http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/insurance/swansea-named-safest-city-for-motorists.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/insurance/swansea-named-safest-city-for-motorists.html Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:12:50 -0600
The Welsh city was placed second throughout the whole country in a comprehensive survey of the number of car accident claims made in cities across the UK.

Car insurance giant Endsleigh took into account a number of factors including car insurance claims, recorded accidents and incidents of speeding.

According to data based on the number of claims made, Swansea was 27 per cent below the national average number of car insurance claims made.

However, some sceptics have suggested that the reason for the low number of accidents is that the city is plagued by ongoing road works.

Motorists in Swansea complain that they are so often stuck in slow moving traffic that there is no chance of an accident as most of the traffic is practically at a standstill anyway.

The results of their survey placed Belfast at the top spot for ‘safe-street’ cities, with Swansea coming in a close second, followed by Aberdeen.

Interestingly, no English cities troubled the top spots, while the bottom three cities for road safety were all English.

Famously unpopular Slough in Berkshire came out bottom, with the highest number of claims nationwide, followed by Ilford in east London and Birmingham.

According to the results of the survey, Slough, made famous by poet Sir John Betjeman, who claimed it was "not fit for humans", and as the location for the Ricky Gervais sitcom The Office, had 50 per cent more claims than the national average.

Endsleigh spokeswoman Rhiannon Harris said: "Drivers need to be even more vigilant leading up to Christmas when there is usually a greater number of vehicles on the roads and when weather conditions can be extremely hazardous.

"Our report highlights that some towns and cities represent a greater risk for motorists than others."

Ms Harris added: "It is important motorists throughout the country are extra vigilant at this time of year."

Also at this time of year, especially in such hard economic times, the Insurance Fraud Bureau are warning of the increase in ‘cash for crash’ accidents.

The term ‘cash for crash’ refers to drivers who set up bogus accidents, sometimes tricking other drivers into crashing into them by disabling their brake lights and then stopping suddenly, who then make lucrative bogus insurance claims.

In some cases the tricksters make personal injury claims as well, demanding thousands in compensation for accidents which were actually deliberately caused by them.

Richard Davies, deputy chairman of the Insurance Fraud Bureau, said: "It's got to the stage that this is now an issue of national concern and safety. The thought there are drivers who want to take you off the road is horrifying."

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Carys has more articles pertaining to car insurance and other insurance related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/legal/compensation-claims-for-ageism-soar.html http://www.articletrader.com/legal/compensation-claims-for-ageism-soar.html Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:11:33 -0600
According to the Tribunal Service, where there were only 962 claims for ageism made in 2006, nearly 3,000 claims were made in 2007.

These figures have been released just as the high profile case of Selina Scott against Channel Five culminated in a settlement rumoured to be worth £250,000.

57 year old Selina Scott claimed that she had been a victim of ageism when she was led to believe that she would take over Natasha Kaplinsky’s presenting role while the younger star left on maternity leave.

However, when it came to it, Ms Scott was overlooked in favour of hiring two younger presenters to share the high profile presenting cover for Mrs Kaplinsky.

When Ms Scott launched the claim, she drew keen support from a number of former BBC well known faces who agreed that television was guilty of favouring the young for high profile roles.

Those affected appeared to be mainly women, with those offering their support to Ms Scott including Kate Adie and Anna Ford, with Dame Joan Bakewell saying that the media was dominated by the 'hideously young'.

Ford claims that this tendency to sideline mature ladies was a peculiarly British failing, saying that: 'In America, there are women with white hair who are heads of banks, heads of corporations,' and demanding: 'Where are those women here?'

Legislation concerning age discrimination was only introduced three years ago and solicitors predict that the number of age related compensation case will rise steadily over the next few years.

Since the law was introduced the number of age discrimination claims have trickled in, but should begin to increase dramatically as Melanie Thomas, a solicitor at discrimination law specialists Palmer Wade, says: 'It takes a while for people to understand that they have new rights.'

The high profile nature of the Selina Scott case will also go some way to bringing the issue into the public eye and will perhaps encourage a new wave of claims.

