How Off-court Settlements Monopolize Reconciliations Among Claimants

If you were to ask me how No Win No Fee UK claims could be settled quickly and amicably, then I would answer what I have been advocating ever since I settled my own work accident claim five years ago: talk outside the courts.

There are many reasons why this works. But first, let me talk about why I think on-court solutions, hardly, if ever work.

For one thing, once you involve the courts in your accident claim, the probable effect is that the claiming process becomes more serious, and with that, more difficult to unravel. The normal psychological effect of involving the courts among claimants and defendants is that they come to think of the claiming process no longer as a dispute that can be finished without hassle or drama, but a grand object which must be relentlessly pursued without compromise. It seems as if they think that once inside the courts, they must give Lady Justice herself a good show. The stakes, as they see it, are now weightier than before. Dignity, not just money, they feel, has now become the prize.

This is pathetic. If there is anything which the courts add to solving No Win No Fee UK claims, it’s either confusion or rage. Claiming your compensation is just as serious and just as valid when done outside the courts. Only superficial people whose minds are devoid of philosophy and think that specific locations hold a monopoly over specific kinds of virtue, will accept the argument that justice becomes more just in the house of a judge and less just outside of it. It’s senseless.

Another thing why on-court disputes rarely satisfy both parties is the tedium they involve. Courts are boring places, to be frank. If you want to spend countless hours listening to the drumming voice of a humorless judge articulating words and words of legal jargon than to simply talk to the person who injured you and ask for the proper amount of compensation, then it’s your choice. I would rather that I received my compensation early, even if it was less than the amount I should have received had I processed my claim with the help of the courts, if only I could be spared the boring tedium which is the hallmark of our judiciary.

Tick Tack Tick Tack

Tick, tack, tick, tack – so goes the hand of the clock.

Time is so precious to all occupations. Every minute counts. Deadlines, reports, meeting, a gigantic work, heavy lifting and all sorts of tasks. More energy, more strength, more time are required to finish these. This is how you describe the busy life of working people from different industries. They are busy as a bee. The long hours of working seems to be too short to beat the deadline.

An office worker rushes to his car after sipping a cup of coffee. Drives his car and off to work. While his hands are on the wheel, his mind is wondering on how to finish his report. He finds his way to the parking lot. All of a sudden, some boxes from the top of a truck fell on his head then to his shoulders and back.

A retail staff arranges the stocks on top of the shelf using an improvised ladder. Suddenly he tumbled on the ground and sustains minor fracture.

The team of kitchen staff and waiters are rushing to and fro to serve a crowd of customers flocking their restaurant on a busy Monday lunch. Spills of liquid and food tainted the floor. The wet and greasy floor was not clean up that’s why a waiter slipped on it.

An ordinary day for a regular worker became an odd day when he tripped on a cluttered wire and cable and breaks his ankle. Temporarily, he cannot walk the normal way.

A construction worker fell on top of a scaffold. He got some fractures on his arms and leg. It turned out that the person who built the scaffold is not trained that’s why it collapsed.

The protective clothing of a man working in the manufacturing company is not well-maintained. The worn-out suit was not sufficient to stand the effect of a harmful chemical. That man is suffering due to the dangerous chemical.

An accident at work is painful and not comfy. It rubs the time and delays the work. Sometimes it occurs when people are so busy and rushing into something. The lesson is to keep things organized, follow the rules and be careful all the time so that no one will get hurt.

Demanding Compensation Patiently

If there is one thing that I learned from my whole experience in demanding my work accident compensation, it is that good things cannot be had on short notice. Rather, they must be worked for, must be planned for, and most important, must be waited for.

Before my injurious accident, I was one of those who did things quickly, whatever it may be. Whether it was my laundry or my work or feeding my children or even having dinner with my husband, I always ensured that things got done quickly because that is how things should be done.

This is in no way an admission that I am hasty. I always study whatever it is that I want to do and then do it as quickly as possible. I don’t know, but maybe I got this attitude from watching too many military-themed movies. I’m a big fan too of military history. I think Bonaparte and Hitler, though they may have set wrong ends to pursue, were nevertheless blessed with formidable generals who knew that to strike means to strike quickly and without warning.

You could imagine my annoyance when my lawyer told me that days, sometimes even weeks, could be the intervals in the claiming process. For example, after sending a letter of accusation, we had to wait for a week for the reply. After that, we had to wait another week for a meeting with the defendant. Since my boss did not want to settle outside the courts, we had to bring our dispute to a judge’s attention and that required waiting for a month. And I won’t even mention the number of months the hearings lasted. Except maybe to point out that they too, were expectedly, far from each other. In other words, more waiting.

So I had to learn how to wait. My work accident compensation being no trifling figure, I thought that having started the claiming process, I may as well end it. And it did end and in my favor at that. Had it not, then I would have strangled my lawyer for making me undergo such a waiting process. That’s just not how things are supposed to be done.

Accidents at work: It’s temporary!

Accidents at work can be so shocking and most of all painful.

It shocking because in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, an injury prevents you from working, limits your movement, robs you of enjoying a social life and give you pain here and there. To add problems to that, financial burden weighs you down. Bills and expenses are piling up almost reaching the ceiling but oh no! not as high as the tree. Oh please! Bills keep coming, expenses keeps rolling and pocket is getting empty. Payment for hospitals bills, medical costs, treatments fees, travel expenses, additional expenses and other miscellaneous expenses that arise from time to time.

