Scottish industry and personal injury claims

The Scotland of today is a very different place from the Scotland of yesteryear. The lochs and glens and coastlines and islands that have enthralled the human eye for generations still remain of course, but the country's economy has changed enormously in the last few decades.

No longer is Scotland reliant on a few traditional industries such as shipbuilding, heavy engineering, steelmaking and coalmining; instead the country now thrives on a rich and varied economy.

If, 25 years ago, one was to talk about personal injury claims resulting from Scottish accidents at work, thoughts of nasty injuries on the Glasgow docks, fishing accidents off the coast of Peterhead and horrific incidents in the mines of Lanarkshire would instantly spring to mind.

Today the picture is very different and work accidents are no longer confined to these major Scottish industries. Call centres, electronics firms and the life sciences industry are all now responsible for their share of the workforce and, therefore, see at first hand a percentage of Scotland's workplace accidents.

Call centres
Call centres, although they may initially seem harmless enough, are a hotbed of potential personal injury compensation claims and bosses should be aware of the risks to their workers if adequate safety measures are not taken.

Numerous cases of hearing problems including acoustic shock and industrial deafness have been reported from call centres all over Scotland and those involved have seen their personal life, their employment opportunities and their quality of life in general reduced because of the conditions that they have been exposed to at work.

There are more than 200 call centres in Scotland, many of them springing up in the last few years, and, with the country now the biggest employer of call centre staff in all of Europe, personal injury claims have multiplied rapidly.

The majority of bosses have started to take notice of the problem and headsets specifically designed to prevent hearing damage are becoming widely used. Still not enough is being done, however, and the unwillingness of some Scottish employers to safeguard the welfare of their staff means that hearing loss and personal injury claims remain commonplace.

Energy industry
The energy sector has really boomed in Scotland over the last 30 years and now more than 100,000 people earn their living from the industry. The discovery of huge oil fields under the North Sea in 1969 is the main reason for the growth and it is estimated that there is still enough oil under the seabed to keep the industry going for at least another 25 years.

Off-shore drilling platforms (known as rigs) were erected and hundreds of people were employed to live on them and make sure the oil was being pumped 24 hours a day. Miles out at sea and working in all weathers, it's no surprise that work accidents happen on the rigs and personal injury compensation claims are regularly made as a result.

Despite the accidents that do happen, working on the oil rigs is now safer than it has ever been. This is partly because of terrible accidents that have happened in the past and the laws and regulations that have been laid down as a result.

One of the most tragic work accidents to have hit the Scottish energy industry is the Piper Alpha disaster which claimed the lives of 167 workers. The oil rig, situated 120 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, was ravaged by a fire in 1988 and many families throughout Scotland lost loved ones as a result.

Those affected were awarded damages by the company responsible for the running of Piper Alpha and monumental changes to the operation of oil rigs were made as a result of the terrible fire. Of course, this came too late for those whose lives had been changed irreversibly by the disaster and many widowed wives and orphaned children have since campaigned for further compensation.

Tourism
Millions flock to Scotland every year to absorb the unique culture, landscape and hospitality and the result is a tourism industry that currently employs a massive 197,000 people. They're employed in a range of jobs and all help to contribute to the £4.5 billion that pours into the country every year.

It might initially sound like a fairly safe environment to work in, yet tourism does experience a number of work accidents. Workers who have contacted YouClaim to enquire about making personal injury compensation claims have included waiters who have been hurt in hotel kitchens, beaters that have been involved in shooting accidents and tour guides that have slipped on wet floors.

With Scotland boasting an array of museums, art galleries, distilleries, ski centres, shops and football clubs competing at a European level, the potential for people being involved in accidents at work whilst catering to tourists is enormous.

Enhanced health and safety regulations have played a part in cutting the number of work injuries suffered but the fact remains that some employers still aren't doing enough to protect their staff from harm.

Have you been hurt in an accident at work?
If you've suffered personal injuries in a work accident through no fault of your own, no matter what type of industry you work in, YouClaim are here to help.

Every year we help thousands of people from all over Scotland to make personal injury claims and we don't charge them a single penny at any time. We work on a no win, no fee basis and 100% of any damages awarded are yours to keep.

Even if you don't win your accident claim, which, considering our excellent success rate, is highly unlikely, you can still walk away without having to pay any costs or fees.

Here at YouClaim we work with a panel of experienced personal injury solicitors who specialise in a whole range of no win, no fee compensation claims from work accidents and car crashes to asbestosis and medical negligence.

So wherever in Scotland you live, be it Aberdeen, Aviemore, Ayr or Arran, we're the best choice to win you personal injury compensation.

Get in touch any time of the day or night by requesting a call-back, chatting online to an experienced claims advisor, filling in a claim form or picking up the phone and giving us a call for free on 0800 10 757 95.