Slips trips and falls are the most common work accident compensation claims and make up around 36% of injuries.

Accidents at work are made up from tripping over wires, falling from heights as well as other injuries sustained when incorrectly handling, lifting and carrying objects and also being hit by moving items such as vehicles or falling objects.

During 2009 the economy in the UK saw 4.7 million days lost because of accidents at work.

Employees were forced to take time off from work to seek medical treatment or in some case unable to work at all due to a work related injury. This means loss of earnings for the time the employee’s are off work and in some cases where the injuries were very severe, employees were unable to return to work.

You may be entitled to claim for compensation if you ever sustain an injury from an accident at work. When you claim for compensation this will include any payout for injuries sustained in the accident and any loss of earnings you may have incurred whilst you were unable to work.

Carolyn Corr, of Creekmoor has started a claim for compensation, which could run into millions for her husband who was killed in a horrific road traffic accident in April 2007.

Two drivers, Peter Bowyer and Graham Hooper were speeding along the A36 in Wiltshire bumper to bumper and overtaking each other in a reckless high speed race, when Mr Corr became the victim of the high speed race.

Mr Bowyer was jailed for six and a half years and banned from driving for seven years for causing death by dangerous driving. The other racer, Mr Hooper was also killed in the road traffic accident.

A writ has been issued against Mrs Hooper for a compensation claim of more than £300,000, by Mrs Corr.

The jury was told during Mr Bowyer’s trial that the two racers had been caught up in several incidents of dangerous and competitive driving. Although a procedural judge has been brought in to oversee the initial stages, date has yet to be set for the claim hearing.

Mr Corr and Mr Hooper, died at the scene of the road traffic accident and three others were injured. The police described Mr Corr as a completely innocent party.

A worker at a university who has had to take time off work for stress after suffering a vast increase in his workload has won his claim for compensation.

Mark Bannister had been working 65 hour weeks under extreme pressure before he was taken ill. The workload for his job as a programme manager at Staffordshire University – which involved organising international students’ courses – had increased dramatically after incidences beyond his control.

The increase happened after one of his colleagues committed suicide and other members of staff left their positions. These workers were not replaced by the University and that left Mr Bannister’s team doing the work of 6 people between just 4 members of staff. Despite complaining about the problem and the 65 hour weeks he was working, the University did nothing to help relieve the pressure.

Mr Bannister has a history of anxiety and depression and was forced to sign himself off sick with stress in September 2007. He has been unable to return to work since. His legal team successfully argued that the University was negligent in allowing its workforce to be so overworked and come under so much pressure. Mr Bannister therefore won his claim for compensation and was awarded with a payout of £110,000.

A teaching assistant from Worcestershire has won her work accident compensation claim after being hit by a falling climbing frame. The 49 year old was pulling out the climbing frame – which is attached to a wall -  in the school sports hall. A large metal bar from the frame fell and was grabbed by Ms Belcher to protect the children underneath.

Ms Belcher suffered whiplash injuries and severe bruising and was unable to go back to work for seven weeks. Everyone is sure that her heroics saved the young children she was working with from suffering serious injuries.

A spokesman for the union Unison said; “This accident must have come as a shock to Julie and if it wasn’t for her quick thinking and selflessness some of the children may not have survived.”

Julie herself said of the incident; “I had six young children pulling out the equipment with me, who would have died if it had fallen on them.”

Ms Belcher is still suffering from the accident and is waiting to have surgery on her injuries. The claim for compensation was made against the company who were contracted to secure the climbing frame to the wall.

A Police Officer from Hampshire has launched a medical negligence claim for compensation after his leg amputation could have been prevented.

PC Wilson was on duty and answering a call for assistance when he hurt his knee back in November of last year. He was taken to Southampton General Hospital to have his injury treated.

His legal team then allege that his diagnosis was “inadequate” and complain that he had to wait 5 days for an MRI scan. The doctor examining him reportedly stated that he was “unable to give further diagnosis until he has seen the results of scans.” PC Wilson claims that he told medical staff that he was having problems with movement in his feet and that his toes were feeling very stiff. However they failed to diagnoses the artery blockage immediately.

He then developed a serious infection in the interim period. Nearly a week later, PC Wilson saw a different doctor who after expressing his concern got him an MRI scan within an hour.

Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust has expressed its sympathy to PC Wilson and his family, and is launching a review into his care.

PC Wilson admits that “It is very hard to think that the need for amputation might have been avoided.” He is launching his claim for compensation to help him adjust to his condition.

An interesting report comes to us from the other side of the world, China to be exact. It is a story that will make most of us – especially the male half of the population – wince at the thought.

The China Press and Sin Chew Daily report that a 30 year old woman accidentally bit off her lover’s penis in a bizarre car accident. The Asian secretary was performing oral sex on her boss in Singapore when their car was driven into by a reversing van. The force of the collision caused the woman to bite down, unfortunately taking off the man’s penis. The man was immediately rushed to hospital along with his lover and his penis. It is unclear yet if the unlucky man has made a claim for compensation off of the van driver.

