Plans to fine and imprison drivers who are caught drug driving are now underway.

Drivers found to have taken drugs whilst driving will face a prison sentence of up to six months and will be fined of up to £5,000 under the new legislation. Offenders will also face an automatic driving ban.

Pending approval from the Home Office this year, police forces up and down the country are to be supplied with devices that will allow them to test drivers for drugs.

Police forces up and down the country are to be supplied with new devices that will allow them to test motorists for drugs. If the Home Office approves these plans later this year, police will be able to prosecute drivers if they can prove their driving ability has been affected.

At present, the police can only prosecute drivers who have taken drugs if they can prove the driver’s ability has been affected.

A campaign launched by the parent of Lillian Groves, a 14-year-old from Surrey who was killed by a speeding motorist who had been smoking cannabis encouraged David Cameron to take action against drug-driving. The driver responsible for Lillian’s death was sentenced to eight months in prison but was released after just eight weeks.

Cameron said: “I found meeting Lillian Groves’s family in Downing Street late last year incredibly moving. As they said at the time, it simply can’t be right that a schoolgirl … can lose her life and then we discover we don’t have the laws or the technology to punish drug drivers properly. We want to do for drug-driving what drink-driving laws have done for driving under the influence of alcohol.

“That’s why we’re doing what we can to get drugalysers rolled out more quickly. And this week we’ll publish a new drug-driving offence so that driving under the influence of drugs itself is a crime, just like it is for drink-driving.”

The new offence will cover drivers, who have taken illegal drugs, but the exact drugs covered and the limits that apply will be determined by a panel of alcohol and drug experts.

If you or a loved one has been affected by drug-driving, the team here at PHC Law are here to help you gain the justice you or your loved one deserves. For confidential legal advice and guidance, or if you would like to make a claim, we are on your side. Call 0800 612 7 612 to speak to an experienced road traffic accident solicitor today.

Our team of personal injury solicitors has over 30 years’ experience in personal injury, and all cases are taken on a no win no fee basis.

Mr Cooper, our senior consultant solicitor has successfully recovered £2,250  compensation for a lady who was involved in an accident in a bakery.

The lady was pushing a mobile rack containing break when the wheels of the trolley jammed and caused the rack to tip over.

The woman suffered relatively minor injuries to her legs, and was off work for 6 weeks and since made a full recovery.

Mr Cooper obtained a medical report from an expert doctor and the ladies employer’s admitted liability.

When the lady decided to seek compensation for her accident at work, she instructed Mr Cooper to pursue her claim who worked very closely with her throughout the case.

“I am extremely pleased with the outcome of this case,” said Mr Cooper. “Fortunately our client was very lucky to have not suffered any serious injuries and has made a complete recovery.

“Accidents like this do happen and although with regards to this case, the injuries were relatively minor, her employers still have a duty of care to maintain a safe working environment. I would urge anyone in this situation to contact us and speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor to deal with their case”.

All legal costs were paid and our client received one hundred per cent compensation.

If you have been involved in an accident at work through no fault of your own, you could be entitled to compensation. Call 0800 612 7 612 to receive confidential legal advice and guidance today.

Mr Cooper, a senior consultant solicitor of PHC Law has successfully settled the gentleman’s claim who trapped his ring finger in a window at his work place.

When the window’s locking mechanism was found to be faulty, the man contacted us to pursue his injury claim.

The incident resulted in the man sustaining a fractured finger and when Mr Cooper contacted our client’s employer to notify them of the claim, the insurers admitted liability due to the window’s defective mechanism.

Mr Cooper said: “We obtained a report from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon to assess the seriousness of the injury, and from this assessed the likelihood of being able to bring a successful injury claim using our many years’ experience, and this formed the basis of our submission.

“This case was similar to thousands every year, in which people suffer injuries in the course of their regular work through no fault of their own, and subsequently receive compensation for the injury and the distress caused, with help from dedicated and caring personal injury solicitors such as us” he added.

If you have suffered a personal injury due to an accident at work that was not your fault, we’re here to help. Call us today on 0800 612 7 612 to receive legal advice and guidance
on a no win no fee basis.

Over three quarters of workers in materials handling are said to be at risk of being involved in a forklift truck accident.

Following a recent study conducted by Grahame Robb Associated Ltd in partnership with the Fork Lift Truck Association, 250 people from various companies, including fork lift truck drivers, frontline workers, management and safety officers took part in the survey.

75% of those polled admitted they felt their work group was at risk of one or more “accidents waiting to happen”. Only one third admitted they would be willing to speak up about the breach of health and safety in their workplace.

Mr David Ellison, FLTA (Forklift Truck Association) chief executive said “The ugly secret behind most forklift truck accidents is that someone is aware of the threat well in advance, but is either unwilling or feels unable to speak up”.

Ellison added: “How can a workforce be encouraged to speak out about the dangers they spot? It is precisely this type of information that is so valuable to our Safe User Group members. Through research such as this, newsletters, technical bulletins, safety manuals and initiatives such as the National Fork Truck Safety Conference, we endeavour to provide members with the knowledge and resources required to improve worksite safety and prevent avoidable losses of life and serious injury”.

