped from his burning house after being alerted by a smoke alarm.

The 20-year-old leapt from his loft bedroom, jumping three floors to safety, after the blaze broke out on November 14^th just before 1pm.

He was sleeping in the Bolton Road property in Swinton when the alarm woke him up. He revealed that he went downstairs to find his dad, but was unable to do so, so went back to his loft room and closed the door.

He then jumped on to the kitchen roof and attempted to break the window of the back bedroom, where he thought his father was. He was unable to do so, but when he reached the front of his house he saw his dad had successfully escaped.

Watch Manager Mark Coffey - a fire officer - happened to be passing by the house when it was on fire. He saw the father reentering the smoke-filled house to look for his son, and took him out of the house.

While both occupants survived this fire with no significant injuries, personal injury solicitors Preston know the consequences could have easily been far worse.

The fire service used a fan and hose reels to clear the smoke and extinguish the fire. The emergency services, which came from Agecroft and Salford, had to use breathing apparatus.

Free flu jabs on offer in Lancashire

Lancashire County Council is offering members of the public free flu jabs, and personal injury solicitors Preston would encourage people to take advantage of them.

People who are deemed to be 'at risk' may also be able to receive the inoculation at their chemist. At risk groups include people with certain medical conditions, older people, very young children and pregnant women. This year marks the first time that children aged two and three will be eligible for free flu vaccinations.

In north and central Lancashire in 2012, over 75% of people aged over 65 were vaccinated against the flu, and the county council wants to keep this figure high this year. The county council's head of health protection Debbie Wright said that the local authority is also concerned about the low number of vaccinated people of all at-risk groups throughout east Lancashire, with the number of vaccinated people in east Lancashire lower than the UK's average.

Furthermore, there are concerns about the relatively low number of pregnant women receiving the jab.

No win no fee solicitors Preston advise people who were already inoculated last year that they will still need to have the jab this year, as the old vaccination will not protect them against the new flu strains that have emerged this year.

Nasal spray vaccinations are also available this year, and children aged two or three can receive these for free from GP practices. This range of new treatment options means it is now easier than ever for people to vaccinate themselves against the flu.

While most people will be able to cope with the flu without any serious medical problems, vulnerable groups can experience severe complications, which can be fatal. Personal injury solicitors Preston recommend that anyone who works with these vulnerable groups should visit their local GP to enquire about the flu 

vaccination. If they begin to feel like they are coming down with the flu or any other transmissible illness, it is strongly advisable that they do not go to work, as this could cause the disease to spread with potentially devastating consequences.

Alcohol warning for teens in Lancashire

Alcohol is a dangerous drug that is all-too-regularly a factor in the compensation claims personal injury solicitors Preston handle. Recent research by Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards department has shown that young people in the district could be putting themselves at unnecessary risk by consuming excessive alcohol.

A poll involving 3,500 youngsters conducted by the council found that among people aged between 14 and 17, 45% said that they drink alcohol in order to get drunk. This is putting youngsters in the district in a lot of danger:

- 12% said they have been in a car that was driven by a drunk-driver

- 25% have had sex that they later regretted because they were drunk

- 38% said that drunkenness made them lose control of themselves

- 25% said they have been in a fight or are violent when they are drunk

However, no win no fee solicitors Preston are pleased to see that the number of under-18s who do not drink in the district is rising. Overall, 38% of 14 to 17s said they do not drink alcohol at all, compared with just 20% of respondents to the poll in 2011.

Personal injury solicitors Preston frequently hear complaints that young people nowadays drink too much and are binge-drinkers, but the statistics revealed by Lancashire County Council indicate this is not the case and that young people should not be negatively labeled in such a way.

Eliminate drink-driving by 'None for the Road'

The drink and drug driving campaign for Manchester this year is 'None for the Road', and personal injury solicitors Manchester ask people to heed its message.

Stockport Road Safety Unit, Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Salford Council Road Safety Team are collaborating for the campaign. There will be events at MediaCity, including a driving and motor vehicle accident car crash simulator.

Alcohol was a factor in 336 road accidents in Greater Manchester over 2012. A total of 265 of people suffered minor personal injuries in these collisions, but 66 caused serious injuries and five people lost their lives.

Although it is permissible for people to drive after consuming a small amount of alcohol, the message of the campaign is that the only safe amount for drivers to drink is absolutely nothing.

But no win no fee solicitors Manchester are reminding people that the dangers of drink driving do not simply relate to the risks of road traffic accidents - offenders could find their license revoked or could even go to jail if they are found to be driving over the limit. Last year, GMP's festive operation to test motorists for drug and alcohol intoxication saw 11,230 drivers breathalysed, with 464 of these either refusing to take the test or testing positive.