Official figures show that there were 1,032 age discrimination claims in tribunals between April and June, compared with 700 claims in the same period last year. In 2007, the average payout for successful age discrimination cases was £8,695, compared with £10,044 for sex discrimination and £17,308 for race claims.

Meanwhile, some people have tried to exploit the laws to their own advantage. Margaret Keane, 50, deliberately applied for a series of jobs for 'recently qualified' chartered accountants and, after failing to get any, started compensation claims on the grounds of age discrimination.

Gillian Shaw, a solicitor at employment law specialists Ledingham Chalmers LLP, said: 'There is a financial incentive for claimants to look for an alternative to a straightforward claim of, say, unfair dismissal because age discrimination, like sex and race discrimination, does not have an upper limit on the amount of compensation that can be claimed.'

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Carys has more articles pertaining to compensation claims and other legal related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/car-accident-victim-to-claim-%C2%A3100-000.html http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/car-accident-victim-to-claim-%C2%A3100-000.html Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:10:18 -0600
Oi Ting Li, 33, from Blackburn was driving through the county of Berkshire along the M4 between junction 8/9 and junction 10 in January 2007 when the accident took place.

Miss Li was driving her Honda in the middle lane when she was shocked to see another car suddenly switching lanes and hurtling into the back of her car.

Roger Pritchard, from Swansea was in control of the other car which, it is claimed, attempted to switch from the fast lane into the middle lane where Miss Li was driving.

He misjudged his speed and collided with Miss Li, causing her car to spin out of control and career across the motorway and into a ditch at the side of the road.

The accident left Miss Li with soft tissue injuries affecting most of her body, including her neck, arms, back and shoulder.

A year on from the accident, Miss Li still suffers with pain resulting from her injuries which affect her ability to live her life to the full.

She is unable to continue with the same leisure and sporting activities which she enjoyed prior to the accident and is often unable to sleep due to the pains he still suffers, which has a detrimental effect on her ability to work to a high standard.

Following the crash, Miss Li has also struggled with post traumatic stress disorder and an adjustment reaction with depression.

As her psychological conditions and physical injuries are still plaguing her, Miss Li decided to fight for compensation from Mr Pritchard, stating that he caused the accident through his negligence.

According to the legal case against him, Mr Pritchard was severely negligent as he failed to observe the road fully before pulling out.

Specifically, Mr Pritchard failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to use his mirrors properly, failed to see her car, tried to move into the middle land when it was unsafe, collided with her car, and failed to wait until he was clear of her car before trying to move into the middle lane.

Considering Miss Li’s psychological and physical injuries and Mr Pritchard’s careless attitude resulting in the accident, legal experts are confident that Miss Li will be successful in winning her claim.

Miss Li said that the case isn’t about money, it is about justice.

She added that if she is successful in winning compensation the money would go some way to repairing and rebuilding her life.

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Carys has more articles pertaining to accident claims and other legal related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/credit/internet-credit-card-spending-booming.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/credit/internet-credit-card-spending-booming.html Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:52:14 -0600
There are many benefits to shopping online and these benefits seem to have convinced a staggering amount of shoppers that online is the way forward.

In a poll by credit card company Egg, four out of five shoppers questioned said that they were carrying out most of their Christmas shopping using the internet this year.

They were attracted by offers and discounts only available to online shoppers, a wider range of products available, the convenience and the fact that they could avoid the crowded high streets.

Many also said that security was an important factor in choosing to shop online, with over half 54 per cent) of respondents said they prefer to use their credit card for payment as most purchases will be insured.

In addition, 38 per cent stated that they use the cards to make the most of online fraud protection, often not available on high street purchases.

"It's good to see that people realise the benefits of using a credit card online in terms of insurance on purchases and fraud protection. Customers should also remember other benefits, such as cashback," remarked Egg spokesperson Vanessa Wood.

Customers are also feeling increasingly wary of the high street as shops are scrambling for profits and many are sinking into administration.

This week Woolworths and MFI both collapsed into administration putting 31,000 jobs at risk, and it seems worse could be to come, with predictions of Christmas expenditure reaching an all time low.

With so many stores struggling financially, shoppers are worried that by shopping on the high street with cash they could have no insurance should they need an exchange or guarantee honoured in the quite likely event the shop is no longer trading.