Going back to and from the hospital is not easy especially when it’s hard to hop into the car. Looking at yourself injured and helpless is unimaginable. Taking medicines which are bitter to taste gets bitter knowing that it’s quite expensive! Treatment gives hope. Thanks to the people who buy the groceries, run errands and takes care of all the chores at home. Such a big help!

Good thing the technology can be reliable. Just a click away you can talk to your loved ones and entertains you while you can’t leave the house. Mobile phones, Internet and movies, books and music entertain you everyday.

The excruciating pain plus the emotional distress seems hard to bear. Sometimes anxieties worry depression and fear comes because of the problems that seem so big. But thank God for the support of family, friends and relatives who encourages and give hope. Soon this ordeal will be over. Pain will walk away and the bills will be paid. Trying to think positively and excited to get back to work. The pain and suffering is temporary. There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

Someday you will look back and smile after going through the hard times. Learn from the experience in the past. Stay positive and keep happy heart so that time and pain won’t rob you of the good things in life. Hang on it’s temporary.

Award for Injured Workers

How can a regular worker get through with the pain from an accident in the workplace? Will he suffer in silence while his body deteriorates? How can he pay his bills if he is injured and cannot work?

A retail staff suffered broken bones from falling from a table while arranging the stocks on top of the cabinet   He used the table and chair instead of using the ladder. At one point you can commend the staff for being resourceful or blame him for the wrong move. The truth is that the business owner did not provide a ladder that is why the guy substituted the chair and table. Sadly, he was pressed for time that is why he used an improvised ladder. This is a typical story of an employee who sustained injury at work. He deserves to receive injury compensation. 

The compensation can help him pay for his bills like medicines, hospitalization, treatment, utilities and even trips going to the GP. It cannot really recover what was lost but it can somehow lighten the burden he carries. Afterall, he was not supposed to suffer the pain if only the owner provided the needed equipment. The compensation not only reimburses the expenses but also the pain and suffering that he endured. Actually, the compensation is not enough to bring back what was loss. There is no monetary value that can ease the pain of being injured. It’s immeasurable. Not to mention the loss time of enjoyment with family and friends, Plus the social gatherings that are memorable to him.  What about the simple daily activities that cannot be carried out because of the injury and hobbies that cannot be enjoyed? How about the scar that tainted his appearance? On top of that is the emotional turmoil that plagues him day and night. Stress, insecurity and helplessness surround him every now and then. Truly physical injury hurts. Underlying that are more complex issues that he needs to deal with. Financial burden weights him down and emotional struggle seems to pull him down. He deserves to be compensated.

SPELL S I- M-P-L-E

It’s disappointing to know that accidents in the workplace are caused by a simple negligence that costs unnecessary pain to an innocent victim. Do you know why it is simple? Let’s take a look at the common situation that is neglected and ignored by people.

A workplace accident happens when one is too busy to care. Granted that a worker is busy fixing a defective equipment, but it is not an excuse for him to scatter all the tools and materials lying on the floor. What if another co-worker is also busy rushing to and fro to get his work done? The scattered tools and tangled cable obstructs the passage way. And the next thing you know is that someone slipped on the floor. The first “busy” worker should organise and keep away any obstruction so that no one gets hurt.

Another slipping and tripping incidence occurs when there is a spillage. Spilled water or any chemical flowing on the floor should be cleaned immediately. The one responsible for it should take action – immediately! If he cannot do it, he should inform the maintenance staff to clean up. Immediate action is needed because someone may get hurt. This same goes with an uneven surface or pot holes that should be repaired.

A retail staff may be in hurry and puts the boxes on top of another without thinking that it might fall and hurt a colleague. True enough, just after he left the area, another staff became the victim of that negligence. The staff mentioned earlier could have been more considerate and fix the boxes properly so that an accident like that can be prevented.

Did you know that over-confidence can hurt? A worker who taught that a table and chair would be enough to reach an item would turn out to be a disaster. The table and chair used are not good enough to stand his weight that it collapsed and injured his legs.

It’s a simple act and a common sense. Workers needs to think twice before carrying out any task and ask – “What will happen if I do this…or not?”

A Trusted Attorney

A man who works in a manufacturing industry was exposed to a dangerous chemical and suffered burns. He is recuperating from the injury he sustained from the plant. A construction worker fell from the scaffolding whilst doing his task. His arm and legs are on a cask. Another worker who was assigned in the food service industry slipped due to the spilled water flowing in the hallway. All of them have one common denominator – injury.

You will be sympathetic whenever you learn about the plight of these hardworking people who ended up being injured. So sad that they have to suffer the pain caused by other’s mistakes. The man working in a manufacturing company should have been provided with protective clothing to shield him from the harmful chemical. A glove, mask, clothes or shoes should be supplied by his employer. Or he could have refused to do that task if he was informed that the job is dangerous.  The construction worker would not fell off from the scaffolding if it is not defective. The building owner should have provided a stable equipment to protect their workers. All businesses including the food service industry should ensure the safety of their workers. The one working in the food service industry should be protected with safety shoes or the supervisor should maintain cleanliness in the area so that no one will slip on wet floors. These people suffered injuries because of their colleague or their employer.

They cry for justice. Their patience is running out as they endure the pain. Their pockets are empty because of paying for the hospitalization, medicines, treatment and other expenses that comes out like buying aids and equipment for their recovery.

All of them are looking for qualified compensation solicitors who will speak for them and bring a claim for their injuries. They want a solicitor who can be trusted, sympathetic and intelligent in negotiating with the concerned parties. As ordinary people who have limited knowledge about the law, they want a person who can clearly explain to them about personal injury claims and the compensation that can be granted to them.