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£23,000 in damages for broken ankle
A prison officer who had to give up his job after he broke his ankle when he slipped whilst attempting to break up a fight between prisoners has received £23,000 in compensation. He was breaking up a fight between two offenders when he slipped..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Equality Act 2010 consultation on repeal of measures
The Government Equalities Office has announced a consultation which sets out proposals to repeal two measures within the Equality Act 2010: removing employment tribunals’ power to make wider recommendations in discrimination cases, and the..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Court of Justice of the European Union on discrimination interpretation
European Union law did not entitle a worker who plausibly claimed to meet the requirements listed in a job advertisement and whose application was rejected to have access to information indicating whether the employer engaged another applicant at..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£205,000 settlement for RTA
A young child whose mother was killed in a fatal road collision has received £205,000 in an out of court settlement. The child’s mother had been a passenger in the car being driven by her boyfriend who was over the legal drink drive limit..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£20,000 in compensation for crush injuries
A disabled holidaymaker who suffered such severe crush injuries to her feet when they were trapped when using a wheelchair lift that she had to have a toe amputated has received £20,000 in compensation. She had just embarked on a holiday with..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£200,000 in out of court settlement for eye injury
An HGV driver whose career was ended when he suffered an eye injury in an accident at work has received £200,000 in an out of court settlement. He has been left with permanently impaired vision. He was a driver for a company which delivered..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
To Beecroft or not to Beecroft
That is the question. Whether or not to adopt the controversial regulations proposed by venture capitalist Adrian Beecroft into employment reform. The Government commissioned the report, but appears to be cooling its enthusiasm on some proposals as..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Office for National Statistics report on sickness days
Around 131 million working days were lost to sickness absence in 2011, a new report from the Office for National Statistics has shown. This was a fall of 26% since 1993 (when 178 million days were lost) despite an increase in total employment from..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£450,000 settlement for loss of use of arm
A security worker who lost the use of his arm after falling at work has received £450,000 in an out of court settlement. At his work was a walkway, which for several months had experienced a problem with drainage, creating a large puddle...
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Guidance needed on Safety Incentive Programs, says GAO
Little research exists on the effect of workplace safety incentive programs and other workplace safety policies on workers’ reporting of injuries and illnesses, according to a report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), but..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£107,500 in compensation for electric shock fall
A man who fell from a ladder after suffering an electric shock at work has received £107,500 in compensation. The electrician had been subcontracted to replace a bulb in an exterior security light. He switched off the circuit which was labelled..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£130,000 in compensation for knee injury
A man who was medically retired after 33 years working on the railways after rupturing his left quadriceps tendon in a workplace accident has received £130,000 in compensation. He needed surgery on his left knee following the accident. He will..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
EEF urges Government to tackle sickness absence
The Government is being urged by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, to re-invigorate its efforts to tackle sickness absence and implement the recommendations of the Frost/Black Review as a matter of urgency, amidst new evidence that the..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£30,000 damages for eye injury
A council worker who suffered permanent damage to his eye in a workplace accident has received £30,000 in compensation. He needed surgery after an industrial pressure hose hit him in his right eye, splitting his eye ball and causing him to..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Survey highlights issue of teachers and workplace bullying
Over two-thirds of teachers have experienced or witnessed workplace bullying in the last 12 months and one in five teachers have left their job because of bullying from colleagues or managers, a new survey from teachers’ union the NASUWT has..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£27,000 settlement for back injury at work
A man who was offered £1,500 by his employer’s insurers after he was injured at work has received £27,000 in an out of court settlement. The injured workman had been part of a two-man crew carrying out digging work on a main road in..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
US Institute of Medicine report into obesity epidemic
America’s progress in arresting its obesity epidemic has been too slow, and the condition continues to erode productivity and cause millions to suffer from potentially debilitating and deadly chronic illnesses, according to a new report from..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£130,000 compensation for mesothelioma
The widow of a man who died from mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos through his work more than 50 years ago has received £130,000 in an out of court settlement. He had worked as a decorator for a company involved with large-scale..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
UK P&I Club announces annual results
The UK P&I Club has announced its results for the year ended 20 February 2012. For the 2012 financial year, the combined ratio was 97%, and the surplus of $11 million. Free reserves and capital increased to $486 million at 20 February 2012. The..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Disabled people put at a disadvantage in the workplace
A new report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission has found that disabled people continue to be put at a disadvantage in the workplace, and are not realising their full potential as they are not getting the support they need at work. The..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£146,500 out of court settlement for ladder fall
A young engineer whose career was ended after an accident at work has received £146,500 in an out of court settlement. The man had been working as an air conditioning fitter and maintenance engineer when he fell several feet from a ladder and..