Companies are attempting to entice customers in with store cards which come with discounts and benefits, however they are accompanied by sky high APRs which could cripple users.

The rates, which have always been high are continuing to rise, with some high street stores pushing store cards with APRs as high as 25%.

In an attempt to bring a little order to their Christmas shopping budget, savvy shoppers are opting to shop online, away from pushy shop assistants heralding store cards and the temptations of high street offers.

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Carys has more articles pertaining to credit cards and other finance related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/injury-lawyer-claims-asbestos-victory.html http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/injury-lawyer-claims-asbestos-victory.html Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:45:25 -0600
Solicitor and personal injury expert Peter Hankins has given over 30 years of his life to the cause, fighting tooth and nail for the ex-employees of former Chalford-based asbestos firm Fibrecrete and their families.

Many became terminally ill after their jobs at the firm brought them into close contact with the dangerous substance. The families of workers at the factory were also put at personal risk through contact with contaminated workers, in addition to facing the pain of losing loved ones.

The case has been ongoing due to the slow appearance of the effects of working with asbestos, which can manifest themselves years later in the form of aggressive cancers.

The latest twist in the rollercoaster trail of legal successes and setbacks comes with this month’s test case judgment defeating insurers, who were reluctant to validate ongoing payouts to ill workers.
“It is a milestone. I feel enormous relief for the families involved,” said Mr Hankins, consultant to Rowcroft solicitors AES Winterbothams.

“This is probably one of the most aggressively fought areas of injury and disease in my professional life,” he said.

“This is also a very important case for Stroud as the lead defendant insurer was BAI and six test case victims defeated the insurers.”

Mr Hankins maintains that the insurer, BAI, had gone along for years with the payouts to the ex employees of Fibrecrete, before arguing in 2007 that the payments should only begin once symptoms of the associated diseases began to manifest themselves.

For many victims, diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer which are caused by exposure to the dangerous asbestos particles do not develop until up to 30 years after the original contact, by which point the majority of insurance policies would have expired.

Luckily after 6 weeks of arguing, the High Court found in favour of Mr Hankins and the ex employees of Fibrecrete.

“If they’d won there would have been nothing more disappointing than finding that, after working through a case with either a very ill person or a widow, that there was no insurance policy to pay out their compensation,” Mr Hankins said.

“These men are totally innocent but die dreadful deaths with these illnesses. There are also the wives and daughters who washed their clothes for them and inhaled the asbestos particles. These women had not done anything wrong and yet they too are deprived of their health.”

Mr Hankins, who said he came into his profession on a vocation to “right all wrongs”, expects asbestos cases to peak in about 2015.

“During the test case litigation BAI admitted that over the last two years they had rejected 284 fatal mesothelioma claims, whose f families are consequently still awaiting compensation averaging £125,000 each, which is a total of a staggering £35.5 million,” Mr Hankins said.

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Carys has more articles pertaining to injury lawyers and other legal related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/surgeons-oversight-triggers-medical-negligence-claims_1.html http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/surgeons-oversight-triggers-medical-negligence-claims_1.html Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:39:54 -0600
Steve Davies was given the all clear at the private clinic by Dr Mak following a colonoscopy, in which a camera examines the large bowel to check for signs of cancer.

However, surgeons who operated on him months later discovered three tumors which Dr Mak should have spotted. 8 months after being given the all clear Steve Davies died as a result of bowel cancer.

His wife, Tracey Davies is now suing the clinic for medical negligence, along with around a dozen other people who were misdiagnosed.

Mrs Davies said that her husband actually had two bowel examinations at the Mallet Treatment Centre, both of which came back with the happy news that Mr Davies was clear of cancer. Unfortunately this turned out to be entirely incorrect.

'He carried out two of them within one week and they both came back normal,' she said.

'The surgeon who operated on Steve before his death found three tumours from 2003 to 2004 that should have been detected last year.

'They couldn't have done anything more for Steve but they could have given him some pain relief in his last months.'

In light of the revelations, Dr Mak was initially suspended before resigning after another patient whom he had given the all clear was later diagnosed with bowel cancer.

A spokesperson for Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre, which sells services to the NHS and sees 12,000 patients a year, said it was unable to comment on individual cases.

