When a lady was injured on a trip to a historic monument, Bartletts specialist personal injury solicitors in Chester were able to help her get back on her feet with the compensation she deserved.

The 62-year-old lady was visiting Chester on a day out when she tripped and fell on a slippery, moss covered flagstone at one of the city’s popular historic sites. Her fall caused a fracture to her hip and she needed an ambulance to take her to the local hospital. She received a hip replacement operation and needed to stay in hospital for five days for recovery and recuperation.

While she was in hospital, her husband came to see one of our expert personal injury lawyers for advice. We quickly established that the lady had a personal injury claim and were able to put the wheels in motion.

Her husband had taken up residence in a local bed and breakfast while his wife was in hospital in order to be at hand. The couple had only planned to visit Chester for the day and had not brought any clothes and provisions for such an extended stay.

Following the accident, the lady needed to use a zimmer frame for more than two months to enable her to move around, and after that she required the aid of a walking stick and her hip permanently ached. Doctors advised that she would need a hip implant in 15 years time because of the accident.

Bartletts experienced personal injury solicitors worked tirelessly, gathering statements from the paramedics and witnesses to prove that the grounds of the historic monument had not been adequately maintained for the safety of visitors.

We successfully secured compensation for personal injuries from the insurance company of the historic site. This comprised of compensation for pain and suffering, care and assistance, loss of enjoyment of the holiday and additional expenses incurred from the extended stay in Chester including accommodation, food and clothing.

 

 

Restaurants owe their customers a duty of care to make sure they are safe on the premises, which extends to the fixtures and fittings as well as all the equipment that is used.

If a customer is injured on the premises, due to an oversight or lack of care, then the duty of care has been breached and the restaurant owners can be held responsible.

Bartletts experienced personal injury lawyers in Chester recently helped a 20-year-old lady who had been scalded in a Mexican restaurant quickly establish liability for her injuries and win compensation for her injuries.

The lady was visiting the restaurant with a group of friends and ordered a meal usually served on a hot skillet at the table. When her meal arrived she touched the handle of the skillet, which did not have the customary protective wooden handles, and burnt her hand.

Having suffered extensive blistering to her fingers and thumb, and heat sensitivity for over a year, the lady sought advice from one of our specialist personal injury solicitors.

We were able to seamlessly handle her personal injury claim, getting the restaurant to quickly admit their liability and settle a claim for compensation with their insurance company.

Always keen to stand up for the rights of our clients, Bartletts recently won an appeal that led to £10,000 in compensation for a lady who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident.

The lady came to see one of our specialist personal injury solicitors in Chester, after she had been knocked down at a pedestrian crossing. The 53-year-old lady was attempting to cross the road when a car driving at speed collided into her. The driver did not stop and instead proceeded to drive away from the scene of the accident, which is a criminal offence.

Passers-by called an ambulance and the lady was taken to hospital. She had suffered multiple fractures to her toes and soft tissue damage to her head and shoulders. Following the accident the lady needed a course of physiotherapy to help her recover fully.

Just before the accident, the lady had been offered a new job. She was unable to start the job on the date she had planned because of the injuries from the accident, which had affected her mobility.

When the lady came to see Bartletts, our expert personal injury lawyer advised her that even though the hit-and-run driver was untraceable, she could make a claim for compensation from the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The MIB is run by the insurance industry to provide compensation for anyone involved in an accident with an uninsured or untraced driver.

The MIB initially rejected the lady’s claim for compensation, but our persistent lawyer appealed their decision and an independent arbitrator allowed the appeal. The lady was awarded £10,000 as compensation for personal injuries, which helped her get back on the road to recovery and receive the physiotherapy treatment she needed. Eventually, the lady was even able to start her new job.

 

When an everyday trip to buy a cup of coffee left one gentleman with a scalding injury, he turned to Bartletts personal injury solicitors in Chester, to help him secure the compensation he deserved.

The 36 year old warehouse worker was making his daily visit to his local fast-food restaurant drive-through, to get his morning cuppa. He ordered his favourite cup of coffee and made his way to the next hatch for collection. As the drive-through employee passed him the hot drink cup, the lid slipped, spilling the hot coffee all over the man’s arm.