Greater Manchester Sees Four Electrical Fires in 24 Hours

Personal injury solicitors Manchester are urging people to check their electrical appliances, as Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service revealed it went to four different electrical fires on November 14^th.

One of the fires occurred in Little Hulton at 11.44pm. This fire destroyed a bedroom and caused significant damage to the rest of the property, and is believed to have originated in a radio.

Another fire occurred at 7pm and saw a 64-year-old female and 66-year-old man escorted from their Withington flat. The fire had already been extinguished when the emergency services arrived, but both victims required hospital treatment and oxygen. This fire was thought to have been caused by an electrical surge.

Earlier in the day, a man had to leap three floors to escape a fire in a house in Swindon, with this blaze also caused by electrical problems.

At 10.53pm, the fire service dealt with a fire in Stockport that was believed to have been caused by a malfunctioning electrical blanket. A 15-year-old girl suffered smoke inhalation and required hospital treatment, while three other people were given oxygen at the scene.

Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims event held in Preston

Personal injury solicitors Preston extend their sympathies to anyone who has had to make a road traffic accident claim in the town, following an emotional service in the city's County Hall on November 17^th.

The service marked World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, and was one service of thousands held internationally. The day aims to honour the hard work of emergency service personnel and to mark the lives of everyone who has died in motor vehicle accidents.

Friends and families of people across Lancashire attended the service, and were welcomed by chairman of Lancashire County Council Michael Devaney and representatives from the ambulance, police and fire services and from Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council.

No win no fee solicitors Preston hope people took the opportunity of the remembrance day to consider their responsibilities towards other road users and to take every effort to prevent road traffic accidents from occurring.

Don't go to GPs unless you need to, Blackburn residents warned

With residents across East Lancashire, Darwen and Blackburn encouraged to take care for their families and themselves over the winter, personal injury solicitors Blackburn are asking the public to stock up on painkillers or cold and flu relief to prevent GPs surgeries and hospitals from becoming clogged up.

People in vulnerable groups, such as very young children, older people, people with certain health problems, and carers, may be able to receive an inoculation against the flu from their GP or from a pharmacy.

Every year, around 57 million visits to the GP involve just minor health problems. These take up around one hour of the average GP's time every working day and cost the NHS around £2 billion. In many cases, these visits could have been prevented had otherwise healthy people allowed flus or colds to wait for the condition to run its course or had bought over-the-counter remedies at the pharmacy.

In Darwen and Blackburn alone, around £600,000 is spent every year on prescribing medicines for minor illnesses. No win no fee solicitors Blackburn advise GPs to take care when dismissing someone's health problems as just minor illnesses if they are convinced it is something more serious, but would ask people to only visit the doctor if they think they have a long-lasting or dangerous illness that they require specialist treatment for.

Wood Recycling Firm Fined After Man Dies In Load Shovel Accident

A Manchester wood recycling firm received a huge fine for the death of a worker in an accident at work, and personal injury solicitors Manchester would like other companies to learn lessons from this incident.

Raymond Thomas Burns, a 43-year-old from Eston, was working at UK Wood Recycling Ltd's premises in Wilton, Redcar, when he was struck by a 'load shovel' loading vehicle, which was transporting material across the site.

Mr Burns had been walking to a skip after working on a wood pile when he was struck by the load shovel. He died at the scene.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the business had not put measures in place to segregate vehicle and pedestrian traffic on the site. This left members of staff unprotected from moving vehicles, and had led to a number of other near misses and vehicle collisions at the workplace. No win no fee solicitors Manchester would urge any businesses that use moving vehicles to ensure that effective vehicle traffic / pedestrian traffic segregation measures are in place.

UK Wood Recycling Led, of Lumb Farm in the Little Moss area of Droylsden, admitted breaching the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulatgions and was fined £200,000 with an additional £34,000 in costs.

Attend organised Bonfire Night events, personal injury solicitors Rochdale advise

Personal injury solicitors Rochdale are asking people to visit council-held fireworks displays and Bonfire Night events, rather than holding their own.

The risk of accidental injury is very high over Guy Fawkes' Night, and Clearwater Solicitors - a team of no win no fee solicitors Rochdale - are expecting to see a number of painful and serious injuries caused by reckless and negligent use of fireworks, or careless use of fire.

