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Turn on your television or open a newspaper these days and you are likely to be bombarded by adverts for 'no win, no fee' solicitors who aim to get you compensation should you have had an accident at work or in public that was no fault of your own. Indeed, it seems that this relatively new phenomenon is growing and growing as people seek to make claims for injuries they have sustained.
There is a very good reason for the 'boom' in such legal services. Prior to 2000, if someone wanted to make a claim for an injury sustained by accident, it was possible to make a claim for legal aid to cover the legal and court costs involved. This legal aid was withdrawn in 2000 and a new system of conditional fee agreements was introduced, otherwise know as 'no win, no fee'. So understandably, this is the only route open to many people who can't afford to foot the legal fees themselves.
While there seems to be no hard data as yet on whether the prevalence of such services has lead to an increase in the number of people making claims for personal injury, the anecdotal evidence coming from bodies such as the Citizens Advice Bureau seems to indicate that there is.
Protect yourself against claims
Many of the claims being made are by employees who are injured in their workplace - this type of claim is often covered by Employers' liability insurance.
The other main group making such claims are members of the public who have an accident or are injured while in someone else's workplace or by someone carrying out work. So for instance, this could be a 'trip and slip' injury in a shop, office, workshop or even at a home business - or someone could be hurt by, say, a falling piece of masonry from a tradesman repairing a wall.
If you run your own business, it is possible to minimise such potential risks. For instance, by making sure that steps or hazards are clearly marked, that there are no trip risks such as cabling or wires, that floors are not slippery and that any spillages are dealt with immediately, and by ensuring that staff are trained to be on the lookout for such hazards.
However, the plain fact is that accidents can and do happen - whether it is someone slipping on a spill in your café or faulty wiring in your office. If this happens, the person having the accident may well be in a position to make a claim against you - and if you are a small business, such a claim could be catastrophic for your business. That's why it pays to have Public liability insurance - something that is available from Direct Line for Business.
This type of business insurance covers any awards or damages given to a member of the public because of an injury or damage to their property caused by you or your business. It also covers any related legal fees, costs and expenses.
Having the right level of insurance can give you peace of mind that you are protected should a member of the public have to make a claim against your business. Direct Line for Business offers a minimum of up to £1m worth of public liability cover either as standard or as an option on all of its business insurance policies - indeed; on most policies cover starts at up to £2m. You can increase the limit of cover if required.
To find out about our range of business insurance policies, which cover home business, shops, offices, pubs and restaurants, hotels and more - and exactly what they cover and the level of public liability offered, check the policy documents on this website.
Related information:
Public liability insurance - more information about this type of cover.
Employers' liability insurance - this is actually a legal requirement for UK employers.
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