PHC Law believes employers are legally obliged to ensure and maintain a safe working environment for its employees and are solely responsible for preventing “accidents waiting to happen”.

Mr Porter, a specialist accident at work solicitor at PHC Law said: “By law all employers are legally obliged to uphold and maintain a safe working environment. Employers in breach of health and safety are breaking the law. I would urge anyone who has been involved in a forklift truck accident to seek the legal advice and guidance of a personal injury solicitor”.

One of our senior consultant solicitor, Mr John Cooper has successfully recovered £2,750 for a lady who was involved in an accident while shopping at a reputable supermarket, which resulted in injuries to her back and hip.

The woman had finished shopping at the supermarket and was getting ready to leave when she slipped and fell quite heavily, dropping her shopping and smashing four of the jars of jam she had purchased.

The supermarket instantly provided assistance to the woman and the incident was reported – it was discovered that she had slipped on a grape that have been left on the floor near the checkout. The store’s insurers later admitted liability.

When the woman decided to seek compensation for her accident she contacted PHC Law and her case was quickly passed on Mr Cooper, who has worked closely with her throughout the case.

“I am very pleased with the outcome of this case,” said Mr Cooper. “However, our client was very fortunate to have not suffered any serious injuries and has made a good recovery.

“Unfortunately accidents like this do happen, and I would urge anyone in this situation to get in touch and speak to a specialist personal injury solicitor to discuss their case”.

PHC Law was able to agree damages of £2,750 with the supermarket and the woman received one hundred per cent of the compensation, as the law firm always recoups legal fees from the other side. They also work on a no win no fee basis, ensuring all clients that come to them aren’t left with expensive fees should their claim be unsuccessful.

At PHC Law we specialise in a number of claim types, so whether you have been involved in a road traffic accident or an accident at work you can contact us today to find out if you have a case for compensation.

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For more information please contact:

Name: Victoria Leah

Telephone: 0800 612 7 612

Email: Victoria.L@phc-law.co.uk

A Polish migrant worker has been compensated after injuring his hand in a potato slicing machine at work.

The accident took place on December 10, 2010, while the man was operating a machine designed to shape potatoes for the catering industry. His role involved placing potatoes in the machine so they could be correctly cut, and then removing them. However, the machine became clogged with potato and then jammed, as it had done on numerous occasions.

The worker attempted to clear out the machine but it moved, trapping and injuring his hand. The man’s employer denied responsibility, but he decided to instruct us to pursue his claim for accident at work compensation. Once the case came to court the worker was offered £2,270 by way of compensation.

Mr John Cooper, a senior consultant solicitor here at PHC Law said: “This man was performing the same role as he had done many times before when the accident happened. And despite his employer refusing to accept responsibility, the company backed down
and offered a financial settlement once PHC Law got involved and helped the man
to take his case to court.

“This is yet another example of why it is vital that people who have suffered an accident at work should make sure they get in touch with a professional personal injury specialist. This man deserved to be compensated financially following the injuries he sustained and team at PHC Law were pleased to be able to use their expertise to make sure
this happened.”

Mr Cuerden, Managing Director of PHC Law added: “We’d urge anyone who has had an accident and sustained an injury in the last three years to contact to us to discover if they too could make a claim.”

A new campaign ‘drive smart’ is soon to be launched by road safety charity Brake,  following a recent survey that revealed almost half of motorists who participated admitted risking their own lives and others’ safety by chatting on the phone whilst driving.

As smartphone’s and various other high tech mobile phones become increasingly popular, they are warning that a hands-free or hand-held phone at the wheel can lengthen reaction times to a similar extent to drink driving, significantly increasing the risk of fatal accident.

The survey also revealed men are slightly more likely to chat on a phone than women (50% compared to 47%) and young drivers are more likely than older drivers (52% compared to 48%). However, far more young motorists break the law by using a hand-held device (41% compared to 30%).

Young drivers are also far more likely than older drivers to text, phone, email and surf the web whilst behind the wheel.  A horrifying 44% of young drivers admit to texting at the wheel, compared to 27% of older drivers whilst 21% of young drivers email, go online, use apps, compared to 9% of older motorists.

Julie Townsend, Brake charity chief executive said: “Use a phone while driving and you are taking an horrendous risk with your own lives and others. Many drivers who wouldn’t dream of drink-driving are using phones while driving, oblivious that the effect on your reactions times are similar. We’re urging people to drive smart, recognising that phone use at the wheel can and does destroy lives, and no call or text is ever that important. If you need to use your phone urgently, pull over somewhere safe first: it is as simple as that. We are also calling on the government to do more to tackle phone use at the wheel, including banning hands-free phones and bringing in far stiffer penalties”.

Mr Wood, a road traffic accident specialist solicitor here at PHC Law is keen for the government to introduce tougher penalties for motorists caught behind the wheel using a mobile phone.

Mr Wood said: “The evidence presented by Brake is frightening.  Sadly we have dealt with many people who have fallen victim to such accidents caused by the third party who has been found to be driving whilst on his or hers mobile phone.

