Monthly Archives: November 2021

What to Do When You Have Been Injured at Work*

22nd November 2021

Injuries can happen in the workplace. That is the unfortunate truth. If you experienced an injury in the workplace, there are certain things you must do immediately to ensure that you get well as soon as possible and that you also get any compensation that is owed to you.

To get compensation, you need to make sure that you take all the right steps immediately after the injury has occurred. Here is a look at what you need to do to ensure that you heal quickly and get any compensation that is owed to you.

Report Your Injury to Your Employer

One of the most important steps you will need to take is to report your injury to your employer. You need to ensure that you give a detailed report whether in writing or through email of the circumstances surrounding your injury. 

This means you need to tell your employer when, and where it occurred. Failure to do this can significantly impact your case in the long run.

Seek Medical Attention

Seeking medical attention is probably the first thing that you will do once you have been injured. It is a good idea to let your doctor know that it is a workplace injury so that it can be documented in your medical records.

Your medical records will be critical to your case. Make sure that you do not leave anything out and that your doctor knows everything that happened to you. This will ensure that you not only get the right medical treatment but that your doctor can make the correct recommendations about how much time off you will need and the medical expenses that you will incur.

A workplace injury, often requires that you contact an attorney for legal advice, especially if your claim is contested. Even the most diligent personal injury attorneys are going to need evidence to win your case. This is why medical records are so important.

Keep Your Records

When you have been injured at work and it’s up to you to ensure that you keep accurate records of all the days that you are out of work and any income that you have lost. You cannot depend on anyone else to do this for you. 

Your employer, while they should be keeping a strict check on this, may not have your best interests at heart.

Even if they do, it is still up to you to ensure that you keep good records of when you are absent from work, how long you have been out, and how much money you have been spending on your medical expenses. All of this will be looked at when the time for your compensation for your injuries occurs. 

You are usually not only entitled to compensation for any pain that you may lose but you are often entitled to any mileage that you have incurred because you need to travel to the doctor or other medical facilities to deal with your injury.

Get Legal Help

One of the things you need to do if you are injured on the job is to get an attorney. This is especially true if the insurance company is having issues with your claim. It may be because they would like you to settle for less than you deserve or because your employer does not want to pay you for the injury that happened.

Unfortunately, this does happen and it is not wise for you to try to make your legal journey by yourself. The law can get complicated when it comes to compensation for work injuries. If you feel like you’re being shortchanged in any way it’s best to seek legal representation.

Get Compensation

A workplace injury is something that can happen to anyone. If you have an injury it is very important that you get medical help as soon as possible  You need to make sure that you give your doctor all the necessary information so that they can write up your medical records. 

You also need to ensure that you inform your employer as soon as possible. Make sure that you report your injury in as much detail as you can, so that when you make a claim your employer or the insurance company won’t say that you did not report the incident soon enough.

Finally, make sure that you keep accurate records yourself so that you will know exactly what to tell your attorney. The evidence that you provide will be critical and help your lawyer win your case.

Posted in information alert

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Safety First this Christmas

15th November 2021

Once upon a time my first Christmas related blog content would have been gift guides; back in the days where I managed to post regularly I was churning them out one after another. Recently my priorities have definitely shifted, now I’m a Mum (more on that at some point) there is a notable shift in my attention; I’m all about the safety first element, fun comes second.

It seems I’m not alone in this, I recently received an email which shows that Mums are prioritising checking electrics over christmas present shopping and prepping the all important festive feast. I thought it made for an interesting read so I’m sharing it with you guys too…

Photo by Sven Brandsma on Unsplash

“With the announcement of 20,000 electrical fires damaging homes in 2021* almost 40% of mums state they have learnt how to check for faulty electrics this year with 19% already booked in their electrical testing ahead of Christmas – a new poll has revealed.

When asked what they prioritised when it comes to keeping their homes safe from hazards, a staggering 38% cited checking their electrics as top of their list of safety measures at home. Hexo Electrical Testing commissioned the poll to gauge consumer attitudes on keeping their home electrics healthy and safe. 

Within the poll, 44% per cent of mums are most concerned with having enough food in for Christmas and 44 per cent want to make sure that they have cleaned the house before the guests arrive.

Terrified, TV personality, Louise Thompson recounts the horrors of being woken up to a house fire in her London home this month. The former Made in Chelsea star announced to social media fans that she and her family had to evacuate their home in the early hours, due to an electrical fire that was started by a faulty wine fridge.

Michael Evans from Hexo Electrical Testing, states: “It’s great to see homeowners having a greater understanding of electrics in the home. Having accidents in the home can happen any time and as we rely increasingly on electrical goods and gadgets to enhance especially during Christmas, regular electrical testing is a quick win to ensure your family and your home is kept safe from potential dangers.”

Gas safety was higher on the agenda, with 35 per cent of those asked making conscious efforts to ensure their connections and appliances were safe.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors ranked higher on the list of priorities to check, with 24 per cent of respondents believing these to be the key to alleviating home hazards.

Spokesperson from Hexo Electricals continued: “We would suggest a check every five years to ensure that your electrical systems are healthy and in full working order. That way, we can pick up any issues before they cause a problem in the home.”

A staggering 19% were unaware of any electric hazards in the home, such as risk of shock from damaged sockets or fire hazards from loose connections.

“We would urge people to be particularly vigilant in the lead-up to Christmas, when greater demands are placed on our electrical systems thanks to the increase in Christmas lights, cooking and even having additional people staying in our homes.”

