Lawford Kidd's Blog

Whilst Santa's sleigh has the luxury of open sky and a set of trusty reindeer (including one red nosed fellow) to make sure he stays on course, for many of us, Christmas presents a real danger. Thousands take to the icy roads to navigate their way to social events, nativity plays whilst running the risk of a serious accident on Britain's roads.

With Christmas parties, office get-togethers and an increase in alcohol consumption, not to mention the hazardous weather, Christmas can be a very dangerous time to take to the road with accidents rising throughout the festive period.

Winter Weather

Frosty conditions mean that driving can be more difficult with ice and snow giving drivers less control over their vehicle. Allowing extra time before setting off to your destination, keeping a close eye on speed and winter tyres can help reduce the number of road accidents over Christmas. The festive period is one of the worst times for accidents across the UK, with a combination of drinking and dangerous conditions making it a lethal time on the roads. Wintery conditions result in reduced vision for drivers, with commuters being encouraged to take their time when setting off. If you are involved in an accident it is crucial that you take as much detail as you can to be able to prove that the incident was a result of negligent driving.

Edinburgh-based personal injury law firm Lawford Kidd have been recognised by leading legal directory, the Legal 500, as top of their field.

Of the law firms in Scotland, they made it into the top three rankings. Senior Partner David Sandison was delighted with the Legal 500 confirming Lawford Kidd's place in the top Personal Injury Firms in Scotland.

This is in addition to current independent assessments, including: top ten in the 2014 Chambers Directory in Scotland; Partner David Sandison recognised as a legal expert by the Legal Business Report; accreditation by APIL; and membership of the Motor Accidents Solicitors Society.

New health and safety regulations regarding explosives are set to come into force next month – October 2014.

The Explosives Regulations 2014 (ER 2014) and the Acetylene Safety (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2014 (ASR 2014) come as a result of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) reviewing the existing health and safety explosive legislation.

The HSE review found that the existing law needed clarification and modernisation - the complicated legal duties owed to various different bodies, and the differing definitions at UK and International law, together produced a very complex picture.  The HSE therefore concluded that a broader, more coherent framework would be far more effective.  

Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAI) are taking too long and prolonging pain and upset for bereaved families, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has said, as a Scottish Government consultation on improving the inquiries process comes to a close.

“The real problems lie with the huge delays before the matter gets as far as an inquiry,” explained Gordon Dalyell, Scotland representative of APIL.

“It can sometimes take years for a fatal accident inquiry to get underway because of delays in investigations by the Health and Safety Executive and the Crown Office in deciding whether one is necessary,” he added.

Scotland has a long, proud industrial history: our shipyards, coal mines and steel works have shaped our nation's economy and society over the years.

Unfortunately for the people of Scotland, much of that industry has gone and left behind a legacy of asbestos-related disease. Even more unfortunate is that the most common asbestos-related disease, mesothelioma, is particularly aggressive, difficult to detect and doesn't receive anywhere near as much research funding or attention as some other types of cancer.

The dangers of asbestos were previously unknown, since effects or symptoms of asbestos-related disease often don't appear until decades after exposure to the deadly dust. As a result, Scotland is now experiencing an asbestos epidemic.