After a lengthy battle, a jockey who fell from his horse at the first hurdle during a steeplechase at Cheltenham Racecourse has received £58,000 in compensation.

Jump jockey, Philip Hide, said that the perimeter fence was too close to the hurdle and that the fence had not been correctly cushioned.

The accident happened in November 2006 when Mr Hide was riding around the perimeter of the steeplechase course when he hit a post and suffered serious head injuries and a fractured pelvis.

Decision Appealed

A decision was reached in June last year when it was confirmed that the post was adequately padded in the event of an accident. Mr Hide was not satisfied with the decision and he contested it in the Court of Appeal following a hearing.

Mr Hide said that the regulation of work equipment had not been adhered to in relation to the location and safety of the post which was involved in the accident.

During the appeal it was stated by Lord Justice Davis that race jumping was ‘dangerous’ and that the accident had occurred in a ‘most unusual way’.

He said that what was most important in this case was weighing up a combination of matters i.e. the location of hurdle in relation to the railings and not the suitability of the hurdle or the railings on its own.

Mr Hide has since made a full recovery from the accident and now works as a trainer in the sport.

A worker from Sheffield has received £22,000 in compensation following a falling accident at work.

Keith Twelvetrees, from Gleadless ended up with a broken wrist and shoulder injuries after tripping over a pallet left on the floor in December 2011 when he was making a delivery. The boxes he was carrying at the time crushed his hand causing extreme pain.

He said: “I landed so heavily on my wrist that my hand seemed to be hanging from my wrist, it was excruciating”. MAS Frozen Foods Limited consequently admitted liability for the accident.

Keith has had to reduce his working hours and has been told the damage is permanent despite having two operations and 8 months of physiotherapy. The pain is still present although he has regained more movement in his wrist.

Extra Help Around The Home

In addition to his own physical disabilities, Mr Twelvetrees has been finding it hard to look after his disabled wife, Maureen, who suffers from a back condition meaning she is dependent on a wheelchair.

His wife and daughter now have to help him with everyday tasks and he is no longer able to enjoy his fishing and golfing hobbies.

Keith says he is pleased that the settlement has been agreed and that he hopes he and his family can now move on from the experience.

He added: “I also hope my experience is a stark reminder for other businesses that things like this can have a massive impact on people’s lives. I don’t want anyone else to suffer like I have because a company didn’t prioritise health and safety.”

A petition has been launched in the wake of a new mesothelioma Bill which aims to help victims of asbestosis who are unable to trace the company where their illness was contracted.

Petitioners say that the Bill is not helping enough victims as the claim deadlines only include sufferers who were diagnosed after 25th July 2012.

The petition, named the 100% Justice Campaign was introduced by Asbestos Victim Support Group and its goal is to make changes to the Bill to include all asbestos victims and/or their families.

Asbestos Widow Also Offers Her Support

There are lots of victims and their families who have been angered by the details of the Bill. Sally Ward from Derby lost her husband Steve, a former car mechanic, who died of mesothelioma 3 years ago.

Unfortunately Sally has been unable to find the insurance company responsible for the garage where he worked. She said that her husband’s biggest concern was how she would cope financially in his absence.

She said: “You’d always rather have the person back with you than any compensation and it doesn’t even begin to make up for losing them – but it’s not the person’s fault they are exposed to asbestos and somebody should be held responsible.”

In order to estimate how much compensation for a spleen injury you must consider the degree to which you have suffered and the effect it has had on your life.

The spleen is an organ within the body which plays a key role in the effectiveness of the immune system. Damage to it can cause serious problems.

Spleen injuries can be caused due to medical negligence or as a result of a trauma, e.g. car accident. Common kinds of spleen injury include ruptured, bruised or spleen contusions.

Compensation Amounts For Spleen Injuries

• Compensation amounts of £14,850 up to £18,750 can be given in cases where there has been a loss of a spleen and there are risks of internal infection or immune system damage
• If the risks detailed above are negligible or non-existent

How Is My Spleen Claim Calculated?

Your ability to carry out normal everyday tasks will be assess when working out how much compensation for spleen injuries. If there has been any psychological effects of your injury then this will also be taken into account.

Perhaps your injured spleen has meant several trips to hospital appointments. If you have paid for the medical expenses you can claim back and your travel expenses will also be considered.

Financial losses can make up a large part of your compensation claim depending how long you have been unable to work.

If you feel you have suffered a spleen injury that was not your fault then we recommend you speak to a personal injury lawyer.

Jefferies Solicitors often works with clients on a no win no fee basis. Please call us on 0800 342 3206 today to see if we can help you with your claim.