This year, organised Bonfire Night events in Rochdale include:

-          Cronkeyshaw Common, Syke, October 30^th

-          Cherwell Avenue, October 31^st

-          Mayfield Rugby Club, November 1^st

-          Rochdale Cricket Club, November 9^th

There will also be a number of Bonfire Night events in the towns and cities outside Rochdale. It is always far safer to go to an organised display than for a person to hold their own - organised displays reach strict safety standards, whereas home displays can be considerably more dangerous. People who are injured at organised displays may also have a better chance of success in personal injury claims - no win no fee solicitors Rochdale point out that the organisers of these displays will have public liability insurance policies, which will make it easier for people to claim compensation if they are injured due to negligence.

Man prosecuted for failing to take drink-driving test

With a father of four from Bolton convicted of failing to provide a test for drink-driving, personal injury solicitors Bolton would like to remind motorists of the dangers of driving while drunk.

Mark McGreevy, a landscape gardener from Walter Avenue, was fined £250 with costs of £200 and a £25 victim surcharge at Blackpool Magistrates Court. He was also banned from driving for 28 months, the Lytham St Anne's Express reported.

He could not provide a breath test due to his asthma, and said a fear of needles prevented him from giving a blood test, but he also failed to provide a urine sample for analysis. Officers received reports of a car crash on June 22^nd at approximately 8pm, and arrived at the scene at North Houses Lane to discover McGreevy staggering along the road. Investigators believe that his car had mounted the grass verge after failing to negotiate a bend, which blew out the engine and a Tyre.

McGreevy admitted that he thought he might have gotten away with drink-driving by refusing to provide a sample and that he knew he was over the limit.

In 2012, figures from the Department forTransport show 250 people lost their lives in road accidents involving drink-drivers A total of 68% of these deaths were riders and drivers who were intoxicated at the time of the collision, with the remaining 32% other people who were involved in the accident, such as passengers or innocent road users. Personal injury solicitors Bolton are concerned that drink-driving is still going on in the district.

This marks an annual increase in the number of deaths caused by drink driving. In 2011, 220 people lost their lives. Furthermore, fewer drink drive accidents occurred in 2011 than did in 2012 - while there were 6,680 accidents involving drink drivers in 2011, there were 6,690 in 2012.

Just one death or injury involving a drink driver is too many, and despite huge campaigns against drink driving, there are still many road users who drive while drunk and cause preventable motor vehicle accidents. 

Burnley Beautified By Love Where You Live Campaign

The Love Where You Live campaign has been given the thumbs up by personal injury solicitors Burnley.

Radio station 2BR and Burnley Council collaborated to ask residents of the borough to nominate locations that needed cleaning, such as those that attract littering and fly-tipping. Clearwater Solicitors, a no win no fee solicitors Burnley practice, point out that not only is this initiative beautifying the area and making the town more pleasant to live in and walk through, but it is also improving public safety and reducing the local authority's liability in personal injury claims.

So far, the ten most frequently nominated sites have been visited and cleaned up, with Stanley Street and Gannow Top roundabout receiving special attention, including help from Veolia Environmental Services. Not only did they pick up litter, but they also cut back any overgrown vegetation, creating safe areas for the local community to enjoy.

The Love Where You Live scheme was launched by Keep Britain Tidy and involves initiatives across the UK. It aims to encourage members of the public to make the place they live the kind of place they would like it to be, making communities safer, cleaner and more pleasant to live in. Poor maintenance of public land and poor standards of cleanliness or litter prevention are common factors in slip and trip payment in advance claims or other personal injury claims seen by personal injury solicitors Burnley, making the campaign a positive force for public safety.

Quietway routes 'should improve cyclist safety in London'

Personal injury solicitors London have welcomed moves to make the borough of Haringey safer for cyclists.

A network of 'Quietway' routes will be developed for cyclists in the region. These will use direct, quiet back streets to provide high-quality, guided travel around Haringey, connecting central London and other major centres together.

While these routes are still currently in development, with more details set to be announced in the immediate future, no win no fee solicitors London practice Clearwater Solicitors are pleased with the news that bike riding in Haringey will soon be considerably safer.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson aims for cycling to represent a 5% modal share of London's traffic by 2026, with trends indicating that this is target is set to be outstripped. In 2001, just 77,300 people in London reported that they commuted by cycling, but in 2011, this figure had more than doubled to reach 154,900.

So far in 2013, eight people have lost their lives in cycling accidents in the capital, while personal injury solicitors London have seen countless minor and serious injuries sustained by cyclist in the city this year. 

HGVs, coaches and buses pose a particular risk to cyclists and are seen in around one-fifth of all cyclist fatalities and one-quarter of all serious cycling accidents in London. Other common factors in London cycling accident claims include cyclists going out into the roads or cutting across traffic, showing how important separate cyclist lanes are to improving the safety of cyclists.

