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Ascot Lawyers - Legal News

Delaying tactics of Insurers. Searching for the Ascot Lawyers Taxi in Windsor, Berkshire. Controversy over Solicitors Fees Ascot Lawyers raise over £1,300 for Cancer Research UK. New matrimonial & family service. Ascot Lawyers launch third taxi campaign. Ascot Lawyers bungee jump for Brake Ascot Lawyers launch taxi campaign Ascot Lawyers sponsor local under 11s football team Ascot Lawyers raise over £1000 for the Anthony Nolan Trust Brain injury damages of £130,000.00 Fatal accident damages of £91,500.00 £150,000 compensation following car accident Solicitors' 'Free legal Advice' worth £338M Midwife shortage putting babies at risk Damages for brain injury - Ascot Lawyers increase award to 9 times the offer £85,000 settlment for back and neck injuries

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Mary Knowlson

It is with much sadness that we must announce the recent passing of our senior partner Mary Knowlson. Mary, together with Neil Somerville was a founding partner of Ascot Lawyers and has been instrumental in the growth of the firm over its ten year history. In recent years Mary took responsibility for the personnel aspects of the business together with client care and satisfaction. Ascot Lawyers shall remember Mary for her kind, fair and compassionate dealings with all who worked with her, and shall be sorely missed. Mary is survived by her devoted husband and two young children, who are in the hearts and minds of the Partners and Staff at Ascot Lawyers.

Ascot Lawyers sponsor local under 11s football team.

Reading Rangers are in Division 1 of the Berkshire Youth Development Team and are currently in 5th position in the league. They have important fixtures coming up over the next few weeks against teams who are above them in the division. The fixtures take place at Reading Hockey club in Sonning on Saturday mornings. Supporters welcome.

To find out more visit their website at http://www.hicksdevelopmentleague.co.uk

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Ascot Lawyers have raised over £1000 for the Anthony Nolan Trust

The team from Ascot Lawyers joined other local businesses at Wellington Country Park on Sunday 13th July to participate in dragon boat racing which had been organised by the trust to raise funds. Friends and family supported the event and everyone enjoyed a great day of racing, whilst soaking up the rays.

Ascot Lawyers were happy to provide support to the charity, which matches bone marrow patients with donors in relation to people suffering from leukaemia. More information about the charity can be found at www.anthonynolan.org.uk

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Brain injury damages of £130,000.00

Our client was knocked over by a reversing vehicle striking her head on the pavement. As a result she suffered a brain injury, which required initial life support to control the bleeding on the brain and a stay in hospital for three weeks.

The medical evidence confirmed that our client suffered a moderate brain injury with resulting epilepsy which had been controlled with medication, loss of taste and smell senses, panic attacks and a suggestion of some loss of memory function. Evidence was obtained from a Neurologist, Neuropsychologist and a care expert. Cognitive Therapy was also arranged to help our client regain her confidence and cope with the remaining impairment.

The Defendants obtained their own medical evidence, which painted a somewhat different picture as to the extent of our client's long-term impairment. The Defendant made an initial offer of £65,000.00, which was rejected. However after court proceedings were issued and subsequent negotiations the Defendant made an increased pre trial offer of £130,000.00, which was accepted.

Ascot Lawyers have specialist expertise in brain injury cases. Please telephone us on 01344 783890.

Visit our Accident & Injury section
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Fatal accident damages of £91,500.00

We were instructed by the family of the deceased who unfortunately died in a road traffic accident.

Initial investigations into liability included attendance at the inquest, as there were allegations that the negligent driver had caused the accident whilst under the influence of alcohol. The insurers of the Defendant subsequently admitted liability.

A claim was made on behalf of our client, the deceased husband to include psychological damages for Post Traumatic Stress and resulting counselling, statutory bereavement damages and damages for lost care and dependency as a result of the death of his wife. The deceased was a dedicated housewife and mother and as a result of the accident our client had to replace the lost care services and undertake much of the household work himself. A global settlement was eventually agreed totalling £74,000.00, much of which related to the claim for lost care and dependency.

A claim was also made on behalf of the deceased's daughter relating to lost childcare services. It was the intention of the deceased to look after her grandchildren until they reached nursery age and as a result the deceased daughter had to pay for childcare. Damages for this head of claim were agreed at £17,500.00.

Ascot Lawyers have specialist expertise in accident and injury cases. Please telephone us on 01344 783890.

Visit our Accident & Injury section
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£150,000 compensation obtained following car accident causing shoulder injury

Anne Dickinson, Solicitor in our personal injury department recently settled a claim for just over £150,000 following a car accident in which our client suffered a shoulder injury.

We appointed a rehabilitation company at an early stage to investigate the cause of symptoms, restricted movement and provide treatment. The Claimant's left shoulder symptoms continued despite referral for physiotherapy treatment and cortisone injections. The Claimant subsequently required an arthroscopy and shoulder replacement surgery.

The Claimant who was a Demolition Foreman was unfortunately unable to continue this type of physical work due to his accident injuries.

Throughout the duration of the claim we obtained approximately £34,000 in interim payments to assist our client with the financial difficulties caused by the accident.

Following presentation of our evidence we were able to obtain an award of just over £150,000 to compensate our client.