“Driving is something which most of us have to do on a daily basis and for the majority of us; it is the most complex and most dangerous activity we have to do. It requires our full attention. Texting, emailing, chatting on the phone and surfing the web are all distractions that puts not only your life at risk but the lives of others at risk too. No call or text can be that important, if the call or text requires and urgent response, simply pull over in a safe and convenient place to avoid running the risk of what could result in a serious or fatal accident”.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a road traffic accident, the team here at PHC Law has over 30 years’ experience in recovering compensation for accident victims  nationwide. Our team of personal injury solicitors offer legal represenatation on a no win no fee basis and are completely committed to ensuring that you receive the maximum amount of compensation and justice you deserve.

For a free consultation call our free phone number 0800 612 7 612.

Following recent tests and experiments carried out by Germany’s Tuev-Nord testing agency, experts say white is the safest colour of car to choose.

Car buyers interested in a good resale price tend to go for black, silver, or dark blue vehicles but when it comes to safety, experts say white should be the colour of choice.

According to Tuev-Nord, white cars are less likely to be crashed into by other vehicles when the ambient light is poor. Black cars are the least visible, even in bright sunshine, followed by popular shades such as anthracite and grey.

Accident figures from around the world reflect the risks posed by darker coloured cars. Bright and vibrant colours such as whites and yellows reflect the light better, making them more visible from a distance.

Research carried out in Sweden found that pink cars were involved in the fewest car accidents while in Australia, research conducted by the Monash University Accident Unit found that black cars were 12 per cent more likely than white ones to be involved in an accident. This was followed by grey and silver cars.

A study at New Zealand’s University of Auckland also linked car colour to rates of injury casing accidents. The study showed that that those who drove brown coloured cars were at the highest risk of sustaining an injury in a car crash.

Black and green cars also showed a higher risk of being involved in a car accident.

Many car accidents can result in personal injury. If you have been involved in a road traffic accident, that wasn’t your fault, you should seek medical attention straight away. You may also be entitled to make a claim and should seek legal advice from a firm of personal injury solicitors who specialise in road traffic accidents.

A man who fell out of the back of a lorry and sustained a serious injury has received £100,000 compensation. The settlement he received was successfully recovered by a senior consultant solicitor here at PHC Law Ltd. 

The worker was being helped to load his lorry by a forklift truck driver who then left the area, before lowering the retractable steps at the rear of the vehicle. Without the steps the man had no safe way of getting to the ground and ended up falling off the back of the lorry. He sustained serious injuries to his right knee including damage to the tibia and the fibula.

The man contacted us regarding his claim which was approved by our senior consultant solicitor Mr John Cooper.

Mr Cooper said: “This was a particularly serious incident. While the man returned to his job, as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident at work, he was unable to complete his normal duties without the assistance of a helper.

Orthopaedic evidence was obtained by both parties, and doctors agreed that this was a serious injury. Following proposals and counter proposals, the claim was settled at the total sum of £100,000.

Mr Cuerden, Managing Director here at PHC Law said: “We were happy with the outcome of this case, which should serve as a reminder to anyone that has sustained an injury at work, that they could well be entitled to compensation and damages. We’d urge anyone in this situation to get in touch so they can discuss their case with a specialist solicitor.”

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About PHC Law

Our team of personal injury solicitors has over 30 years’ experience of personal injury claims. We are committed to helping clients recover the maximum amount of compensation possible. Cases are taken on a no win, no fee basis which means legal fees are recovered separately, and clients are able to keep 100 per cent of their compensation. In the event a claim is unsuccessful, there is no fee to pay.

Many accident hot spots throughout the UK are set to be slowed down to 20mph in a bid to reduce the number of accidents and injuries reported.The new 20mph zones are expected to reduce accidents by 20-30 per cent.

In 1996, the first evaluation of 20mph zones was carried out throughout various parts of the UK. It found the number of injuries arising from road traffic accidents significantly reduced by 60%, and child injury accidents dropped by 67%. Though plans for the 20mph zones did not remain compulsory, the evidence supports the effectiveness of 20mph zones as a way of preventing injuries on the road.

Due to increasing rise of serious injuries and fatalities reported each year that arise from road traffic accidents, the Government now plans to widen the use of 20mph throughout many residential areas in the UK, particularly those with the highest number of accidents recorded.

Councils are being encouraged to introduce the 20mph schemes into areas where cycle and pedestrian traffic is high, particularly around schools shops and parks.

Speed significantly increases the chance of being injured in a collision. Studies which compare injury severity with vehicle speed show that accidents at speeds above 20mph are more likely to result in severe injuries, rather than minor injuries.

Motorists who are found to exceed the 20mph speed limit will get an automatic fine of £60 and 3 penalty points through the post.

Mr.Wood, of PHC Law personal injury solicitors said: “Too many pedestrians, cyclists and children remain to be victims of road traffic accidents caused by speeding in residential areas. I hope the new 20mph scheme will drastically improve the safety of road users for the future”.