How Britons stayed safe this summer

Now that  the British summer has drawn to a close for definate and winter starts to set in, new evidence from National Accident Helpline suggests that Britons took extra care not to put themselves in danger during sunny pursuits.

<a href="http://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/">National Accident Helpline</a>, the UK’s leading personal injury claim firm, surveyed more than 100 of its customers to gauge their attitudes to activities which in the past have prompted people to take unnecessary risks.

The results were happily reassuring – for example few people resorted to using lighter fluid or petrol to try and give their barbecue an added boost.

Of those surveyed, 89 per cent said that they would never do so.

Beach lovers were also mindful of safety lessons. Almost everyone surveyed – 99 per cent – said they would not set foot in the sea for a swim if they had consumed any alcohol at all.

And drivers knew that they should also be careful when the sun comes out – 96 per cent of those surveyed maintained that they would change out of their summer flip-flops and into sensible shoes before they got behind the wheel of a car.

National Accident Helpline Legal Director John Campbell said: “Most Britons, as our research shows, are careful and sensible with what they do – and they deserve their employers, government and private firms to take the same care.”

The firm said that the evidence suggests that much of the hysteria regarding Britain’s ‘compensation culture’ is unfounded. The majority of Britons shy away from making spurious compensation claims.

However, if someone is injured in an incident which is not their fault, and they wish to receive advice as to whether their claim is legitimate, they can call National Accident Helpline’s trained staff.

They could then be referred to a solicitor in their area, who can take forward the <a href="http://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/no-win-no-fee.html">no win no fee compensation claim</a>.

No win no fee means that if you do not win your accident claim, you do not have to pay your solicitor a fee. Insurance will cover you against the other side's costs and expenses. If you win your case you should receive your compensation free of any deductions, as your solicitor's costs should be paid by the other side. There are very few exceptions to this.

Britain’s sensible attitude to compensation stands in sharp contrast to some of the crazier claims heard in America – where for example Roy L Pearson Jr filed asked for $67m in compensation from a dry cleaner he claimed lost his trousers.

He later reduced his demand to $54m – but was accused of ‘frivolous litigation’.

Mr Campbell said: “If Mr Pearson had called National Accident Helpline, we could have advised him at no cost to the taxpayer that his <a href="http://www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk/accident-claims.html">accident claim</a> did not stand a chance.

“Many of the myths of ‘compensation culture’ come from this kind of story crossing the Atlantic and finding their way into British folklore.

“Like everyone else, we have a laugh at the sheer absurdity of some of the claims – but we don’t feel this should prevent people genuinely hurt in an accident that was not their fault from receiving appropriate compensation.”