Personal Safety Advice with No Win No Fee Solicitors Bolton

Personal injury solicitors Bolton would like to remind members of the public of the things they can do to ensure their personal safety when out and about.

While the average person has a relatively low risk of being involved in a violent crime or a road accident, the extent of some of the injuries seen by no win no fee solicitors Bolton can be very severe, with some people even losing their lives in these preventable or malicious incidents.

Therefore, Clearwater Solicitors would advise you to keep the following in mind:

Planning

-          Think about where you're going and how the safest way to get there is.

-          Consider factors such as the popularity of the route you will take, the levels of pedestrian and vehicle traffic and road lighting.

-          Avoid particularly dangerous areas, such as subways, isolated locations and alleyways.

-          Bring a personal safety alarm with you wherever you go, so you can startle attackers and avert criminality.

Walking

-          Walk facing oncoming traffic to increase visibility. This helps you avoid making road traffic accident claims with personal injury solicitors Bolton and minimises the chance of criminals pulling up behind you to assault or victimise you.

Doncaster Man Receives Six-Figure Compensation Settlement After Industrial Saw Accident

No win no fee solicitors Bolton see some horrendous injuries that leave people with lasting health and mobility problems, and it is only right that the victims receive compensation if they are not to blame for the injuries. From medical negligence claims to workplace accident claims, personal injury solicitors Bolton deal with them all, helping blameless victims recover the money they need to get their lives back on track.

The Star recently reported that Lenny Andruchiw, a 63-year-old man from Dunscroft, received a six-figure compensation payout after severing his fingers while working for Dixon Timber Products.

Mr Andruchiw severed four fingers and the thumb from his left hand while using an industrial saw at his Balby-based workplace, and while his employers did not admit liability for the injuries, he achieved a healthy out-of-court settlement. Surgeons managed to reattach his little finger but could not save his other digits.

People who have been injured in an accident they were not to blame for have the best possible chance of succeeding in their compensation claim and receiving a settlement that suits them if they speak with no win no fee solicitors Bolton for advice and assistance.

TFL Awards Schools for Improving Road Safety and Reducing Car Use

Personal injury solicitors London has welcomed moves by Transport for London (TfL) that should reduce the number of injuries sustained by children going to and from school.

TfL held an event in City Hall on October 24^th to celebrate schools that have achieved outstanding results in TfL's school travel plan accreditations scheme STARS (Sustainable Travel: Active Responsible Safe).

The number of London schools involved in STARS has increased by 16% since 2012 to reach 1,248, with these facilities making drives to cut car use and promote cycling, walking and use of public transport. So far, schools participating in the scheme have cut car use for school journeys by 8%, with those awarded Silver and Gold accreditation seeing a 2% increase in cycling and a 6% increase in walking.

No win no fee solicitors London would like to join TfL in congratulating the eight schools that have demonstrated the highest commitment to STARS.

Good Reasons to Use Personal Injury Solicitors Blackburn

Claiming compensation with no win no fee solicitors Blackburn is a good idea for many reasons. When people suffer a personal injury in an accident that wasn't their fault, their health can be altered dramatically. These negative health effects can also have huge implications for the person's finances, and claiming compensation can be the best way people can recover from these loses.

So why should you use personal injury solicitors Blackburn?

-          Have experts fighting on your behalf

Claiming compensation can be a difficult and challenging process, but letting someone who knows personal injury law inside and out on their side can be people's best shot of succeeding in their compensation claim and recovering all the money they deserve.

No win no fee solicitors Blackburn know what they're doing, and claimants are far more likely to reach a satisfactory outcome to their compensation claim when they're using specialists. Claiming compensation can be a difficult and stressful experience, but solicitors can make the process a lot simpler.

The Importance of Personal Injury Solicitors Bury When Making Cerebral Palsy Claims

Some of the most sizable claims seen by no win no fee solicitors Bury are those relating to birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy and other forms of brain damage. This is because the financial implications of such injuries can be very substantial - sufferers can require lifelong medical care and expensive specialist equipment, and the overall cost of this can reach the millions of pounds.

This was seen in the case of Emily Dye, a ten-year-old girl from Easton in Norwich, who suffered oxygen deprivation at birth which caused her to develop brain damage and severe cerebral palsy. As a result of this negligence, Mr Justice Stuart-Smith, a judge for the High Court, was told that Emily will require lifelong care and treatment.

He approved a compensation claim that will see Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust pay out £1.96 million as an initial lump sum, followed by yearly payments up to a total of £4.5 million.

Personal injury solicitors Bury know that such compensation payments can make a significant victim to a person's quality of life, allowing them to receive the care that they need for as long as they need it for.