Rearward Facing Car Seats – Time for a Re-Think?

In 2009 the British Medical Journal published an article on the significant safety benefits of keeping children in rearward-facing seating when travelling in a motor vehicle. Now, five years after this paper was released, how accessible is information regarding the benefits of keeping your child rearward-facing for as long as possible? Has the United Kingdom changed its official guidelines regarding rearward-facing car seats? And finally, are they readily available in high street stores or do parents still have to import them from abroad?

The key points from the 2009 article are as follows:

• Many babies are switched from a rearward-facing car seat to a forward facing seat at nine kilograms (eight months of age for a boy on the 50th centile for weight)
• Excessive stretching or even severing of the spinal cord can result if a child is involved in a head-on crash while in a forward facing car seat
• Rearward-facing seats are safer than forward facing seats for children under four years old
• Parents and guardians should be advised to keep young children in rearward-facing seats for as long as possible

The above points are taken from the original article which you can view here in full.

What happens in a motor vehicle accident when a young child is facing forward in their car seat?

In a young child, the head constitutes 25% of their body weight. Their bones are still developing so they are soft and consist mainly of cartilage. This allows them to tumble down stairs or fall off playground equipment and, apart from a few tears, often emerge relatively unscathed.

However, in a high-impact, frontal motor vehicle collision, this works against them in a terrible way. The weight of the head, when it is flung forward, can stretch the neck to the point where the spine snaps, causing internal decapitation. Due a child’s ribcage being soft, the internal organs are not protected against the tremendous force being pushed onto them by their car seat harness and the damage caused can be fatal.

Parent’s access to information

The internet can provide a wealth of information regarding the safety benefits of rearward-facing car seats for children up to four years of age. However:

• Many parents are not in a financial position to pay for an internet connection
• Some families do not speak English as their first language and are therefore limited to the amount of information they can access from British websites
• Lack of education and understanding can limit an individual’s ability to research and understand the information that may be available

Unfortunately, lack of accurate, easily obtainable information is one of the key reasons why even well-educated parents are unaware of the importance of keeping their child rearward-facing as long as possible.

Has the United Kingdom changed its official guidelines?

Some countries, including the United States and New Zealand, have changed their regulations and official guidelines to recommend children remain rearward-facing up until two years of age. Sweden’s official recommendations state that parents keep children rearward-facing until they are 4 years old (contrary to popular belief, this is not enshrined in law).

At present in the United Kingdom babies over nine kilograms (around eight to nine months old) can be forward-facing. However, new European Union regulations which were ratified by the UK in July 2013, known as the i-Size Regulations (or UN R129), state that children should remain rearward-facing until they are at least 15 months old. i-Size also requires that an ISOFIX click-and-go system is used to fit the car seat rather than the car’s own seatbelts. This reduces the chance of the car seat being fitted incorrectly. However, these new regulations will run alongside the existing regulations for the next few years.

Therefore, you can still buy and safely use car seats which comply with the current ECE R44/04. This is causing confusion among parents as they are no longer sure which regulations to follow. Again, uncertainty often arises due to lack of readily accessible information.

Have rearward-facing car seats become more available?

As recently as 2011 it was extremely difficult to purchase a rearward-facing car seat, suitable for a child up to four years of age in the United Kingdom. Caroline Green, mother of a three year old daughter says “The only reason I knew about the benefits of rearward-facing car seats was because my brother worked for Volvo and was involved in some of their safety testing”. She goes on to say; “It really frustrated me that I could not walk into a high street shop and purchase a rearward-facing car seat, I had to do a lot of research to find a stockist”.

Some high street retailers are now stocking rearward-facing car seat brands such as Maxi-cosi and Britax, however, the number is still fairly limited and the price is prohibitive to many individuals.

Sadly, at this point in time, many parents, especially those belonging to socio-economically deprived groups, are unable to give their child what could a be life-saving advantage in a motor vehicle accident. This is due to lack of knowledge, advice, and the current difficulty and expense of obtaining a rearward-facing car seat for children up to four years of age.

Protecting Your Child from Defective Products

One aspect of impending parenthood people look forward to the most is shopping for nursery furniture, buggies and baby clothes. With so many wonderful products and gorgeous attire available, it is easy get carried away with the aesthetics and forget to pay attention to the safety elements of the products you are purchasing. Babies and young children are extremely vulnerable to defective products, and unfortunately, there have been numerous incidents of serious injury and even death due to faulty merchandise.

So how can a new parent ensure the products they purchase for their precious child are safe? Are there certain things you should look out for when deciding what type of product to purchase?

This article will focus on four products; cots, changing tables, high chairs and pushchairs, examining how parents and caregivers can best ensure the safety of what they buy.

Cots

When it comes to where you place your baby to sleep, product safety is of paramount importance and the standards should not be compromised. In the United Kingdom, the cot you purchase should meet British Safety Standard BSEN716.