But the spokesperson did add that all of their results are being reviewed and admitted a proportion of the colonoscopies were not efficiently conducted, resulting in misdiagnosis.

Between Autumn 2005 and March 2008, almost 2,000 people visited the Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre and underwent a colonscopy to check for signs of bowel cancer.

Of those patients, 100 were advised to have a follow up investigation, 755 were told to speak to their GP and 480 were told that they may require a follow up investigation in the next five years.

Those 480 will now need to seek a second opinion and a furhter examination if they have not done so already.

'We are very sorry that we have had to recall some patients for a follow-up investigation,' it said.

'We understand the concern and distress that this has caused and we are doing all we can to support patients.

'The General Medical Council has been informed about this surgeon's work and a full independent investigation is being carried out.'

The Government established private treatment centres paid by the NHS to cut waiting lists.

But the centres have proved controversial with doubts raised about their value for money and quality of care.

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Carys has more articles pertaining to medical negligence and other legal related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/surgeons-oversight-triggers-medical-negligence-claims.html http://www.articletrader.com/legal/personal-injury/surgeons-oversight-triggers-medical-negligence-claims.html Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:39:53 -0600
Steve Davies was given the all clear at the private clinic by Dr Mak following a colonoscopy, in which a camera examines the large bowel to check for signs of cancer.

However, surgeons who operated on him months later discovered three tumors which Dr Mak should have spotted. 8 months after being given the all clear Steve Davies died as a result of bowel cancer.

His wife, Tracey Davies is now suing the clinic for medical negligence, along with around a dozen other people who were misdiagnosed.

Mrs Davies said that her husband actually had two bowel examinations at the Mallet Treatment Centre, both of which came back with the happy news that Mr Davies was clear of cancer. Unfortunately this turned out to be entirely incorrect.

'He carried out two of them within one week and they both came back normal,' she said.

'The surgeon who operated on Steve before his death found three tumours from 2003 to 2004 that should have been detected last year.

'They couldn't have done anything more for Steve but they could have given him some pain relief in his last months.'

In light of the revelations, Dr Mak was initially suspended before resigning after another patient whom he had given the all clear was later diagnosed with bowel cancer.

A spokesperson for Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre, which sells services to the NHS and sees 12,000 patients a year, said it was unable to comment on individual cases.

But the spokesperson did add that all of their results are being reviewed and admitted a proportion of the colonoscopies were not efficiently conducted, resulting in misdiagnosis.

Between Autumn 2005 and March 2008, almost 2,000 people visited the Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre and underwent a colonscopy to check for signs of bowel cancer.

Of those patients, 100 were advised to have a follow up investigation, 755 were told to speak to their GP and 480 were told that they may require a follow up investigation in the next five years.

Those 480 will now need to seek a second opinion and a furhter examination if they have not done so already.

'We are very sorry that we have had to recall some patients for a follow-up investigation,' it said.

'We understand the concern and distress that this has caused and we are doing all we can to support patients.

'The General Medical Council has been informed about this surgeon's work and a full independent investigation is being carried out.'

The Government established private treatment centres paid by the NHS to cut waiting lists.

But the centres have proved controversial with doubts raised about their value for money and quality of care.

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Carys has more articles pertaining to medical negligence and other legal related articles.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/debt/middle-class-debt-on-the-rise.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/debt/middle-class-debt-on-the-rise.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500
And the biggest rise has been seen among the middle classes. Transact is a national company forum which represent more than 1000 organisations that advise on debt and finance.

Speaking on the rise in people seeking debt advise, Jamie Elliot of Transact said “The rise is huge because of the big increase in middle class debt.”

She discussed how “the face of debt has changed. Historically, is used to be mainly people on benefits and people in social housing who went to debt advice agencies. Since the credit crunch started, there has been a big increase in professionals and home-owners coming for help - you just didn’t see these people before at all.”

Heather Keats, director of Community Money Advice, has also seen a change in her clientele, “We are seeing a new type of client. Teachers, police and banking and service sector workers, many of them homeowners, are struggling with mortgages, secured loans, and credit card debts.”

