No win, no fee pavement fall claims and the compensation-repair debate
Broken pavements are a major health and safety issue for older people in the UK today, with nearly 2,500 older people falling foul of this hazard each day. Now it is being argued by Help the Aged that councils are doing too little to prevent broken pavement-related falls from happening, instead placing too much focus on putting money aside in order to pay out compensation and legal costs resulting from no win, no fee action.
The charity argue that rather than taking an overly-cautious approach to potential no win, no fee claims, councils across the UK should be putting money into the kinds of repairs that will prevent these accidents in the first place.
Councils questioned
In 2007 Help the Aged sent out a questionnaire to councils across the UK. 66 councils responded, and it was found that, between them, these councils had put a total of £16.3 million aside to meet potential legal costs, working out at an average of £250,000 per council.
Yet, at the same time, 8 out of 10 councils report funding shortfalls for the maintenance of pavements, kerbs and public pathways.
A leading cause of death
Falls are the number one cause of death among the older population of Britain, yet it is not only the injuries sustained that take their toll. Psychological repercussions are a significant consequence of pavement falls too, with a separate Help the Aged study Spotlight - finding that, in the wake of their accidents, 80,000 of those who fall each year find themselves crippled with anxiety about leaving the house.
Help the Aged's view
A spokesperson with Help the Aged commented on the organisations findings, "This investigation suggests that councils are caught in a vicious circle. "On the one hand they are required to sit on large sums of money to cover legal fees and compensation and on the other they are cash-strapped when it comes to repairing pavements that may cause falls in the first place. "It is vital that councils invest more money in keeping public walkways safe, as falls are the leading cause of death for over 75s."
"Councils are responsible for maintaining and repairing millions of miles of public walkways, and this report shows that their finances are under pressure. "However, we would like to see all councils responding quickly to fix pavements reported as dangerous and to investigate how they might better spend their reserve litigation funds."
(The Help the Aged website provides useful information on the issues affecting older people in Britain.)
No win, no fee solicitors of national reputation
As Help the Aged report, falls are a major health and safety issue affecting older people in the UK today.
All councils have a duty to ensure that pavements and walkways are safe for their citizens to walk on; after all, it is one of the reasons why we pay our taxes.
Falls can be particularly debilitating to older people, who find their quality of life affected, and their personal finances suffering as a result.
Claiming personal injury compensation, while not ever truly compensating for the pain and suffering incurred, can help you manage their effects, while assisting you in achieving the best possible chance at rehabilitation.
The no win, no fee solicitors on our panel firms who specialise in this kind of litigation have a near-unrivalled understanding of both the needs of the claimant and the law as it applies to them
All work on a cost-free basis when representing this kind of claim. We do not charge any costs, fees or disbursements, and protect you from all those incurred by the losing side.
Furthermore, we do not take any cuts, assuring every successful claimant 100% compensation.
To contact us today, just fill out a claim form, have an echat, or call us now on 0800 10 757 95.
