Aug/090
Making a claim quickly
If someone owes you money and you cannot settle things in any other way, you may decide to issue a claim through the county court. People also issue claims for other reasons, including:
- Bad workmanship
- Damage to their property
- Road traffic accidents
- Personal injury
- Goods not supplied
- Faulty goods
County courts deal with all these types of claim. You will sometimes hear people talk about the ’small claims court’. What they really mean is the special procedure for handling smaller claims in a county court.
Going to court should always be the last resort. There are now a number of other ways of sorting out complaints, disputes and legal problems without court action, including arbitration, mediation and ombudsmen schemes These are often called alternative dispute resolution (ADR) schemes.
Court rules require you to think about whether alternative dispute resolution is a better way to reach an agreement before going to court.
Some claims can be made online using the recommended Reclaim Now service by clicking here…
There are time restrictions for issuing claims. If you have delayed issuing proceedings for any reason, you may wish to seek legal advice before issuing your claim.
Aug/090
Worst Banks for Overdraft Charges
The ten banks with the worst unauthorised overdraft charges…
This week David Cameron has called for victims of “unfair” bank charges to be compensated “quickly and fairly” while Nick Clegg has agreed to table a motion calling for automatic payouts if bank charges are ruled unacceptable.
As the test case on unauthorised overdraft charges goes on, currently being heard in the House of Lords, consumer organisation Which? investigated the banks to see which ones charge customers who go over their unauthorised overdraft limit the most.
The figures below are based on an unauthorised overdraft of £30 for three days, including charges for a £10 cheque on day one, a £10 direct debit on day two and a £10 standing order on day three that the bank pays. The figures do not include interest.
Rank Bank/ Building Society Unauthorised overdraft charges Annual charges for £500 authorised overdraft *
1 NatWest/ RBS - £118 /£33
2 Alliance & Leicester - £90 / £60
3 Norwich & Peterborough Building Society - £88 / £26
4 Co-operative Bank/Smile - £80 / £54
5 First Direct - £75 / £17
6 Abbey - £70 / £28
7 Lloyds TSB - £42 / £40
8 Nationwide - £41.50 / £40
9 Cahoot - £30 / £21
10 Northern Rock - £28 / £110
* The annual cost of a £500 authorised overdraft for two weeks a month, assuming customers pay in £1,000 a month.
Source: Times Money
Aug/090
Car Accident Claims in the UK
There are 31 million cars in the UK, and this figure is growing every year, with 71% of the population having driving licences – more than ever before. Whether people are travelling to work, to the shops, to schools or on holiday, cars are the transport option of choice.
With the popularity of cars growing, people are putting themselves in danger when they get behind the wheel.
Over 290,000 injuries are caused by car accidents every year in the UK, the main cause being human error, which accounts for 95% of road accidents.
We have a range of services that we offer to people who have been injured in a road accident that was not their fault:
Compensation expertise from personal injury solicitors who specialise in a range of injuries, including whiplash, head injuries and back injuries.
- Free replacement car
- Free vehicle repairs
- Free legal advice and assistance for both car accident and motorcycle accident casualties
The chances are high that a driver will be involved in a car accident sometime in their driving life, whether it is their fault or not. We help people who have been injured in a car accident that was someone else’s fault get compensation for their injuries and for the financial losses they have suffered.
Cost-free compensation
We understand that many people worry about the costs incurred by legal proceedings, but you undertake no financial risks when making a compensation claim with us. You will not be asked to take out a loan, and you will not be liable to pay any costs or fees whatsoever, whatever the outcome of your car accident claim.
Some companies can take up to 40% of your compensation in deductions. We guarantee you will receive every penny of the compensation you are awarded – no deductions.
Free legal advice after a car accident
If you have been involved in a car accident that was not your fault, take advantage of our free, no obligation legal advice. We will give you a free claim assessment and answer any questions you may have about making a car accident claim.
To find out more about making a no win, no fee compensation claim with the car accident experts, get in touch with us today. We’re here to help you 24 hours a day and will gladly answer any questions you may have.
If you have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, we can help you get compensation for your injuries and the losses you have suffered as a result of the accident. Click here to make a claim…
Source: You Claim
Aug/090
Lloyds blames huge 6 month loss on HBOS
After announcing that they had made a £4 billion loss in the first 6 months of 2009, Lloyds were quick to shift the focus of blame from themselves to HBOS whom they took over back in January. The loss was always inevitable given the scale of the takeover and Lloyds are hiding behind the fact that they are currently dealing with not only their own financial problems but HBOS’ cripling debts as well.