If you thought it couldn’t get any worse for this poor man you are definitely wrong. The accident was viewed by a private detective hired by his wife who was already suspicious he was having an affair. The private detective describes seeing the car ‘shaking’ before the van hit it. He reports this was followed by a loud scream and the woman’s head rising, her mouth covered in blood.

Not too sure how the man is going to explain that little incident to his wife. Some would say the accident has left him a little short of excuses, while he may argue it’s simply left him a little short.

A widow’s claim for compensation for her husband’s death has been successful to the tune of £70,000 after he contracted Legionnaire’s disease on a holiday cruise ship. Audrey and Robert Heath travelled on the cruise around northern Europe, visiting destinations such as Lapland and St. Petersburg. The cruise however was ended prematurely when an outbreak of the potentially lethal Legionnaires disease occurred on the ship. After returning home, Mr Heath began to feel unwell and was prescribed antibiotics by his GP. However his health deteriorated rapidly and despite further medical consultation, GP’s failed to diagnose and treat the condition adequately. Mr Heath sadly passed away in August 2007, just days after returning to Britain.

Mrs Heath has won her £70,000 claim for compensation for the tragedy that struck her partner. Although the money itself will do little to compensate her for the loss of her husband, it will help with her day to day living. She has been living with health problems herself which make everyday tasks difficult.  Before his death, her husband helped her greatly with this and the compensation will hopefully make it easier for her to live her everyday life.

After a sizeable pothole caused £600 pounds worth of damage to their car, a couple from Yorkshire were confident that their pothole compensation claim would be successful. However, they have fallen foul of what they call a ‘ridiculous rule’ that has left them severely out of pocket. Sean and Jeanette Burton from Wakefield Yorkshire were driving their Mercedes CLS 320 on Dewsbury Road in Ossett when the front wheel hit a considerable pothole. The wheel was badly damaged and required £600 pounds spent in the garage to put it right. However when he put in his claim for compensation to the Council, he was disgusted to receive the result. As the pothole had not been reported to the Council and had not been there last time the road was inspected, the Council successfully argued it was not liable.

After footing the repair bill himself Mr Burton revealed what he would do if he was in the situation again. He said, “If it happens again I won’t report it straight away, I’ll get a friend to report it first.” The Councils’ insurance company Travellers Insurance Ltd stated that “given the length of the road network is 1,460km, it is impractical to keep it totally clear of all potholes at any one moment in time.” This is why Councils rely heavily on people reporting dangerous potholes. If the Council fails in its duty to maintain safety on the roads when it knows that there is a problem then a pothole compensation claim may well be successful.

A man who spent 17 hours locked in a public toilet on Christmas Day has won his claim for compensation. The man had been out jogging in Dulwich Park on Christmas Eve when he went in to the public toilet at 4:30pm to use the facilities. While he was in a cubicle the attendant locked the door to the toilets and went home from his shift. With no mobile phone to ring for help, and only the running clothes he was wearing to keep him warm, the jogger spent the night underneath the hand dryer wrapped in toilet roll for warmth. He was eventually released at 9:30am Christmas Day morning having missed his family opening their Christmas presents.

Southwark council have agreed to pay the man his claim for compensation and admits that mistakes were made. The toilet attendant – who was on a temporary contract and is no longer employed by the council – failed to check that all the cubicles were empty before locking the door. Southwark Councillor Linda Manchester admitted that “the importance of making thorough checks of cubicles has been re-iterated to all members of the parks locking team.” The amount of compensation the jogger will receive is still being decided but the council reiterated its desire to recompense him for the distress he was caused.

The family of a retired nurse who died of the asbestos disease mesothelioma are now searching for her hospital colleagues from over 40 years ago.

Betty Farow, who worked as an auxiliary nurse at St Michael’s Hospital in Aylsham between 1967 and 1970, died in 2008 aged 79.

Now, Mrs Farow’s family are trying to determine whether she was exposed to asbestos at her old place of work, or whether it came from elsewhere.

Mrs Farow’s late husband Joe worked as a boiler man and therefore could have been exposed to asbestos. It’s possible that particles may have remained on his clothes and this is where she breathed them in, only to make her ill 40 years later.

However, by getting in contact with old colleagues, the family would be able to determine whether anyone else from the hospital has been affected. If there is a link, a claim for compensation could then be made.

Mrs Farow was taken ill in December 2007 and was given three to six months to live in the New Year. Her lung cancer turned out to be the incurable disease mesothelioma, and an inquest found scarring of her lung lining which suggests asbestos exposure.

Mrs Farrow’s daughter, Sue Empson, said: “No amount of money can ever bring my mother back to us, but we want to get to the bottom of where she was exposed to asbestos. Without witnesses this will be almost impossible.”