A Winter Fuel Payment For Scottish...
ChatterBank0 min ago
Legal Case Against Uninsured Company
23 Answers
Hi
Some of you will recall the story of me receiving laser burns from a beauty treatment back in April from which I'm still scared.
I instructed a legal team to pursue the case who now believe the beauty clinic are now insured and which is why they are ignoring all correspondence
1) I understand that its a legal requirement that all businesses are insured?
2) this company doesn't seem to be trading on companies house but they are still open as a business. How does that work?
3) what local government or government departments over see the law on businesses and insurance and who is responsible for this legally?
4) Lawyers say they cannot pursue a case here. Is that really the case? Surely they can't just get away with it?
Any advice would be hugely appreciated.
Some of you will recall the story of me receiving laser burns from a beauty treatment back in April from which I'm still scared.
I instructed a legal team to pursue the case who now believe the beauty clinic are now insured and which is why they are ignoring all correspondence
1) I understand that its a legal requirement that all businesses are insured?
2) this company doesn't seem to be trading on companies house but they are still open as a business. How does that work?
3) what local government or government departments over see the law on businesses and insurance and who is responsible for this legally?
4) Lawyers say they cannot pursue a case here. Is that really the case? Surely they can't just get away with it?
Any advice would be hugely appreciated.
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by DonaldDuck92. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
If the trader is operating as a sole trader and not as a limited company they don't have to register at Companies House.
A sole trader is personally liable which means their personal assets are at risk whereas with a limited company, only the company assets are at risk.
As you are paying for legal assistance, you really need to be asking them all these questions.
A sole trader is personally liable which means their personal assets are at risk whereas with a limited company, only the company assets are at risk.
As you are paying for legal assistance, you really need to be asking them all these questions.
Your claim would be against their public liability insurance (actually, the claim would be against them, but it would be covered by their public liability insurance...if they had it).
Bizarrely, other than in limited cases (from memory nuclear establishments and horse riding establishments) there is not a statutory requirement for any business to have public liability insurance.
The vast vast majority of companies, whether they be incorporated, partnerships or 'trading as' companies do buy public liability insurance, and anyway it's often a contractual requirement and/or a requirement of belonging to a trade association.
If it transpires they do not have public liability insurance, then your claim will need to be against them personally.
Bizarrely, other than in limited cases (from memory nuclear establishments and horse riding establishments) there is not a statutory requirement for any business to have public liability insurance.
The vast vast majority of companies, whether they be incorporated, partnerships or 'trading as' companies do buy public liability insurance, and anyway it's often a contractual requirement and/or a requirement of belonging to a trade association.
If it transpires they do not have public liability insurance, then your claim will need to be against them personally.
Thanks for initial responses
I have just had a conversation with the paralegal who says that as a legal firm they wouldn't pursue it as there's too much risk- a small chance they would pay costs and I'd get compensation. That there's a risk of going against a company without insurers if we can't get disclosure documents.
I have just had a conversation with the paralegal who says that as a legal firm they wouldn't pursue it as there's too much risk- a small chance they would pay costs and I'd get compensation. That there's a risk of going against a company without insurers if we can't get disclosure documents.
Thanks Barry. Reported to Environmental Health who said from their point of view they couldn't do anything as company had submitted paperwork for them to check and concluded:
in line with the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Enforcement Policy Statement and Enforcement Management Model (EMM), which guides us in our decision making. This process involves reviewing standards being followed by a dutyholder and comparing these to benchmark standards (legal standards and sector specific guidance) to identify any 'risk gap', which essentially means how far below a dutyholder’s standards are to meeting the benchmark standards. I can confirm that following my desktop review of the incident and documentation provided I found a nominal risk gap with the benchmark standards. Therefore, I do not intend to further action in regard to this matter.
in line with the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Enforcement Policy Statement and Enforcement Management Model (EMM), which guides us in our decision making. This process involves reviewing standards being followed by a dutyholder and comparing these to benchmark standards (legal standards and sector specific guidance) to identify any 'risk gap', which essentially means how far below a dutyholder’s standards are to meeting the benchmark standards. I can confirm that following my desktop review of the incident and documentation provided I found a nominal risk gap with the benchmark standards. Therefore, I do not intend to further action in regard to this matter.
Have you got a full set of photos showing the burn from day 1 to today?
Have you got medical reports stating the severity of your burns?
Have you kept records of all your medical appointments and treatments?
Have you got a full record of monies lost to date? Loss of earnings, cost of travelling to / from medical appointments, cost of prescriptions and over the counter treatments?
Have you got medical reports stating the severity of your burns?
Have you kept records of all your medical appointments and treatments?
Have you got a full record of monies lost to date? Loss of earnings, cost of travelling to / from medical appointments, cost of prescriptions and over the counter treatments?
I have a laser machine and previously I had salon treatments. The machines are expensive and are sometimes rented/leased, if that is the case maybe the company who owns the machine can help. I can't see them renting out machines to people who have no insurance.
Did the operator do a patch test to see how your skin reacted? Or did she over-treat the area?
Did the operator do a patch test to see how your skin reacted? Or did she over-treat the area?
Thinking again I suggest:
Get a friend to phone and book an appointment. Your friend should ask to see their public liability insurance. If they are insured this won't be a problem.
If they don't have insurance you need to consider very carefully if it is worth pursuing. You would be suing the business owner as a private individual and if he or she has no assets it will be a total waste of your time and money - even if you won the case you can't get blood out of a stone. If you lost, it could be very expensive for you.
Just how serious are your injuries?
Get a friend to phone and book an appointment. Your friend should ask to see their public liability insurance. If they are insured this won't be a problem.
If they don't have insurance you need to consider very carefully if it is worth pursuing. You would be suing the business owner as a private individual and if he or she has no assets it will be a total waste of your time and money - even if you won the case you can't get blood out of a stone. If you lost, it could be very expensive for you.
Just how serious are your injuries?
Related Questions
Sorry, we can't find any related questions. Try using the search bar at the top of the page to search for some keywords, or choose a topic and submit your own question.