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A man has suffered a catastrophic injury during a crash between a jet ski and a speedboat.
The man who was a passenger on the jet ski at the time of the accident was flown by plane to a hospital in Southampton after suffering a series of serious injuries.
The incident occurred at St Brelade’s Bay off the coast of Jersey and the Jersey Police have launched an investigation, urging any witnesses to come forward and contact them.
The mother of the jet ski passenger said: “he’s suffered a catastrophic, life-changing injury” and it’s going to be a “huge struggle for him to walk again”.
The mother also praised the critical care doctor and nurse in Jersey who accompanied son by plane to the hospital.
The driver of the speedboat who is suspected of driving recklessly was arrested shortly after the collision but was later released on bail by the Jersey Police pending further investigation.
Catastrophic injuries can leave your life and the lives of those you hold dear in disarray and changed forever. If you have suffered a catastrophic injury that has left your life turned upside down, or know of someone who has, please get in touch with a member of our catastrophic injury team who will be happy to help you identify your potential compensation claim.
Here at Thorneycroft Solicitors, we want you to get the compensation you deserve, that’s why we offer a free initial interview in order to review your specific circumstances and assess the viability of your personal injury claim.
To speak to a specialist member of our catastrophic injury team, call us now for free on 0800 1979 345, or complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will call you back at a time that better suits you.
A brand new initiative for victims who have suffered brain injuries has been backed by a member of the royal family.
The Brain Injury Identity Card initiative, which was launched this month is being supported by His Royal Highness Prince Harry.
Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway (the charity behind the initiative) said: “The Headway Brain Injury Identity Card is designed to help the police to identify survivors at the earliest opportunity, ensuring they receive suitable support and are diverted away from the criminal justice system where appropriate.”
Whilst speaking to brain injury survivors during the launch event for the Brain Injury Identity Card, His Royal Highness Prince Harry described the introduction of the card as “a life-changing moment for people with a traumatic brain injury.”
The card is part of Headways’ wider ‘Justice Project’, which is designed to raise awareness of brain injury within the criminal justice system. Being arrested can be a deeply traumatic experience for anyone, however, those feelings of anxiety and confusion are heightened for brain injury survivors, which can lead to the survivor experiencing anger management issues as a result of being confronted by a policeman or being detained in a confined space such as a police car.
Janette McCormick, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Disabilities, said: “We fully support this excellent initiative, which will help police officers and custody sergeants identify brain injury survivors at any early stage.”
“This will not only save valuable and limited resources in many cases but more importantly will ensure vulnerable adults are treated in an appropriate manner as a result of having their needs identified.”
Mr McCabe also highlighted that “sadly, evidence shows that brain injury is over-represented in the criminal justice system… and it is widely misunderstood in all facets of society and those working in the criminal justice system are certainly not alone in struggling to identify and appropriately support those affected.”
Not only does the card help the police force, but the card also has the additional benefit of breaking down social exclusion, with card holders having renewed confidence in the knowledge that they can easily explain their support needs in everyday situations.
All Brain Injury Identity Cards are personalised to include the survivor’s photo, a list of some of the common effects that they experience on a regular basis and a clinical verification of their brain injury.
To find out if you are eligible for a Brain Injury Identity Card or to apply for your own, click here.
A brain injury can challenge every aspect of your life including the things we take for granted every day including walking, talking, thinking and feeling – and the losses can be severe and permanent. It can mean losing both the life you once lived and the person you once were.
If you have suffered a brain injury, or know of someone who has, please get in touch with a member of our catastrophic injury team who will be happy to help you explore your compensation claim.
We offer a free initial interview in order to review your specific circumstances and assess the viability of your claim.
To speak to one of our specialist team call us now on FREEPHONE 0800 1979 345, or complete our enquiry form and we can call you back at a time to suit you.
A woman who claimed that “mistakes were made” during her dental treatment has received £10,000 in compensation after dentists allegedly failed to spot and treat her tooth decay, leaving her no option but to have her teeth removed just days before her Caribbean wedding.
The claimant who was due to be married on the Caribbean island of Grenada was forced to cancel her wedding photographer and a live band after she had to use her savings to pay for a procedure to fit dental implants to replace the two teeth she had been forced to remove.
After falling victim of dental negligence to two different dentists, the third was forced to remove the two teeth before any more damage from the rotting teeth could occur.
The 61-year-old claimant said: “My wedding in Grenada was coming up, and I was trying to save money to pay for it.”
“But the implants were so expensive I had to cancel the wedding photographer and the live music I’d arranged in order to pay for the treatment. It was deeply upsetting.”
“I was livid. To be told that two of my teeth were completely rotten was bad enough, but it was also only a few days before my wedding in Grenada.”
“I was already taking antibiotics for an abscess and was worried about the effect the hot climate would have on my teeth.”
“It was extremely upsetting and stopped me from enjoying my wedding.”
The case which began in 2015 was eventually settled in an out of court settlement for a total of £10,000.
Here at Thorneycroft Solicitors, we have specialist solicitors who are experienced in dealing with all manner of dental negligence claims. If a dentist or dental practitioner has caused you any harm or discomfort then please don’t hesitate, get in touch with a member of our team today.