In the United States more children die every year in accidents involving cots than any other nursery product. In July 2009, a six month old baby boy in Fife, Scotland died when he became trapped between the mattress and the side of his cot. The inquiry into his death found the cot he was sleeping in “had a defect which rendered it unsafe” (as stated in the report). The manufacturer subsequently issued a safety device for the cot.

According to the European Child Safety Alliance: Child Product Safety Guide, when purchasing a cot you should ensure that:

• The spacing of the slats is no more than 6cm in width so a baby’s head cannot become trapped between the bars.
• The cot is less than ten years old, and is not broken or modified in any way.
• The gap between the edge of the mattress and cot bars is no more than two fingers’ width wide.
• If the cot is second-hand, it should not have a ‘drop-down’ type mechanism as these have been found to be unsafe.

Changing Tables

A moment’s inattention can result in a baby falling off a changing table. If you decide to purchase a changing table make sure it has a wide surface to lay your baby on when changing them, and a safety strap to secure your infant and prevent him or her from rolling off the table.

High Chairs

Study findings released in December 2013 showed that in the United States there had been a 22% increase in the number of injuries involving children under three years and high chairs between 2003 through to 2010. Each year, 9,400 American children are injured from falling out of a high chair, with head trauma being the most common type of injury sustained.

Most injuries from high chairs are caused by falls; therefore, it is important to pay attention to the safety strap that secures your child in the seat when purchasing the product. Ensure that:

• The waist belt has a buckle that cannot be fastened unless the crotch strap is in place.
• The base of the high chair is wide and heavy for stability. You want to ensure that your baby or toddler cannot tip the high chair over if they start to rock backwards and forwards.
• There is a post in between the child’s legs which will prevent them slipping out through the bottom of the high chair.

The high chair you purchase should conform to British Safety Standard BS EN 14988.

Pushchairs

In 2009 Maclaren recalled a million pushchairs in the United States after reports that children had their fingers amputated by the pushchair folding mechanism. The company did not recall any pushchairs in the United Kingdom; however, they did make hinge covers available on request.

When purchasing a pushchair for your child, ensure that:

• It has a five-point harness. You may need to purchase this separately if buying a second-hand, older pushchair.
• The harness fits your infant or child snugly, and is made of good quality, strong material.
• The brake is effective and locks the wheels.

The British safety standard you are looking for when purchasing a pushchair is BS EN 1888.

In summary, checking products for possible defects, ensuring they meet British Safety Standards, and following the manufacturer’s instructions when assembling furniture can protect your child from receiving injuries from merchandise.

The Great British Pothole Problem

What do you get if you mix together a recession and a few years’ of cold, wet winters? The answer is potholes, and they are becoming an increasing cause of personal injury and sometimes even death on British roads.

So why are potholes becoming such a growing issue? What hazards do they cause to road users, and what can you do if you suffer a personal injury caused by a pothole and wish to make a claim?

Increasing on Britain’s roads

Potholes are caused by a combination of sun, cold, rain and vehicles. The constant stress of traffic and sun beating down on a road, over time causes the asphalt to crack, which in turn allows snow and rainwater to enter into the cracks and mix with the gravel and dirt underneath. The water then freezes, causing the cracks to expand, pushing out some of the gravel and dirt from under the asphalt. When the ice melts this leaves a hole, which grows bigger as traffic continuously drives over the rupture, fatiguing and straining the affected area even further.

However, Britain has just experienced a mild winter hasn’t it? Yes, we may have experienced moderate temperatures, but the winter of 2013/14 has been officially confirmed as the wettest on record. Unfortunately, even when the climate is relatively warm, excessive rainfall and flooding can eat away at the roads, causing potholes and other types of damage. Couple this with cuts to council budgets allocated to road repairs and it is clear why personal injuries caused by potholes are on the increase.

Personal Injury

Thousands of people suffer vehicle damage caused by potholes every year. However, potholes also contribute many instances of injury and even death on our roads, with cyclists and motorcyclists being particularly vulnerable. According to cycling charity groups, more than 1000 cyclists are injured every year due to unrepaired potholes.

Just a few weeks ago, a coroner investigating the death of a cyclist in North Yorkshire in 2011 ruled that in his mind, “there was no doubt whatsoever the condition of the road on that occasion was the cause of the accident”. The cyclist had been taking part in a fundraising event when his bike hit a deep pothole and he was thrown into the path of an oncoming car and killed instantly.

If you are injured and you believe your injury was caused by pothole in the road, it is important to take the following steps. This will help you make a personal injury claim against the council responsible for the maintenance of the road where the accident occurred:

•  Take a photograph of the road and the pothole itself. Try to show a sense of scale in the photograph by placing a ruler or tape measure inside the pothole to illustrate its depth.
•  Measure the pothole’s dimensions, its position (i.e. is it close to the kerb) and note any other defects in the road.
•  Take photographs of your injuries and any damage to your vehicle or bike.
•  Report the incident to your local council.