The warehouse worker was left scalded and in substantial pain. He went straight to the accident and emergency department of his local hospital, where he was examined and treated. The man was in great deal of pain and discomfort, and the scald left his arm significantly red for quite some time.

Luckily he had not been permanently scarred, but the experience and pain he suffered was by no means forgettable. At which point he turned to Bartletts specialist injury lawyers.

Our lawyers were swiftly able to establish that the fast-food chain were responsible for the accident and submitted a claim for compensation to their insurance company. Bartletts successfully secured compensation for personal injuries on his behalf.

 

When a motorcyclist was left with significant physical and psychological injuries after an accident that was not his fault, our specialist personal injury lawyers in Chester helped him secure the compensation he deserved.

The 31 year old factory worker was making a routine journey on his motorcycle. As he made his way over a bridge, a car suddenly came from the opposite direction, cutting in front of him and forcing him to brake suddenly. The motorcyclist was propelled at speed off his vehicle and onto the road. His shoulder took the brunt of the fall.

The motorcyclists suffered significant cuts, bruises and soft tissue damage to his shoulder, ribs, neck and back. He needed physiotherapy and acupuncture treatment and also required extra care and assistance at home as his mobility was impaired by ongoing pain in his back. The motorcyclist also suffered significant psychological injuries from the accident. The shock of the accident meant the gentleman needed cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as well as counselling sessions to recover.

When he came to see Bartletts’ experienced motorcycle personal injury lawyers, it was clear he was under a great deal of emotional, physical and financial strain. Responding with understanding and professionalism, we quickly set about gathering information about the accident and medical reports to help the motorcyclist make a claim for compensation.

Once he had undergone all suitable rehabilitation, Bartletts successfully secured compensation for personal injuries from the insurance company of the car driver. The settlement was made up of a sum for his injuries and a sum for expenses, including medical, travelling and care expenses, plus the cost of repairing his damaged motorcycle. A deserved result for our client, who had to go through a long three years of recovery until he could live life normally again.

Tinnitus is a middle ear condition that can cause a cause a constant ringing or buzzing sound to be heard in the ears. Those affected can be severely debilitated by the condition and often feel isolated and depressed. Tinnitus can be caused by a number of things including earwax, middle ear infections and occasionally by a blow to the head.

This was exactly what happened to a 65-year-old retired schoolteacher. The gentleman was visiting a county fair when a strong gust of wind caused one of the stalls to collapse, causing one of the awning beams to strike him hard on the head.

An ambulance was called to the scene and the gentleman was taken to the local hospital. He was suffering from whiplash injuries from a blow to the head and soft tissue injuries, and immediately complained of hearing a constant ringing sound that was later diagnosed as permanent tinnitus.

When the gentleman came to see Bartletts expert personal injury solicitors in Chester, we started a full investigation into the incident. Our lawyer discovered that the awning had not been properly screwed down, and were able to establish that there was public liability insurance in place.

We successfully negotiated a settlement with the insurance company that provided the gentleman with compensation for tinnitus, allowing him to be referred to a specialist hearing and wellbeing centre and receive tinnitus masking treatments.

When a factory worker’s tattoo turned sceptic, leaving him scarred for life, Bartletts personal injury lawyers in Wrexham secured him the compensation he deserved.

The 40-year-old man, who had never had a tattoo before, visited his local tattoo parlour to have his chosen design tattooed onto the top of his right arm. Following the treatment, the tattooed area became extremely red, raised and itchy. It had become infected and was bleeding.

The man went to his GP for medical advice and was prescribed a course of antibiotics for the infection and his arm was dressed and bandaged. He returned to his GP’s practice for further consultations and regular dressing changes for the next few weeks. After the final dressing was removed he was prescribed a dermatological cream to reduce scarring at the site.

When the man came to see one of Bartletts’ specialist personal injury solicitors in Wrexham he had a permanent large red scar measuring two inches in diameter on the top of his arm, instead of the tattoo he had intended. Our experienced solicitor advised claiming compensation for personal injuries from the tattoo parlour’s insurance company.