We offer a free initial interview in order to review your specific circumstances and assess the viability of your dental negligence claim.
To speak to one of our specialist team call us now on FREEPHONE 0800 093 2030, or complete our simple enquiry form and we can call you back at a time to suit you.
Within the last 12 months, there has been a record breaking £1.7 billion paid out to claimants who suffered medical negligence at the hands of NHS staff.
The figure for NHS negligence claims has almost doubled in the past decade and it shows no sign of decreasing anytime soon, with the Medical Protection Society (MPS) saying they believe the total will rise to £2.6 billion within the next 5 years, which could threaten the very existence of the NHS.
A key issue behind the rise of the increased payouts is the errors made at childbirth by medical staff.
The most costly claims both in human terms and monetary terms are those that involve babies that suffer injuries at birth with cases often linked with a failure to monitor babies’ heart rates and identify risks of oxygen starvation. Many of these cases end with the child suffering irreversible brain damage, which leads to payouts that must cover the cost of care for life.
Chief Executive of the charity Action Against Medical Accidents said: “The human cost of these perfectly avoidable errors is far greater than the financial cost.”
“Most of these costs would be avoided if the NHS investigated incidents better, recognised when they were at fault and settled claims earlier.”
However, the MPS, who support over 300,000 healthcare professionals worldwide, have proposed changes to try and decrease the total payouts by the NHS for medical negligence.
They suggest a cap on future care costs, the value of which would be decided by a group of working experts. They also propose using national average weekly earnings to avoid unfair payouts to higher earners who make a similar claim to someone on a lower wage.
If you have been unfortunate enough to have experienced obstetric negligence in hospital or feel that your treatment was substandard, then contact us at Thorneycroft Solicitors today for a free no-obligation assessment of your case on 0800 1979 345 or complete our online enquiry form.
Our medical negligence solicitors are dedicated to maximising the compensation for medical negligence available on a no win – no fee basis.
A former dental technician who was convicted of offering tooth whitening treatment illegally has been ordered to pay over £10,000 and has also been issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order preventing him from advertising his services or practicing dentistry.
This is the first time the General Dental Council (GDC) has been granted a criminal behaviour order. Should the order be breached, it could result in an increased fine, a prison sentence or both.
Originally banned from practicing dentistry by the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) in 2012 for causing harm to patients and failing to accept accountability, the former dental practitioner was brought to the GDC’s attention after they received a complaint.
The banned practitioner was accused of offering tooth whitening services without being on the register of dental care professionals and was found guilty following a trial at a Magistrates’ Court.
The judge presiding over the case said: ““You do not have the qualifications or registration with the General Dental Council to carry out tooth whitening, and I’m quite certain that places members of the public at risk.”
The convicted former practitioner was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay £120 as a victim surcharge along with full costs to the GDC which totalled £5,703.99.
The Interim Head of the Illegal Practice team for the GDC, Mr Shaun Round, said: “This outcome shows how seriously both the GDC and the Magistrates’ Court take the illegal practice of dentistry. To ensure patient safety, tooth whitening can only be carried out by dentists and dental care professionals who are registered with the GDC. The GDC investigates and, where appropriate, prosecutes those who carry out illegal dentistry, to ensure that members of the public are protected and not put at risk.”
“This is the first time that the GDC has sought – and been granted – a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which aims to stop people reoffending and further endangerment of the public.”
“We hope this outcome will encourage patients to ensure that when they seek dental treatment – such as teeth whitening – they check whether the practitioner is registered with the GDC.”
Have you had trouble with your dentist or dental practitioner?
Thorneycroft Solicitors has specialist solicitors who are experienced in dealing with all manner of dental negligence claims. If you feel you have received illegal or substandard dental care from a dentist or dental practitioner we can help.
We offer a free initial interview in order to review your specific circumstances and assess the viability of your dental negligence claim.
To speak to one of our dental negligence specialists call us now on FREEPHONE 0800 093 2030, or complete our simple enquiry form and we can call you back at a time that suits you.
Pregnancy complications are something that affects a huge number of people across the UK on a daily basis, and when they’re close to home, they can have huge impacts on all of those close to the family.
For our associate director, Craig, the impact was enough to make him want to make a difference.
Thorneycroft Solicitors were delighted to be one of the sponsors at last week’s Modern Law Conveyancing Awards, held at The Titanic Hotel in Liverpool.
Egon Zehnder Ltd v Mary Caroline Tillman
A restrictive covenant is only as useful as it is enforceable. Where there is disagreement over the validity of this type of clause, it is often left to the courts to decide whether or not an employee should be prevented from doing certain things – working with clients, or competing with their former employer, for example – after their employment has ended.
If you’re a fan of the Peter Kay show, Car Share, you’ll have seen the perfect sickie in the making. John’s car share buddy, Kayleigh, calls into work. She feigns a stomach bug with great aplomb, while John looks on. It’s all part of her plan to lure John, who happens to be the assistant manager in the store where they both work, to the safari park for the day.
Elmore v The Governors of Darland High School
In most unfair dismissal cases, an employer will put its dismissing officer and its appeal officer in the witness box. It makes sense to give the tribunal a full account of what happened at each stage and why. But this case shows that a fair dismissal may be found even where the appeal officer does not give evidence.