A worker from Merseyside was rushed to intensive care following crushing injuries caused by a forklift truck.

The skip worker who has not been named is said to be in his twenties. His injuries are reported to involve a fractured pelvis and foot as well as severe crushing injuries to his chest.

Liverpool Echo, the newspaper who reported the accident, said that the victim was working at the back of the forklift truck when he was pulled beneath the machinery. Paramedics were immediately called to the scene where they found the man still breathing.

Police reported that the area where the accident had happened had been closed off and that the owners of the company involved were cooperating with the police.

Investigations from the Health and Safety Executive are believed to be underway.

Have You Been Injured Whilst Working With Fork Lift Trucks?

If you have been injured whilst working with fork lift trucks then you may be able to claim compensation for your accident or injuries. Maybe you were working on a construction site when you were injured, or in a factory? Contact our team of personal injury solicitors to find out more about making a forklift truck accident claim for compensation. You can call them on 0800 342 3206 or complete our initial online injury compensation claim form and one of our team will come back to you to discuss your situation in confidence.

If you have been injured in any type of accident at work, we may be able to help, so do not delay in contacting our experienced team.

A worker’s family has begun searching for more information about its relative’s exposure to asbestos following his death last year.

Austin Cotton from Meir in Staffordshire was 81 years old when he died from asbestos-related mesothelioma in September last year.

Mr Cotton was employed as a pottery worker at J Gimson & Company (now operating as Norton Industrial Chemicals) for 22 years beginning in 1950 and was diagnosed with the disease following a routine X-ray.

The family are now appealing for anyone who worked with Mr Cotton during the period he was employed.

The mesothelioma took its hold on Mr Cotton who had previously suffered from prostate cancer. He became a ‘different person’ and dropped over four stone in weight.

Gillian Cooper, his daughter, says that the experience of her father suffering from cancer was ‘horrendous’. She explained that he had asked her to ‘put a bag over his head’ to stop the suffering.

Mr Cotton, father to five children and husband to Dorothy who died five years ago, was cared for at home with the help of MacMillan nurses following several stints in hospital.

Gillian added: “He became extremely poorly very quickly and it wasn’t until after his death that we considered the implications of what had caused the mesothelioma.”

Have You Been Negatively Affected By Asbestos In the Workplace?

If you, or a family member, have been adversely affected by asbestos in the workplace, you may be able to claim compensation for industrial diseases and occupational illnesses. Contact our team of personal injury solicitors, without delay, on 0800 342 3206 or fill out our initial online compensation claim form and one of the Jefferies Solicitors team will come back to you to discuss your potential case in confidence.

A company boss has been told by Swansea Crown Court that he must pay £25,000 after the untimely death of employee, Russell Samuel who plummeted 62 feet to his death after falling from the Meridian Quay tower complex in 2008.

Michael Febrey who was the managing director of Febrey Construction Limited was also condemned by Judge Thomas for his efforts in trying to conceal his true financial status. He said: “The defendant deliberately set out to conceal and obfuscate the process.”

Mr Samuel, a 40 year old scaffolder and father of two from Gilfach Goch, died of multiple injuries when he fell through a hole covered by a cement board.

It is not clear who was responsible for the board covering but it was established that Febrey Construction Limited had not carried out the necessary health and safety risk assessments.

Ian Dixey who represented the Health and Safety Executive said that the hole he fell through was previously home to a set of ladders and was not safe enough to hold someone’s weight.

The firm overseeing the build project on Swansea’s Marina was Carillion Construction who was fined £182,500 last year in connection with the accident. Febrey Construction Limited was a subcontractor and fined just £82 at the same hearing. Shortly after it folded after experiencing company debts.

When Judge Thomas delivered the sentencing he said that it had been particularly challenging given the difficulties encountered when investigating Mr Febrey’s financial details.

Mr Febrey from Bristol was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs. He admitted to failing Health and Safety legislation on two counts both of which concerned not ensuring the safety of workers.

Have You Been Injured In A Construction Accident?

If you have been injured in an accident on a construction site then you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation for an accident at work. Contact our team of personal injury solicitors on 0800 342 3206 or complete our initial online injury claim form and one of our team will come back to you directly to discuss your potential claim in confidence.

Rick Clement was serving in Afghanistan when he was catastrophically injured after standing on a mine.

His injuries meant that not only would he lose his ability to walk but he would also be unable to father his own children or have a sexual relationship.

A Sergeant in the Army, Rick, had gone to the Taliban warzone in April 2010 on the promise of a wedding to his partner, Leanne, when he returned.