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11 June 2012
Appeared in issue:
262 - 11 June 2011
Fall in number of healthcare associated infections
A survey of healthcare associated infections (HCAI) by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed an overall drop in infections down to 6.4%.
The has published the results of the fourth HCAI Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) and also the first..
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11 June 2012
Appeared in issue:
262 - 11 June 2011
£160,000 in damages for RTA
A young woman who suffered multiple injuries when the driver of the car she was a passenger in lost control and veered off a motorway has received £160,000 in damages. She had been asleep in the back seat of the car being driven by a family..
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Food Standards Agency reports increase in investigations
The Food Standards Agency saw an increase in the number of food incidents it investigated last year. These included reports of contaminated or illegal food entering the food chain, with some potentially harmful to the public.
According to the recent..
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11 June 2012
Appeared in issue:
262 - 11 June 2011
£57,000 in compensation for burns injury
An electrician who suffered serious burns to his hand after he fell and landed on a live electrical board has received £57,000 in compensation. He hasn’t been able to return to his work as an electrician due to injuries to his hand and..
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11 June 2012
Appeared in issue:
262 - 11 June 2011
£25,000 in compensation for lifting injury at work
A hospital worker who needed two operations on her shoulder after it was damaged whilst she was helping a 20-stone patient has received £25,000 in compensation. She has been left unable to lift heavy items with her left arm after the accident...
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Supreme Court rules on indirect discrimination on grounds of age
An employment requirement which worked to the comparative disadvantage of a person approaching compulsory retirement age was indirectly discriminatory on grounds of age and had to be justified.
The Supreme Court so held in allowing an appeal by the..
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Legal precedent for holding parent companies accountable
An asbestosis sufferer has won an historic case at the Court of Appeal against asbestos manufacturer, Cape PLC. According to the plaintiff’s lawyer, Leigh Day & Co, the landmark judgment sets a new legal precedent for holding parent..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Carbon monoxide poisoning compensation
Four school dinner ladies who suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning because of faulty kitchen equipment have won compensation of £12,250, £11,250, £5,500 and £5,500, respectively, dependent on their length of exposure and..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£200,000 out of court settlement for work accident
A man who lost part of his fingers when his hand was sucked into a rotating metal blade at work has received £200,000 in an out of court settlement. The man in his thirties had been working as a service engineer at the time, which involved..
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Workers’ comp not used enough in US says research
Researchers at UC Davis in the US have found that workers’ compensation insurance is not used nearly as much as it should be to cover the US’ multi-billion dollar price tag for workplace illnesses and injuries. Instead, almost 80% of..
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
£248,000 compensation for mesothelioma
A school caretaker who died from mesothelioma due to asbestos has received £248,000 compensation. He was exposed to asbestos whilst working as a caretaker at two primary schools during the 1980s. During his time at the schools he worked in the..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Private healthcare sector’s opportunity in vocational rehabilitation
The UK’s poor record on vocational rehabilitation represents an opportunity for the private healthcare sector, according to the UK Rehabilitation Council.
“Vocational and clinical rehabilitation – especially getting injured and..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Acas welcomes Enterprise Bill and expanded role
Acas has welcomed Government plans that all potential employment tribunal claims will be offered early conciliation with Acas.