Local authorities are aware of the dangers of potholes and most make every attempt to fix them as soon as they are discovered or reported. However, always take special care when you encounter one on the road, especially if you are riding a motorbike or a bicycle. It is also important to report the pothole to your local authority to prevent others from sustaining nasty injuries if they fail to see the hazard.

Cosmetic Surgery – The Price of Beauty

Youth and beauty.  Everyone aspires to hold onto these qualities for as long as possible, and the booming industry of cosmetic surgery has given many of us the chance to delay the passing of time and change aspects of our appearance.

The cosmetic surgery and procedures industry is forecasted to be worth £3.6 billion pounds by 2015 and there has been a recent surge in non-surgical procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers which can be carried out over a lunch-break.  However, a recent review commissioned by the Department of Health criticised the industry, stating that these practices were “almost entirely unregulated” whilst a new study found 13% of people who had had non-surgical procedures had allowed an unqualified person to perform the treatment.

The problems with cosmetic surgery

So what can go wrong with non-surgical cosmetic procedures?  Plenty, including:

• Allergic reactions

• Numbness (including Palsy)

• Lumps under the skin where injections have been placed which may need to be surgically removed

• Injections not being placed correctly, causing the medication to spread to adjacent tissues (this can cause dry eye, eyelid droop and crooked smiles)

• Nerve damage

Issues surrounding the risks of cosmetic surgery were highlighted last year when it was discovered that breast implants from PIP (Poly Implant Prothese) made from unauthorised silicone filler had twice the rupture rate of other implants.  Although the silicone was found not to be toxic or carcinogenic, a rupture can cause pain, inflammation and change the shape and feel of the breast. Around 300,000 women were affected in 65 countries.

Treatments such as Liposuction can result in severe complications if they are performed negligently including damage to internal organs and pulmonary embolisms. Even Rhinoplasty, which some people may consider to be a less invasive procedure, carries risks including; injury to the septum (the wall that separates your nostrils) and serious nasal blockages caused by swelling.

So what can a patient do to protect themselves from “cowboy” surgeons and negligent procedures?

It is important that anyone contemplating having a cosmetic procedure or cosmetic surgery consider the following:

Is the surgeon performing my procedure a member of The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)?

Members of this not-for-profit organisation based at the Royal College of Surgeons are required to undergo thorough background screening before they can join. They are fully trained Plastic Surgeons and receive ongoing training and instruction as part of their membership.  You can find out more at www.baaps.org.uk.

Beware of clinics and practitioners using hard sell techniques.

A reputable Cosmetic Surgeon will consult with you, not sell to you.  They will take the time to fully inform you of the risks involved in the procedure and make sure you are comfortable with them.  Be aware of clinics offering free consultations and non-refundable deposits.  You have a right to change your mind right up until the time you go to sleep for the operation and a responsible surgeon is unlikely to demand to keep any payments made if you decide the treatment is not for you.  Trust your instincts, if it does not feel right it probably isn’t.

Think about what is driving your decision to have surgery.

If you have recently been through a divorce, a family member has died, or you have experienced some other type of trauma in your life it is not advisable to have a cosmetic procedure.  Take some time out to think about your decision and revisit the idea in six months time when you can evaluate the facts clearly.

Use the ‘Treatments You Can Trust (TYCT) Cosmetic Injectable Treatments’ website to find a properly trained practitioner for cosmetic procedures.

TYCT works in association with the Department of Health, Care Quality Commission and the Health Protection Agency as well as industry experts.  They have developed a set of best practice standards for injectable cosmetic procedures which practitioners have to comply with in order to become registered members.

Finally, despite the inference from magazines and celebrity culture that cosmetic surgery and procedures are as commonplace as getting a new hairstyle, remember, especially in the case of cosmetic surgery, that you are undertaking a risky procedure that can have long-term, unintended consequences.  You need to give the whole process careful thought and take your time before you commit yourself to anything that you may regret further down the line.

Lancashire fire-fighters receive £67,000 in compensation

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that fire-fighters working for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service have received a total of £67,728 in compensation for work-related injuries sustained between 2008 and 2013. According to an article in the Lancashire Evening Post, this amount was spread over 10 claims, with the highest sum of £29,756 being paid out in 2009 to a fireman who badly injured his back in a fall.

Other payouts included £12,547 and £5,131 for head injuries, £2,350 for a shoulder injury and £7,585 for back and shoulder damage. However, some of the compensation amounts were much smaller, such as a payment of £198 for mouth injuries and tooth damage after a fire-fighter was struck in the face by an object.