Five weeks after Rick had gone out on his tour of duty Leanne found out he had been badly injured and lost both legs.

She says: ‘We went into intensive care. Rick was in a coma but he was almost unrecognisable. The nurse said it was normal. I couldn’t cry at first because of the shock. All I remember was this horrible smell of burnt flesh.”

The extent of Rick’s injuries took its time to fully emerge. Leanne says: “They took away the table and sheet that was shielding him. I thought, “He really is half a man.” I was shocked by how little was left of him.”

Compensation For His Injuries

Rick received £575,00 in personal injury compensation for his injuries. He bought a specially adapted home with Leanne so that he could be as comfortable as possible and everyone was thrilled at his return.

The young couple had enjoyed a passionate affair with Leanne before the accident but now he was left feeling no passion at all for his lover having had his groin area completely destroyed by the accident.

Despite the odds, the pair still got married in June last year in the hope they could emanate the passionate they had at the beginning of their relationship.

The ceremony was a joyous day for all who celebrated the victory Rick had had over his injuries and the marriage of the pair. The couple both campaigned for the right of soldiers to have their sperm frozen and for greater protection in terms of body armor when in combat.

However, it wasn’t long before it became clear that Rick was still suffering from the stress of his accident. She says Rick had become an ‘emotional wreck’. At first she believed that she would be okay without an intimate relationship but it became apparent that it was going to be difficult.

She says Rick became fiercely determined not to rely on anyone, he felt emasculated. The relationship disintegrated and the couple are awaiting a divorce.

A winning jockey is launching a compensation bid against the operator of a race track after his horse fell following a hurdle jump in November 2006.

Philip Hide, who had a carved a successful career as a jockey, suffered head injuries and a shattered hip at the Christopher Novice Handicap Hurdle on Cheltenham race track which was managed by The Steeplechase Company.

Following the incident, which saw him thrown to the ground hitting a metal base, Mr Hide had to be put into an induced coma.

Mr Hide, who is now a trainer, took his case to London’s Court of Appeal after the Steeplechase Company was acquitted of any negligence following a ruling at Oxford Country Court last year.

Acting on behalf of Mr Hide, Mr Christopher Sharp, QC said that the company should have been liable under the health and safety at work regulations. He said that the argument for Mr Hide was quite simple in that the accident was preventable. Arguing that there was ‘no need for the this hurdle to be where it was’.

Conversely, the barrister acting for the Steeplechase Company said that it had complied with regulations stipulated by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

No decision was reached reading the personal injury compensation for which Mr Hide is pursuing tens of thousands of pounds. The court stated that judgment was reserved until a later date.

Make A Claim

Do you feel that you have cause to make any kind of injury or accident claim? If so, contact our team of no win no fee solicitors on 0800 342 3206 and we will discuss your potential claim in more detail, in confidence.

Leading brain injury charity, Headway UK has opened up new headquarters in Nottingham and Prince Harry went along to officially open the new site.

Prince Harry combined his official visit to the city of Nottingham with his visit to the charity where he was met by hundreds of adoring school children and fans.

The charity was previously supported by Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana, who was a royal patron of the charity.

Brain injury challenges for the prince

During the visit Prince Harry met brain injury victims and their families. He was also presented with the challenge of changing a baby’s nappy with one hand. The challenge was designed to demonstrate how difficult everyday tasks can be if you have a part of your body that does not function correctly because of a brain injury.

He was also given a set of goggles which had been specifically designed to simulate the feeling of having a brain injury.

Corporal Johnson Mr Beharry who suffered a severe brain injury while serving in Iraq is now an Ambassador for Headway. He was pleased to see that Harry was following in his ‘mothers’ footsteps’ and helping to raise the profile of the charity.

Mr Beharry had to learn to walk and talk again following his accident. He said: “It is quite difficult living with a brain injury and I admire the people who live with individuals with brain injuries because yes, we have the brain injury but they have to put up with a lot and cope with it which can be very difficult.”

Another familiar face was also at the opening. James Cracknell, the former Olympic rowing champion and now vice president of the charity greeted the prince on his arrival.

What Headway does

Headway UK provides a wide range of support for people who have suffered brain injuries and families of those people who have had a brain injury. It offers a network of support groups across the country.

The charity hopes to raise more support across the country and increase its reach to brain injury victims. Andrew Green, the chairman of Headway said: “Princess Diana’s support of the charity greatly enhanced its profile and made more people aware not only of brain injury and its effects, but also of the help that was available.”