Something like 7 out of 10 people do not have a Will. There are lots of reasons why you are unlikely to have made a Will. This post tells a story which might convince you to take action and make a Will, if you do not have one. The details are fictional but are based on fact situations we have dealt with in practice. Maggie and Tam – cohabiting couple Maggie had been separated from her husband for several years when she met her partner, Tam, through a mutual friend in 2002. Maggie lived in Moray and Tam was based in the Borders. After a year or so, they decided to move in together, Tam finding a job with a haulage company in Moray. They bought a house using, as a deposit, money Tam had saved. Tam had never been married and had no children. He formed a great relationship with Maggie’s three children – and two grandchildren born during the years after he and Maggie got together. Maggie, in turn, enjoyed the company of Tam’s brother and his parents. They went on Continue Reading
When Do You Need A Personal Injury Solicitor In Scotland (rather than elsewhere in the UK)?
Accidents do not take any notice of national boundaries. An accident can happen whether you are in Dallas, Moray, or Dallas, Texas. If you have been injured in an accident and need to make a claim for compensation, we recommend that you contact a solicitor with proven specialist knowledge in personal injury claims. We also suggest that you should deal with a solicitor who is local to you, if possible. For accidents which have happened in Scotland, does it matter whether your solicitor is in Scotland? It does matter and we will explain why. When a local-to-you solicitor can be a bad idea Where you suffer injury in a road traffic accident in Scotland, you might be on holiday or on business at the time. You may have your home in another part of the UK. It can be tempting in that situation to consult a solicitor close to where you live, once you are sufficiently recovered, because it is the most convenient option. The solicitor you consult will be reluctant to Continue Reading
How To Choose a Personal Injury Solicitor in Scotland
In another article, we saw how proven specialist knowledge in a particular area of law is probably the most important factor when you are looking to get help from a solicitor - assuming you do not already have a solicitor or a good recommendation from a close friend or relative. In this article, we discuss how best to go about choosing a personal injury solicitor in Scotland. How to establish a solicitor's 'proven specialist knowledge' in relation to personal injury claims If you have been injured in an accident and need to make a personal injury claim in Scotland, how do you go about finding a solicitor with the necessary specialist knowledge? Lots of solicitors' firms - and others who are not solicitors - claim to have the necessary experience and expertise to handle your compensation claim, so what you need is an independent benchmark of excellence to give you confidence that you are trusting your claim to a safe pair of hands. Law Society of Scotland specialist Continue Reading
Snow and Ice: Pedestrian Slipping Accidents
We have recently looked at claims for injuries to drivers caused by vehicle slipping accidents in wintry conditions and now it’s time to look at claims by pedestrians in similar circumstances. Slips on premises - reasonable scope for a claim If you slipped on premises where the owner or occupier is responsible for keeping the property free from snow and ice, you may have a claim against them under the Occupiers’ Liability (Scotland) Act 1960. Slips while you are working - reasonable scope for a claim Slips due to snow and ice while at work may be covered by health and safety regulations, though you need to note the uncertainty arising from the changes brought about by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. There may be reasonable prospects of a successful claim even if the accident did not occur on property belonging to your employer. Slips in the street - or "public liability" slips - poor chances of success The most common scenario, however, is where you have been out Continue Reading