It has been suggested by the Department for Transport (”DfT”) that the number of fatalities and injuries caused in road accident cases reduced in 2007/2008 compared to the statistics for 2006/2007.

The DfT suggest that the overall number of relevant road accidents had reduced by 5%.  They also indicate that there was a 4% reduction for motorcycle accidents, however the number of cyclists either killed or injured increased by 5%.  The findings are based on the number of road accidents reported to the Police in the UK during the first 3 months of 2008.

Employers’ misconceptions and general lack of knowledge about rehabilitation for injuries resulting from an accident at work or absence due to ill health could be costing them up to £610 million each year.

EEF (employers’ organisation) and Unum (disability insurer) have published “The Sickness Absence Report 2008″, which indicates that businesses actively providing rehabilitation for injured or sick employees have enjoyed a 0.7% lower absence rate as a result.

This equates to an extra 1.5 days’ work per employee each year, and in the manufacturing industry this means something in the region of 4.5 million working days.

Published in Truckstop News - April 2008.

In this month’s issue Steven Hinchliffe of the specialist Personal Injury firm Hinchliffes Solicitors considers employers duty to minimise the risk of “ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE WORK EQUIPMENT”.  

Accidents and injuries at work are often caused by defective or faulty work equipment.  The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 apply to all work equipment.  If the employer has breached the duty to provide a safe working environment and/or a safe system of work and as a result the employee has suffered injury, the employer may be liable to pay compensation to the employee for his or her injuries and any financial losses, such as reduced earnings.

Published in Truckstop News - January 2008.

In this month’s issue Steven Hinchliffe of the specialist Personal Injury firm Hinchliffes Solicitors discusses the topic of “ACCIDENTS ON THE ROAD” 

At this time of the year travelling on the UK’s roadways can be a dangerous challenge, especially when you have to cope with icy road conditions, bad weather and increased congestion caused by holiday traffic, not to mention the inconsiderate and downright reckless behaviour of drivers who may have been drinking at a party, distracted by a phone call or simply with their minds on other things, such as 11^th hour Christmas shopping.

It is a shocking fact that around 10,000 accidents occur on the roads every day, which results in approximately 300,000 injuries each year.  Roads are therefore very dangerous places to be.