Indeed, figures show that many on very comfortable incomes have amassed alarming amounts of debt. One retired bank manager with a pension of £40,000 was struggling with £100,000 worth of debt when he sought help.

A television producer who came to one of Transacts organisations for help was earning a high salary of £70,000, but had managed to acquire over £50,000 of debt.

“The message is that people need to stop borrowing and start saving,” said Mr Elliott. “There needs to be a culture change and people need to live within their means.”


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Carys is an author of several articles pertaining to Debt. He is known for his expertise on the subject and on other Business and Finance related articles.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/insurance/new-ride-highlights-need-for-travel-insurance.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/insurance/new-ride-highlights-need-for-travel-insurance.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500
With thousands of fans expected to flock to the theme park to experience the ride, experts warn to travel with the correct travel insurance before going on a family trip.

Protecting your children is at the forefront of all parents minds and travelling without insurance could mean that you are letting your children down. Trips to theme parks may mean that you need to take out specialist insurance to reflect the danger posed by thrill seeking rides which are part of the theme park experience.

Check before you go what kind of action packed adventures you and your family will be taking part in, so that you can ensure that you are fully covered should anything happen during your holiday.

Millions travel to theme parks every year, many without adequate insurance, as they fail to check their policy includes the types of rides they will be going on.

Despite the low rate of accidents at most large theme parks, going on a holiday where you will be taking part in such activities as roller coaster rides and flumes are considered as high risk by insurance companies due to the severity of accidents should they occur.

Naturally, taking part in such adventurous activities do pose a higher risk than your average relaxing holiday sunbathing by the beach, in addition to the high cost of accidents when they do occur.

The ride which is expected to attract so many tourists to Orlando this year is based on the TV series The Simpsons, one of the most popular shows in the world.

The ride is billed as a funny and thrilling treat, which will provide fun for the whole family as they travel through the fictional town of Springfield, a place which will be familiar to the many Simpsons fans out there.

The ride also includes a trip to Krustyland, the theme park featured on the show, endorsed by local sell-out celebrity Krusty the Klown.

The ride has been given the thumbs up by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, who claims he has been waiting twenty years to see his creations come to life in this way. He described the ride as “wild and thrilling.”

Tom Williams, chairman and chief executive of Universal Parks and Resorts, said: “The Simpsons Ride is Universal at its best: bringing blockbusters to life in entirely new ways … And with its unique sense of humour and enormous popularity, it is the perfect complement to our brand of entertainment.”

The whole area is a medley of tourist attractions to suit all tastes, with Orlando’s official visitor’s bureau listing top attractions such as the world famous SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Lake Eola, the famous sinkhole located in the city of Orando.


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Carys is an author of several articles pertaining to Travel Insurance. He is known for his expertise on the subject and on other Business and Finance related articles.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/travel-to-new-york-this-summer.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/travel-to-new-york-this-summer.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Travel experts believe that the film will attract many British tourists to New York as they see the beautiful setting of the film. Fans of Sex and the City can now also do tours where they visit the locations of famous scenes from the series and the movie.

The New York tourist board, NYC and company, are keen to use this opportunity to remind tourists that New York does not have to be a winter destination.

Many consider New York a winter destination, picturing snowy scenes and shopping experiences in one of the most famous cities in the world.

But New York can offer a fabulous summer holiday to those who venture there in the warm summer months. With an average summer temperature of 29 degrees celsius and an abundance parks and outdoor pools, New York is a real summer treat.

Commenting on some of the city's best attractions, NYC & Company chief George Fertitta said: “Easily reachable by subway, Coney Island offers sun-worshipping on the beach, a dolphin show, and carnival rides, while the Brooklyn Museum of Art is home to one of the world’s best Egyptian collections.”

With over a million British tourists visiting New York each year the city is already a highly popular destination, although not enough people consider it a summer break.

In addition to its many attractions, New York is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Whatever precautions you take, travelling to New York, you are at risk of being the victim of a crime.

The most common type of crime, especially for tourists, is mugging and theft. To protect against occurrences such as this ruining your holiday, make sure you have travel insurance before you fly.


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Carys is an author of several articles pertaining to Travel Insurance. He is known for his expertise on the subject and on other Business and Finance related articles.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>