Ascot Lawyers will provide up to 1 hour initial free advice in relation to any of our specialist areas. Please call us on 01344 783890.

Visit our Accident & Injury section

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Solicitors' Free legal Advice Worth £338M

Private practice solicitors provided £338 million worth of work on a no charge basis over the past year - around 2% of the profession's gross fee income.

A survey of 1001 solicitors by the Law Society, timed to coincide with the sixth National Week to promote providing free legal advice, which commenced on the 12th November, found that 51% had conducted this type of work in the previous 12 months, compared with 45% in a similar survey in 2002. Two-thirds had provided free legal advice at some point in the past.

Ascot Lawyers will provide up to 1 hour initial free advice in relation to any of our specialist areas. Please call us on 01344 783890

Those providing free legal advice last year spent an average of 43 hours on it (compared with 62 hours in 2002), which equated to around £8200 each based on charge-out rates. Extrapolated across private practice, this meant solicitors provided £338 million worth of work, a figure that excludes the contributions of in-house solicitors, barristers, legal executives and others.

Some 40% of those who worked for no fee over the past year said the main reason they did so was to help people - 15% highlighted the 'feel good' factor.

Ascot Lawyers will provide up to 1 hour initial free advice in relation to any of our specialist areas. Please call us on 01344 783890.

To read more about how you can fund your legal costs visit our funding your legal costs page.

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Shortage of midwives is putting mothers and babies at risk

The Royal College of Midwives has issued a warning of cuts to services, stress on staff, fewer home visits, less chance of a homebirth for those who want it, and a shrinking workforce. This is in tandem with the number of births on the increase in the UK.

The research conducted by the college demonstrated that the informal target of 32 births per full-time midwife per year was not been met by more than 50% of the NHS trusts across the UK.

Women who want to have a baby at home may be denied this option because of the mid wife shortage or perhaps even more disappointingly are let down at the last minute if there is no midwife available.

Anne Dickinson, Clinical Negligence Solicitor, comments that this shortage may lead to a lowering of the standard of care provided to mothers during pregnancy and birth Examples of possible complications that may arise are incontinence following negligent treatment received during the birth of first child, perforation of bowel during hysteroscopy. A failure to adequately monitor, identify and/or control bleeding, which can lead to long- term complications.

Ascot Lawyers are specialists in medical negligence. Please contact us on 01344 783890. If you have suffered injury as a result of negligent advice or treatment we can help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled.

Visit our Medical Negligence section

Damages agreed for Brain Injury

Harvey Sandercock, head of the Personal Injury Team at Ascot lawyers has recently settled a claim for a client who was involved in a serious head on collision. Our client suffered a head injury, which caused minor microscopic brain damage resulting in continuing headaches and dizziness.

At an early stage, the other drivers motor insurers made an offer to settle our client's claim for just £8000.

We obtained expert opinion from Dr Gross, a leading neurosurgeon, Professor Trimble, a professor in behavioural neurology and Dr Nathanial James consultant in clinical Neuropsychology.

We were also able to arrange for our client to be referred privately to a specialist in headache management, professor Ralph Gregory, to treat the ongoing symptoms.

Following presentation of our evidence to the other driver's motor insurers, we were able to secure an award for our client of £72,900 - more than 9 times the original offer made by the insurers.

Ascot Lawyers have specialist expertise in relation to head injury cases. Please telephone us on 01344 783890.

Visit our Accident & Injury section
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£85,000 claim settled for neck and back injuries

Peter Williams, head of the Civil Litigation Team at Ascot lawyers has recently settled a claim for £85,000.00 in relation to a road traffic accident causing neck and back injuries sustained by the client leading to a reduction in the client's ability to work.

The client, a UK national resident in Australia sought assistance with his claim six months prior to being barred under the statute of limitations. His efforts to resolve the matter directly with the third party insurers over the previous two and a half years had proved fruitless with the insurers refusing to accept that his claim had any substance. The client underwent chiropractic and osteopathic treatment in an effort to reduce the severity of his daily symptoms, but was left unable to work normal hours for two years. His career involved extensive air travel, which aggravated his symptoms and reduced his capacity to pursue his chosen career.

Due to the nature of his career and the fact that the client had worked around the world, his earnings and tax records were complicated through the various jurisdictions. Matters were complicated further by the fact that he had only recently commenced working for his employer at the time of the accident. As a result of his reduced capacity to work the client moved to a different company after two years in order to work within his physical limitations. Due to his position of authority and seniority within his employment and the sensitivity of the information he had access to, the client was subject to a deed of release which provided for extremely limited information in respect of his earnings and his working capacity.

Medical evidence was obtained from Dr R L Thompson a specialist surgeon in Australia. Ascot Lawyers provided guidance to Dr Thompson on how to complete his report to meet the requirements of the English judicial system.

To resolve the claim it was necessary to review the extent of the available information and address the difficulties in obtaining evidence through no fault of the client. It was necessary to balance the client's expectations against the value of the claim based upon the evidence to hand.

Ascot Lawyers have specialist expertise in high value and complicated personal injury claims. Please telephone us on 01344 783890.

Visit our Accident & Injury section Visit our Dispute Resolution and Civil Litigation section
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