Ed Sweeney, Acas Chair said the announcement “will mean changes to the work of our experienced team of conciliators,..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Law Society warning over small businesses and dismissal proposals
The Law Society has warned that making it easier for small businesses to dismiss people will not help them grow. The warning comes after proposals in the Beecroft report emerged, giving small businesses greater scope to dismiss employees.
Under the..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
APIL responds to RTA scheme extension call for evidence
The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has responded to the call for evidence by the Government over its extension of the RTA scheme to include employers’ and public liability claims up to the value of £25,000, describing the..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
QBE adds PI Combined product to e-trading platform
QBE has announced the addition of its Professional Indemnity Combined product to its e-trading platform, Fastflow. According to QBE, the product has been designed to meet the insurance needs of professional SMEs.
The PI Combined insurance will offer..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Casualty & General Insurance opens London office
Casualty & General Insurance Company (Europe), the Gibraltar-based specialist in liability cover, has opened a representative office in London as part of its plan to grow its business in the UK, particularly its casualty account.
The new office..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Road accident and casualty figures for Wales
The latest road accident and casualty figures for Wales for 2011 show that during 2011 there were 6,434 road accidents involving personal injury recorded by the police in Wales, 416 (6%) fewer than in 2010. These accidents resulted in 9,406..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Beecroft Report is “irrelevant” says plaintiff lawyer
The National Head of Employment at Irwin Mitchell has described the Beecroft Report as irrelevant and has warned that some of the recommendations would be of breach of the UK’s EU legal obligations.
Tom Flanagan, Partner at national law firm..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Evolution Underwriting in partnership with Beazley Group
Evolution Underwriting has entered into an exclusive underwriting and distribution partnership with the Beazley Group. Under the terms of the deal Evolution has been appointed to manage and develop Beazley’s professional indemnity portfolio..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Berrymans Lace Mawer promotes nine partners
Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP (BLM) has promoted nine partners, spanning across six practice areas. The total number of partners at the firm now stands at 150. The new partners are: Adam Burrell (costs), Rachael Lomas (personal injury), Arion Jones..
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Employee dismissed for inappropriate Facebook comments
A man who claimed unfair dismissal after being sacked for posting inappropriate Facebook comments about a female colleague has had his claim dismissed by an employment tribunal.
The man posted comments from home on his Facebook page about a female..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Government launches “Justice for Business” report
Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly has launched “Justice for Business: Supporting Business and Promoting Growth,” a new paper outlining the Government’s reform programme and its impact on business.
Changes include streamlined..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Professional indemnity insurance survey: Summary of 2011-12 renewal experiences
By The Law Society
This summarises the results of a survey conducted at the request of the Law Society by an external provider, IFF Research, and also sets out the Society’s preliminary response. The research study surveyed 600 law firms -..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
LASPO Bill receives Royal Assent
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill has received Royal Assent. According to the Government, measures in the Bill include:
Changing the terms of no-win no-fee law suits to stop lawyers being able to double their fees through..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Liverpool is whiplash capital of Britain
The Financial Times has revealed that Liverpool is the whiplash capital of Britain, where the government has recorded more than one compensation claim for neck injuries sustained in a traffic accident for every 50 residents. The figures were..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
DAC Beachcroft appoints catastrophic injury specialist
DAC Beachcroft has appointed catastrophic injury specialist Lea Brocklebank as a partner in its Claims Solutions Group. She will be based in DAC Beachcroft’s Winchester office, and has over 20 years’ experience in defending high..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
SRA extends professional indemnity insurance scheme
The Law Society’s call for the Solicitors Regulation Authority to extend a scheme that provides solicitors’ professional indemnity insurance (PII) post-six year run-off cover has been heeded. The SRA Board approved proposals made by the..
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11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011
Willis publishes D&O liability insurance dictionary
Willis North America has published its Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance Dictionary, offering firms a comprehensive overview of terms that are likely to be used in describing their D&O insurance and liability exposures...
Online Published Date:
11 June 2012
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262 - 11 June 2011