Lawford Kidd's Blog

A Dartford firm has been fined after an employee was seriously injured when he was crushed by a reversing lorry at the KBC Logistics depot in Essex.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), prosecuting, told Basildon Magistrates’ Court that driver Leslaw Chorazak, 54, was waiting to take his place at the wheel of the articulated 45ft heavy goods vehicle.

Mr Chorazak was guiding the returning driver as he reversed the lorry into the poorly lit yard. As he bent to pick up his torch, the driver lost sight of him and continued to reverse, crushing him between the back of the lorry and the office wall.

A health and safety body is urging the Government to incorporate work-related road traffic accidents into official statistics. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) made the call on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

IOSH wants to see work-related RTAs recorded and recognised under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995).

Richard Jones, head of policy and public affairs at IOSH, said:

Lawford Kidd's Derek Carrigan has recently settled a road traffic accident claim, with the global settlement for the six pursuers amounting to £700,000. This is one of the most significant settlements following the commencement of the Damages (Scotland) Act 2011, which came into force earlier this year on 7 July 2011.

To speak to Derek about pursuing a road traffic accident claim, please telephone 0131 225 5214 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. today.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for more to be done to improve road safety in a message issued in advance of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which is to be observed on 20th November.

The message reports that each day nearly 3,500 people die on the roads, tens of thousands more are injured, and families are broken apart. Road accidents have become the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29. This is an unacceptable price to pay for mobility.

The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, which began in May this year, has the goal of saving five million lives. A global plan for the decade provides a framework for Governments, civil society and the private sector to work together to improve road management, upgrade the safety of roads and vehicles, and educate drivers, passengers and pedestrians on safe behaviour.

A costume designer is suing the National Film and Television School for damages after she was injured falling off a staircase, reports the Telegraph.

Sunwoo Chun, who was carrying out voluntary work at Beaconsfield Studios, had climbed the unprotected stairs to adjust an actor's trousers. She stepped backwards, fell three metres and broke her spine. She has been left paralysed from the chest down and relies on help from family and professional carers to carry out day to day tasks.

According to the Telegraph, she is claiming £300,000 in compensation for her injuries.