Injury Claims on Northern Ireland"s Public Footpaths on the Rise
An increasing number of people are being injured in tripping accidents on badly maintained public roads and footpaths, according to figures released by Northern Ireland's Department of Regional Development.
More than 1,800 people in the province made a tripping injury compensation claim in 2008, up from 1,000 in 2004/2005.
All of these compensation claims are related to accidents that took place on defective roads.
The release of figures has come about after a question was posed to the Northern Ireland Assembly by one of its members earlier this year.
A lack of investment from the government has been blamed for the rise in the number of people claiming compensation for these tripping/slipping types of accident, although the Northern Ireland Assembly has denied cutbacks in maintenance budgets have played any part in the rise of claims.
People that have been injured in an accident that was the result of a poorly maintained public road or footpath may well be entitled to make a claim for personal injuries compensation from the government agency or local authority responsible for maintenance of the road or footpath.
In accident cases like these, photographic evidence of any defects or potholes can be important, as a local authority or government agency will often seek to dispute the size and location of a defect.
A local authority or government agency may argue that a defect was not large enough to cause an accident, or that it was very visible and should have been avoided.
More than 1,800 people in the province made a tripping injury compensation claim in 2008, up from 1,000 in 2004/2005.
All of these compensation claims are related to accidents that took place on defective roads.
The release of figures has come about after a question was posed to the Northern Ireland Assembly by one of its members earlier this year.
A lack of investment from the government has been blamed for the rise in the number of people claiming compensation for these tripping/slipping types of accident, although the Northern Ireland Assembly has denied cutbacks in maintenance budgets have played any part in the rise of claims.
People that have been injured in an accident that was the result of a poorly maintained public road or footpath may well be entitled to make a claim for personal injuries compensation from the government agency or local authority responsible for maintenance of the road or footpath.
In accident cases like these, photographic evidence of any defects or potholes can be important, as a local authority or government agency will often seek to dispute the size and location of a defect.
A local authority or government agency may argue that a defect was not large enough to cause an accident, or that it was very visible and should have been avoided.