Commenting on the compensation awards, a spokesperson for leading personal injury law firm, Injury Lawyers 4U, said: ’£67,728 worth of claims might sound like a lot, but in reality, only relates to 10 payouts over five years. Lancashire Fire and Rescue received a total of 17 personal injury claims for work-related incidents over this period – two of which are still awaiting settlement – which is actually a very good statistic for an organisation this size.’

‘It’s clear from the Fire Service’s statement in the Lancashire Evening Post that this organisation takes a very responsible attitude towards ensuring the health and safety of its workforce. And when things do go wrong, they take steps to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future, and make financial recompense to injured staff where appropriate.’

Sadly, not everyone is lucky enough to work for an organisation that takes its health and safety obligations as seriously as Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. Every year, hundreds of employees suffer injuries or contract illnesses in the workplace that could have been prevented if their employer had followed proper procedures, or provided the necessary protective equipment.

Have you been injured in an accident at work that was caused by your employer’s negligence or omission? If so, Injury Lawyers 4U can help you claim the compensation to which you’re entitled. A national network of experienced and specialist personal injury solicitors, they’ve pursued hundreds of successful claims for all kinds of workplace injuries.

Call Injury Lawyers 4U today on 0845 345 4444 for honest, professional advice about your accident claim. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Five Reasons Why You Might Have a Compensation Claim

It is a fact of life that, sadly, ‘accidents do happen’ but actually a genuine unexpected ‘act of God’ event that occurs totally at random is quite a rare occurrence.

Most accidents can in fact be attributed to some form of action or lack of action by a particular party, which means that a share of the blame can be fairly apportioned. This is often the case when it comes to road accidents, when it might not be a clear cut decision as to where one party is wholly to blame. Here a judgement is made or agreement reached whereby a percentage of blame is laid at each door.

There are many circumstances where someone might end up injured or ill as a consequence of an accident and here are five common scenarios which can often lay the basis for a successful compensation claim.

Road Accidents

One of the biggest areas of activity when it comes to financial compensation for injury as a result of an accident is as a result of those where motor vehicles are involved.

Whether you are the driver or a passenger, or indeed a pedestrian who comes into contact with a vehicle, there are many types of road accident which are directly due to some form of negligence and as such liable to provide the grounds for a claim.

In The Workplace

Injury lawyers are often contacted by people who have suffered an injury or contracted an illness in the normal course of their work. Obviously today there are a great many Health and Safety regulations in place, many of them back by the full force of the law. As such it is an area in which people should expect to receive financial redress is they suffer from a situation that could otherwise have reasonably been expected to be avoided.

Sports Related

As more and more people take an interest in their own general health and well-being the amount of accidents and injuries suffer in the course of taking part in sports and training activities is on the rise. Deliberate injury inflicted by a dangerous tackle in contact sports through to faulty equipment found in a gym could make solid grounds for legal redress.

Public Places

As we go about our day to day business we expect to be protected from dangerous or perilous situations. There is a duty of care which comes into play when it comes to things such as the local council making sure footpaths and pavements are fit for purpose. Ill maintained walkways can be a problem for older people, especially in the winter months, and if an injury is suffered from a fall that could otherwise have been avoided then financial compensation should be forthcoming.

Medical Negligence

Sadly sometimes the professional care and service offered by doctors, surgeons, nurses and other practitioners can fall short of what is expected and even sometimes be straightforward negligence. In an area where everybody trusts that their best interests are the basis for all actions taken, it can be devastating to find that malpractice or error has caused them injury or illness. This is certainly something that demands the most stringent action.

New Workplace Injury Rules Puts Employees at Risk

The government is currently cutting back on Health and Safety regulations and it will no longer be assumed automatically that a company is to blame for many work related injuries.

The newly planned changes to the Health and Safety regulations announced by David Cameron will mean that the ‘strict liability’ rules, whereby companies are assumed to be responsible for workplace injuries, will be relaxed.

Currently strict liability means that a company can be held responsible for personal injury to its workers even if the prosecution is unable to prove that the company had either intent in disregarding safety issues or that it at least foresaw that there was an avoidable risk. In law this is refereed to as “mens rea”.  Even if a company argues that that it is not at fault and that it has taken reasonable care to protect its employees, under “mens rea” it can still be held responsible.

An example of this is if a ladder used by a worker was inadequate under the work at height regulations. If this was the cause of an injury, under strict liability there is no need to prove that the ladder was inadequate. The fact that a worker was injured is sufficient in itself for the worker to make a compensation claim.

If the strict liability rules are removed then it will be necessary for the prosecution to prove that the company is at fault. The dangers are that some companies will take advantage of this and that the risks for employees will increase, also it will be considerably more difficult for employees to gain compensation for work related injuries.

Currently there is no time frame for introducing the new regulations; however Downing Street has indicated that they will be announced in the “near future”.