The bank is currently publicly owned to the tune of 43% after they went cap in hand to the Government to cover cripling debts with a £13.4bn loan. This was to cover ‘toxic loans’, 80% of which belonged to HBOS. Despite this depressing news, Lloyds are optimistic about the future suggesting that financial results will begin to improve in the near future.
The one thing to be taken from this is that HBOS were wildly irresponsible in their risk taking and were probably the most guilty of all UK’s major banks. It also serves as a reminder that we should think twice before going back to a culture of short-selling, bonuses, and self-gain risk taking.
Aug/090
HSBC and Barclays Announce Profits
It was announced today that, as expected, 2 of the big 5 UK banks have released their profit figures for the first half of 2009. The total profits for HSBC and Barclays have hit the £6m mark sparking fears of short selling and bonus culture dripping back into the banking system.
The profits are potentially a good sign for the economy as long as the temptation to jump straight back into big bonuses is resisted in the long term and, of course, both Barclays and HSBC refused help from the Government when the financial crisis was at its worst so far so they have every right to if they wish.
Barclays and HSBC both said they were pleased with their results, although they did point out that debts on a substantial scale still exist.
Jul/090
Direct Mortgages - The best on the UK market
Mortgage brokers have been dealt a major as The Times Online report that 2 thirds of the mortgages on the market are available through the lender only and the previously commonplace practice of your mortgage broker contacting the lender on your behalf to negotiate a deal could soon be dead in the water. As if this news wasn’t bad enough, many of the deals are actually at a marginally better rate - especially if the consumer visits their branch to arrange it.
The statistics behind this story reflect a gloomy forecast for mortgage brokers. Last year over 70% of mortgages were only available through a broker but clearly the credit crunch has had a huge impact on the banking system and ideas and recommendations that would otherwise have taken years to come to fruition have now become the way of life.
Another reason why banks are doing this is to get a grip on the flow of mortgages being dealt out. They also believe that they can get a better feel over whether handing a mortgage to a consumer is a good idea.
Statistics from Moneyfacts.co.uk
Story from: The Times Online
Jul/090
Pandemic flu figures direct gov to take action
A 26 year old pregnant British woman is critically ill with swine flu has been transferred to Sweden for specialist treatment after suffering an extreme reaction to the potentially fatal Swine Flu virus.
The woman was admitted to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, Scotland with H1N1 last week, but after complications, the hospital recommended a procedure in which her blood would be circulated out of her body and oxygenated.
The Leicester unit that carries out this procedure was so full that she has been sent to Sweden.
The procedure is known as extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and involves a machine taking over the functions of the individuals heart and lungs.
The UK has a national ECMO unit in Leicester, however with only 5 beds all of which are taken.
A similar bed was found in Stockholm, where the woman has now arrived .
“Doctors are pleased with how she has coped with the journey, which is obviously good news, but the patient is critically ill, which is why she had to be transferred for this highly specialised procedure.
Jul/090
Steven Gerrard Charged With Affray - CCTV Footage
Liverpool Crown Court heard today that Marcus McGee was on the receiving end of a ‘boxer’ style attack. The 34 year old was repeatedly punched by Gerrards friends before Gerrard himself joined in and threw a ’succession of well aimed uppercuts’ in his direction.
David Turner QC, prosecuting, said: “there was “no doubt” Mr Gerrard struck Mr McGee and said the issue for the jury to decide was whether he was acting in self-defence. We do not say that Mr Gerrard is normally an arrogant man, we don’t say that he is a bully. What we do say is that that night he just lost his self-control and joined in an attack which should never have taken place. He let himself down.”
The trial concludes with Gerrard cleared of affray.
CCTV Footage of the incident…
Jun/090
Firefighter Claims Compensation over Injuries Suffered in House Blaze
Fire chiefs are facing the prospect of a £500,000 compensation bill after a firefighter suffered 35% burns and began a High Court persute over injuries received in house blaze that proved fatal for 1 woman.
The woman, from Hill Top Crescent, died in the flames and a second firefighter, Grant Baugh, also suffered serious burns when he joined Mr Tape inside the house. In the writ, the claimant Mr Tape, claims South Yorkshire Brigade had issued faulty equipment and the radio normally used to send distress messages was also not working.
Mr. Tape also claims that, against normal procedure, his fellow firefighters began hosing the burning house with water, while he and his colleague were inside, an action which only made things worse.
Jun/090
Worker Trapped in Quarry Conveyor Belt
A quarry company has had to pay compensation, fines and legal fees of almost £15,000 after an employee became trapped in conveyor belt machinery which wasn’t properly blocked off and appropriate warning signs were not in place.
He fell into the belt area, where his right arm was tangled up in the mechanism up to his shoulder. Appearing before Alnwick Magistrates Court on Monday, sister companies North East Concrete Limited and North East Plant Sales, pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety regulations.
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