Scotland has introduced new legislation with the aim to create a simpler way of setting the rate of personal injury discount rates.

 July 2018 saw Dallas McMillan’s Personal Injury team set a new record for compensation recovered for clients. In that month alone, the team recovered compensation totalling in excess of £1.3m for clients throughout Scotland.

When making a claim for compensation it is important to remember that you only have one chance to recover compensation for any injuries you sustained as a result of an accident, be it a road traffic accident, an accident at work or a slipping and tripping accident. You have three years from the date of your accident to recover compensation and if your case settles you are not entitled to go back and seek more compensation at a later date. You must therefore make sure that you appoint the right Solicitors to deal with your case, to ensure that your claim settles for its maximum possible value.

This year’s Road Safety Week, which will run from 19 – 25 November, has the theme of Bike Smart and will focus on the safety of those on two wheels. 

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has launched a new campaign to draw attention to the issue of dangerous substances in the workplace and promote the best ways of tackling the risks they pose to workers. 

New research by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has revealed that as many as one in four UK construction workers believe they may have been exposed to asbestos fibres, placing them at higher risk of contracting terminal cancers later in life. 

The Scottish Law Commission recently announced that its Tenth Programme of Law Reform will include a project on damages for personal injury. 

A new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has been established on Working at Height and its first official inquiry will look at the number of people seriously injured or killed after falling from height or being hit by falling objects at work. 

Lawyers should not be blamed for the UK’s compensation culture, according to one Supreme Court judge. He said that it is unfair for people to describe lawyers as ‘ambulance chasers’, particularly because they are only doing a job, and that it is the system which is set up in favour of claimants which encourages such a large number of claims to be made. He said that it is not the lawyers who have created the system, and therefore cannot shoulder the blame for the number of claims which are made.

The 14th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines was published on 14 September 2017. The new guidelines have not introduced significant change to the level of damages for personal injury. Generally the Guidelines update figures with reference to the increase in the RPI (Retail Prices Index) of around 4.8%.It must be noted that the purpose of the guidelines is to assist parties and the court rather than to simply dictate figures.

A recent case in the Court of Session has helped to clarify the position in relation to the amount of compensation which should be paid to the family members of mesothelioma victims for “loss of society”.

A new bill which is being put forward may see a huge increase in the number of personal injury claims which are made in Scotland.

Modern technology by the way of smart phones has its advantages, we have access to a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips and we can keep in touch with friends and family in many ways other than a simple phone call; sharing photographs and videos, social medial posts, text messaging and video chat. Despite the great technological advances, safety and common sense are perhaps not advancing at the same rate.  The need to be constantly connected and in touch with friends and family can lead to distraction and absence of mental presence leading to potentially unsafe or dangerous situations.  This is all the more clear in cases of mobile phone use while driving. 

UK insurers have attacked the UK Government over their changes to the Discount Rate, a move that will cost the industry millions of pounds, and will see price increases in premiums for individual and business customers. This is the first time the rate has changed since 2001, and has been calculated based on the decline in strength of low risk investment schemes such as Investment-Linked Gilks.

It is often the case that compensation payments for the more serious personal injuries include an element of damages to compensate for future loss.  This can include, for example, future loss of earnings or future costs of care.  When an injured party receives a lump sum award of damages for such future losses, a “discount rate” is applied by the courts when finalising the award.  This is to reflect the fact that the injured party is receiving the money up front and can be expected to earn money on the lump sum by investing it.

As recent decision from the Court of Session deals with an issue at the forefront of working family life; suitable and appropriate childcare.  Many parents employ the help of nurseries or childminders but it is certainly common for friends and family step in to offer assistance. The case of Anderson v Imrie highlights the duty on a caregiver, even in an informal setting, where a foreseeable risk of injury is met with negligent supervision.   

Our Personal Injury Team handle a large volume of claims on behalf of members of UCATT (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians – now Unite Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians) and Accord.

Dallas McMillan Solicitors are delighted to announce that our official charity partner for 2017 is Cancer Support Scotland.

A new compulsory pre-action protocol for dealing with personal injury claims is set to come into force at the end of this month. A voluntary protocol currently exists but under the new regime, parties will require to engage with each other and attempt to reach a resolution to the claim prior to the commencement of court proceedings.

After recovering from the shock and upset of being involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may think about pursuing a personal injury claim.  For the vast majority of people this can be the first time they have ever considered making a claim for an injury.