Encouragingly, 27 per cent will check their fire and carbon monoxide alarms in the run-up to Christmas. 

Tenants: Know Your Rights

The poll also showed up that those living in rented accommodation did not fully understand their rights and the responsibilities of landlords to maintain safe standards when it came to their electrics.

44 per cent of respondents did not know that landlords have a duty of care to check electrics in their properties every five years.

Insight continues; “This is a key part of a landlord’s job – to make sure that their tenants are in receipt of safe systems. A five-year check is a legal requirement so if you think your home is due, get in touch with your landlord as soon as possible.” 

Advice For Checking Electrics at Christmas: 

Check for damaged wires and cables.

Keep cables and wires properly stored, and away from children.

Unplug devices and appliances to repair, adjust or clean.

Don’t overload plug sockets.

Allow air to circulate around electric appliances – don’t block vents.

For more information, visit https://hexoelectricaltesting.co.uk“

Fellow parents, have you found your priorities changed? I knew that I would feel differently once baby arrived, but I wasn’t prepared for quite how big that shift would be!

Posted in christmas, family, home

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4 Things You Need To Know Before You Get Married*

09th November 2021

Weddings are traditionally one of the happiest times. They bring together families and friends all celebrating the marriage of people that they love. However, before you decide to tie the knot, there are some things you need to know and carefully consider. Keep reading to find out what they are. 

Weddings can be expensive 

First of all, one of the most useful things you can know before you decide to tie the knot is how expensive weddings can be. Most people just have some vague idea that it will cost them an unspecified amount of money, but knowing precisely what you can expect for your budget can be very helpful. 

Indeed, it’s this foresight and planning that helps to reduce the stress of the wedding process, as well as manage the expectations of the people involved. After all, it’s easy to get carried away when it comes to weddings, and spending all your savings before you have even begun your marriage isn’t a great idea.  

What your partner wants and expects from your marriage  

Another important thing to talk about before you marry is your expectations. Indeed, it’s volta that you are truthful about your own, and that you listen to what your other half has to say. This is because if your needs and wants are too far apart, for example, you want children, but they do not, it can put your relationship under serious strain in the future. 

Marriage is a long term commitment 

Marriage is often referred to as the next step in a relationship for a reason. It’s about making a commitment, melding two families together, and announcing to the world that you are in it for the long term. That is why marriage should never be entered into lighting, and why it’s vital that the wedding isn’t the most important thing. 

Although, it is also worth noting that there are routes out of a marriage if it’s not working out. These include separation while you work on your issues together and individually, and sometimes divorce is the best option for everyone involved. 

Of course, if divorce is decided on, an equitable agreement as to the conditions involved needs to be established. The good news is that a good family mediation specialist can help you work through this difficult time, in the fairest way possible without further aggravating the already fraught emotional situation. 

Marriage is wonderful but is also work 

Last, of all, I think it is really important that everyone realize that while marriage can be one of the most wonderful and satisfying things in life, it also needs to be worked at. Just like any other relationship. 

Heading into marriage with this attitude is crucial as it ensures you are realistic and don’t expect everything to be all flowers and chocolates all the time.  Additionally, by approaching your marriage with such an attitude you will be in a much better position to be fulfilled and fulfill your partner’s needs as well, something that will help you both be happier over the long term. 

Posted in wedding

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Should You Build or Buy Your Next Home?*

01st November 2021
Photo by Derick McKinney on Unsplash

One of the most important decisions to make when looking for a new property is whether you should buy it, or build it. It can take a lot of time searching through the internet when trying to find your next property; you often have set criteria for what you want, and if you have a family then there are more people you have to consider in the process.

When looking for a new property, there are also many factors that you need to consider, for example- the size, style, location, age, space, schools, neighbours, garden, costs, and more. Trying to decide whether to buy or build can be challenging to say the least. 

Here are some pros and cons for both building and buying, to help you further with your decision.

Costs 

There have been many debates as to which is the cheapest option. However, this is not an easy question to answer, as it entirely depends on the land you intend to build on. In some cases, especially if you are considering renovating or updating a property once you have purchased it, it can work out cheaper to build a property. This is especially the case when you have house and land packages available from specialists such as BellRiver Homes. However, the costs can work out a little bit more if you are looking to build a home from scratch, as you will need to consider expenses such as getting permits, fitting and connecting utilities, and whether any work has to be done to improve the land. When buying a home, there is often little wiggle room for negotiation, depending on your budget. If you build a home and are willing to get involved in the process more, then you could play a role in sourcing better, cheaper materials and contractors to help suit your budget. 

Maintenance

When purchasing a new home you tend to get a survey completed which will provide you with information on the structure and quality of the property. This is essential before purchasing, for your information, but also for your lender to accept you for a mortgage. Unfortunately, with any property you purchase, you will never know the full extent of its problems until you move in and spend time there. Some unforeseen maintenance costs, for example, problems with the roof, the heating systems, or the walls can significantly drive the costs for repairs up. In some properties, you will not only need to pay for functional repairs, but also any renovations that you want to do to update the property, and furnishings. 

Building a home can also carry the risk of unforeseen circumstances for example, sourcing materials and construction workers. 

Unfortunately the decision to buy or build property has to be your own. It will take time to research and weigh out both options, as it will entirely depend on your lifestyle, your location, your housing criteria and much more. If you have a set property in mind and have the budget, then building a home may be the best option so you have more freedom with the design.

Posted in home

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