Havering Accident Helpline

Accident Types

If you have been injured in an accident that was the fault of another group or individual, even if they were only partly to blame, then you may have a claim for compensation. There are several common accident types.

Road Traffic Accident
Fatal Accidents
Accident at Work
Industrial Disease
Head Injury
Tripping & Slipping Accidents
Product Liability
Injuries caused by Animals
Aviation and Maritime
Criminal Injuries
Overseas / Holiday Accidents
Sports-related Injury
Hair Loss or Damage

Road Traffic Accident
If you have been injured in a road accident, whether as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist, you may have a claim for compensation against the driver responsible or even partly responsible for the accident. Vehicle users are required by law to have insurance and the claim is most likely to be dealt with by the responsible driver's insurance company. Even if there isn't a police prosecution, you may still have a claim. Even if the responsible driver is not insured you may still claim against the Motor Insurers Bureau, an organisation established to compensate the injured victims of uninsured and untraced drivers.

Fatal Accidents
Whilst claiming compensation may not be the first thought in the minds of people who have lost a loved one as a result of an accident, they should recognize that they may be able to claim compensation if the deceased person was not at fault. Certain dependants may have a claim for financial losses. A surviving spouse or other family member may also have a claim for "bereavement damages".

Accident at Work
If you have been injured in an accident at work or working elsewhere you may have a claim against a group or individual responsible, including your employer. Employers are required by law to have Employer Liability Insurance and the insurance company will deal with your claim for compensation for injury and losses, including loss of earnings. Even if your accident hasn't caused you to take time off work, you can still claim compensation for the physical pain and suffering of your injury.

Accidents at work can happen in various ways and even if you think no-one was necessarily to blame, you may have a claim, involving defective equipment or machinery, inadequate training in the use of machinery, lifting heavy objects, using dangerous machinery, faulty, damaged or slippery flooring, careless acts by other workers causing an accident, lack of safety clothing for example.

Industrial Disease
Industrial diseases and illnesses can be caused by the conditions in a particular working environment, such as fumes and dust, or through working with hazardous substances such as oils and chemicals. Ailments include asbestos-related diseases, breathing and respiratory problems, industrial deafness and skin conditions. Compensation may be paid where it can be proved that employers exposed workers to conditions that contributed to their ill-health.

Head Injury
A head injury can instantly change a person's life with problems such as memory loss, inability to understand or communicate, poor concentration, slowed responses and personality changes. Brain injuries are caused by a variety of circumstances including sporting accidents, road traffic accidents and criminal assault. If a third party caused the injury, it may be possible to claim compensation.

Tripping & Slipping Accidents
If you have had a fall in a public place such as a supermarket, an office or in the street and this is caused for example by a defect or hole in the floor or ground, a wet floor or a protruding object you may have a claim against the person or group responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the area where it happened.

Product Liability
If you have been injured by a faulty or defective consumer product, health and safety law gives you the legal right to pursue a claim for compensation for those injuries from either the manufacturer or supplier of those goods.

Injuries caused by Animals
If an animal has injured you, whether at a zoo, by a guard dog or someone's pet, the owner or keeper of the animal may be held responsible and you may be able to claim compensation.

Aviation and Maritime
Whether travelling on board an aircraft or a boat, you have specific rights as a passenger. If you have been injured whilst embarking, disembarking or during the journey, you may be able to claim compensation from the tour operator, the airline or boat owner, depending on the circumstances

Criminal Injuries
Compensation awards are made by a Government-funded scheme operated by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. To qualify, you must have suffered an injury arising from a "crime of violence". Awards may be reduced or refused if you have failed to report the crime, failed to co-operate with the police, if you were not the innocent victim or if you have a criminal record.

Overseas / Holiday Accidents
Accidents that occur abroad can be mind-bogglingly complex with an array of difficulties such as the language barrier, foreign legal systems and the difficulty of proving what happened. Advice should be sought from a UK solicitor who is experienced in such claims and has established links with lawyers in other countries.

Sports-related Injury
Everyone who takes part in organised sports has a duty to act with reasonable care to other participants, as do those who organise or supervise such activities. If you are injured because of another participant's simple error of judgement or lack of skill, this may not be negligent. However, you may be entitled to compensation if you were injured deliberately, were inadequately instructed or supervised, the playing facilities were unsafe or the equipment provided was defective.

Hair Loss or Damage
The damage caused by hairdressing negligence from the various chemical processes such as bleaching, highlighting, tinting, perming and relaxing can be substantial. Many cases of damage to hair caused by hairdressing procedures could have been prevented by undertaking tests on small sections of hair. Damage can occur simply because bad technique was used or due to professional incompetence.

In such a case, it should be fairly easy for you to argue that the service had not been provided with reasonable skill and care. Appropriate compensation should be paid for injury and loss.