With small independent traders, such as tattooists, piercers and beauticians, it can be hard to establish whether they have insurance in place as you have to rely on their cooperation in response to requests for details. They are likely to be worried about being reported to the local council and losing their licence to operate.

Having received no initial response from the tattoo parlour, our solicitor quickly took action and applied to court for disclosure of documents held by the tattoo parlour.

Bartletts submitted a compensation claim to the insurance company on the man’s behalf and successfully secured compensation for personal injuries.

When you die, can you be certain loved ones will follow your wishes as stated in your Will? One way you can be confident this will happen is to have a professional solicitor write your Will – and with probate fraud on the increase, the importance of this cannot be overstated.

Homemade Wills are easy to forge, leaving both you and loved ones vulnerable to unscrupulous individuals. It is possible nowadays to write your own Will at home, using software or websites, however doing so can leave you open to forgery.

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners estimate there to be between £100 and £150 million worth of probate fraud each and every year.

Whether the theft of your estate and assets is perpetrated by organised criminals or family or friends, the outcome is the same – your wishes are not followed and the persons you wanted to inherit your estate no longer do.

Replacement Wills can be easily forged if the original was only made at home, and sometimes the deceased’s family members do not even know that the Will has been changed. For example, if the deceased has two children and has stipulated in his or her Will for one to inherit more than the other, and the Will is found by the child who deems it unfair, the Will could be replaced with a forged one that changes this and the other sibling never knows the truth. When it comes to criminals, data is accessed that reveals the name and details of the deceased so a Will can be convincingly forged that appoints the criminals as Executors, often through a company created by the gang, and gives them full access to the estate.

According to the Court Service data, the number of High Court cases involving disputed Wills increased 175 percent during 2011. To help ensure you don’t become a victim of probate fraud, make sure you have your Will written by a qualified solicitor.

Why Using A Solicitor To Write Your Will Helps

A solicitor can not only provide professional legal advice and guidance on the complex issue of Wills and probate but draft a watertight Will to ensure your wishes are followed after your death.

1. Recorded Wishes

If you write a Will using a solicitor rather than making a homemade Will, there is a proper record of your wishes. You can also state your reasons for the division of your estate.

2. Validated Wishes

A solicitor is able to verify that your Will is genuine if it was drafted professionally.

3. Protected Wishes

When a solicitor helps you draft your Will, the completed document is stored by the solicitor so no individual is able to change it or forge a replacement.

You can ensure your wishes are carried out and your estate divided according to your Will by using a solicitor to draft it for you. To find out more about our Wills and Probate services or for advice on making a Will, contact our team on 0800 988 3674 or email advice@bartletts.co.uk

 

One in four accidents on the UK roads is a rear end shunt, where one vehicle goes into the back of another. Although common, this type of collision can leave drivers and passengers with painful soft tissue injuries and whiplash injuries.

Bartletts personal injury solicitors in Chester are highly experienced at securing compensation for victims of rear end shunt accidents.

We recently helped a young healthcare assistant win over £5,000 in compensation for personal injuries following a rear end collision with the car she was driving. The lady was driving to work and slowed down as she approached a junction. The vehicle behind her, a taxi, failed to slow down at the same rate and collided into the back of her car.

There was only a small amount of damage to her car, but the lady was in a considerable amount of shock so an ambulance was called to the scene. She was suffering from pains in her arms and chest and she sustained soft tissue injuries to her neck and back, caused by the whiplash movement in the accident. She also had altered sensations in her arm.

When she came to see one of Bartletts specialist personal injury lawyers, the lady had been off work for three weeks. She was still suffering from a considerable amount of pain and was too anxious to drive. She needed ongoing physiotherapy treatment and had to take taxis in order to attend.

Our experienced solicitor quickly established a claim for personal injuries and a claim for loss of earnings against the taxi driver’s insurance company. We successfully negotiated settlement of her claim for compensation for personal injuries and loss of earnings on behalf of the lady, enabling her to get the rehabilitation care and treatment she deserved.