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Industrial Accident Helpline - News
Asbestos compensation for widow
18/10/2010
A woman has won compensation following her husband’s death from asbestos-related industrial disease mesothelioma.
June Bickle, 61, had been fighting a legal battle against her husband’s former employer, the Filtrona cigarette filter factory at Bede Industrial Estate, Jarrow, who had initially denied the claim that he had been exposed to asbestos at the factory.
She had won an interim payment of £50,000 in February, but has now received a final settlement believed to be more than the interim payment.
Mrs Bickle, from Hebburn, Tyneside, married husband Alan Bickle, 58, in 2008, and the couple dreamed of retiring to Cyprus together.
But when Mr Bickle succumbed to the lung disease early in 2009 their dream was shattered.
Mrs Bickle said: "This was never about the money.
"It's important that the use of asbestos is highlighted. The company denied it, and that made me really mad."
"The asbestos had lain dormant in his lungs for years. It's all so cruel."
If you or a family member is suffering from an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, call industrial accident helpline. We can give you more information about making a mesothelioma claim and put you in touch with a specialist solicitor in your area.
Girl wins compensation for broken finger
11/8/2010
A seven-year-old girl has won £3,000 in compensation after her finger was broken in a pub door in February 2009.
Caitlyn Ratcliffe was attending a birthday party at a Wacky Warehouse at pub chain Punch Taverns’ Plough Inn at Alsager, Staffordshire, when her finger became trapped in a storage cupboard’s door automatically shut as a member of staff walked through it.
Caitlyn was then taken to hospital and treated for a fractured finger. Her parents, Vicki and Alan Ratcliffe, said the middle finger on her right hand needed to be in a splint for three months after the accident.
Her father Alan, aged 36, said: 'I'm glad the case is all over but we didn't do this for the money.
'We just wanted the company to realise something had to be done. When Caitlyn came to me after the incident all I could see was blood. It was awful afterwards.
'Caitlyn was like a baby again and couldn't do anything for herself.
'She has a bunk bed and couldn't climb the ladder so spent two months sleeping on a mattress at the side of our bed.'
A Punch Taverns spokesman said: 'A full internal investigation was completed and we are pleased a resolution has been reached.'
Birth injury girl wins £4 million
24/6/2010
A girl from Kidderminster who was left severely disabled after her brain was starved of oxygen at birth has been awarded a compensation package worth £4 million from the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Holly Nixon, 6, suffers from cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic as a result of mistakes made at her birth in 2003, when an emergency caesarean section was not carried out in time.
Holly is permanently brain damaged, with no independent mobility as well as limited speech and impaired vision.
Judge Spencer, who approved the settlement, said Holly would now have the "best possible financial security" for the rest of her life.
"Holly is a lovely, lively, radiant girl, who has much to give," he said, paying tribute to the whole family.
"She is fortunate, indeed, to have such parents and the court is lost in admiration at the strength of character they have shown in coping with this tragedy and turning it into such an inspiring and positive testament to the responsibilities and privileges of parenthood.
"I was delighted to learn that Holly now has a sister, Lilly, born 10 days ago, and I wish her and all the family all good fortune in the future, as they continue to build their life together."
New online tool to tackle RSI risks
19/3/2010
A new online tool has been developed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limbs.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as lower back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries can all be connected to carrying out repetitive tasks at work.
The downloadable tool, called the Assessment of Repetitive Tasks tool, points to potential health and safety risks, such as regular use of hand tools or packing on a production line, and suggests measures to reduce them.
MSDs affect over half a million people in the UK every year, and are the most common occupational health complaint.
Jeremy Ferreira, Senior Ergonomist at HSL, said that often, very simple measures can be taken to reduce MSDs caused by repetitive tasks, but that these may be overlooked by employers because the risks are not properly recognised.
"The ART tool makes it much easier to determine where the risks lie, and what measures should be taken by employers together with their workforce to reduce the potential for injury." she said.
The tool complements existing HSE guidance on upper limbs, and is available online at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/uld/art/
Ministry of Justice announces new asbestos measures
25/2/2010
The government has announced a range of new measures to benefit those who are suffering from asbestos-related diseases.
These measures include increased research in the area and the development of an Employers' Liability Tracing Office, which will aid those suffering from asbestos-related diseases to find the correct insurer and receive the compensation they are entitled to.
The measures also include an increase in upfront payments to those suffering from asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma and any dependents.
Secretary of State Jack Straw said the government intended to build on the existing measures in place to support those suffering from asbestos-related illnesses.
‘We are firmly committed to supporting people with asbestos-related diseases and intend to build on and extend the measures which we have already introduced in this area,’ he said.
‘To that end the government will work to increase medical research into asbestos-related diseases, speed up and simplify claims procedures for mesothelioma sufferers, increase interim payments for mesothelioma sufferers and their dependents, and improve the tracing of past insurance policies needed to make claims,’ he added.
If you are suffering from an asbestos-related disease, such as asbestosis or mesothelioma, as a result of working conditions, call Industrial Accident Helpline today to discuss making a compensation claim.
