CZ550Kevlar Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I wondered if anyone could help, i have a dual fuel vehicle for work, i finished work at 03:30 Wednesday morning and had to fill up at a BP station on the A2, i filled up my petrol tank then went onto fill the lpg up, i put the nossle on turned the collar then pulled the lever to lock it on ready to fill, the first time i did it i pulled the lever and it sprayed gas out for a fraction of a second so took it off then tryed again, the second time it sprayed out again but all up my left arm, at this point i gave up and went into pay, i mentioned that the pump wasn`t working properly but he didn`t care and at that time my arm was fine, after leaving the petrol station it started to feel funny, then the burning started and oh my god the pain, i then thought a trip to the hospital would be in order so i set the sat nav to the maritime hospital chatham, after nearly passing out twice with pain i got there and pretty much went straight in, was then told to keep it under water for 20 mins which eventually turned out to be 40 mins, was told to take pain killers and keep putting gel on it and keep an eye on it. people keep telling me i should call one of these personal injury places to take it further, i`m not sure how these places work or if it`s something they will take on, does anyone have advice experience etc i`m still in alot of pain and it is very red, luckily no blistering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 the man for the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) Don't go with the heavily advertised lot on the telly. 9 times out of 10 you get bumped to an office on an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere and you won't even get a qualified solicitor looking after you, you'll get a "claims handler". Take a local recommendation and book in with a local high street solicitor that does personal injury work and will work on a no win no fee. Also avoid taking the solicitors recommended by your legal expense insurers if you have legal expense insurance on any of your insurance policies; they don't select their panel firms because they are the best, but because they are the cheapest (or because they own a chunk of the firm itself). Don't hang about, I would if I were you send a recorded delivery letter to the garage asap putting them on notice that you have had an accident and tell them to preserve the CCTV footage. If it goes legal and your claim doesn't settle then it won't see the inside of a Court for a year. Also if you paid by card, keep the receipt, the garage may deny that you were ever there. Start preserving evidence now and run a diary - who you saw at the hospital, how long, what the prescription was; right the way through to how much money you put in the parking machine at the hospital. Edited January 27, 2011 by Mungler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Don't go with the heavily advertised lot on the telly. 9 times out of 10 you get bumped to an office on an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere and you won't even get a qualified solicitor looking after you, you'll get a "claims handler". Take a local recommendation and book in with a local high street solicitor that does personal injury work and will work on a no win no fee. Also avoid taking the solicitors recommended by your legal expense insurers if you have legal expense insurance on any of your insurance policies; they don't select their panel firms because they are the best, but because they are the cheapest (or because they own a chunk of the firm itself). Don't hang about, I would if I were you send a recorded delivery letter to the garage asap putting them on notice that you have had an accident and tell them to preserve the CCTV footage. If it goes legal and your claim doesn't settle then it won't see the inside of a Court for a year. Also if you paid by card, keep the receipt, the garage may deny that you were ever there. Start preserving evidence now and run a diary - who you saw at the hospital, how long, what the prescription was; right the way through to how much money you put in the parking machine at the hospital. I phoned BP this morning and spoke to their customer service people who logged it there and then and gave me a reference number, they said because the site is a franchise of theirs they would pass it into the site owner and also onto their third party insurance company. I will send a letter first thing tomorrow to the petrol station owner and advise them, i`m hoping that because it happened at 03:59 on 26-01-11 i have caught it soon enough for the CCTV to still be there, i paid using a company fuel card plus have the phsical receipt. also i have taken photos of the burn and my company have logged it too with photos. Thankyou for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death from below Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 W H A T A N U M P T Y Try being careful the next time - after being given one chance you go and do it again. As einstein stated, the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 W H A T A N U M P T Y Try being careful the next time - after being given one chance you go and do it again. As einstein stated, the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Einstein also said "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death from below Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Einstein also said "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new" Are you sure? I thought that was his next door neighbour, Hilda, who made that quote. :look: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksdad Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 As this happened to you, it most likely happened to someone else, not got a clue how you will check though, just a thunk :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 You can ask for the maintenace records and details of any other complaints made etc If a handful of people have been burnt / had similar then there's a pattern. If they don't play ball - get in touch with the local rag - they love a public interest piece like this - I can see it now, a picture of you looking sad and nursing a hurty arm outside the petrol station with the headline "Going green back fires on man's arm". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Don't go with the heavily advertised lot on the telly. 9 times out of 10 you get bumped to an office on an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere and you won't even get a qualified solicitor looking after you, you'll get a "claims handler". Take a local recommendation and book in with a local high street solicitor that does personal injury work and will work on a no win no fee. Also avoid taking the solicitors recommended by your legal expense insurers if you have legal expense insurance on any of your insurance policies; they don't select their panel firms because they are the best, but because they are the cheapest (or because they own a chunk of the firm itself). Don't hang about, I would if I were you send a recorded delivery letter to the garage asap putting them on notice that you have had an accident and tell them to preserve the CCTV footage. If it goes legal and your claim doesn't settle then it won't see the inside of a Court for a year. Also if you paid by card, keep the receipt, the garage may deny that you were ever there. Start preserving evidence now and run a diary - who you saw at the hospital, how long, what the prescription was; right the way through to how much money you put in the parking machine at the hospital. Im busy going down the legal route, i had sorted out my own solicitors and ones i was happy with (legal aid), i was then asked to check household insurance to see if i had cover because you have to check if there is any other way of paying for it other than legal aid (so i was told) Anyway, my insurers insisted on using their recommended solicitors, when i explained i had my own and was happy with them, they said they wouldnt cover me unless i used theirs. God they havnt half dragged it out... Shaun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Sean, there's all sorts of recent decisions from the insurance ombudsman, also you want to be careful in understanding precisely what they have told you or lead you to believe.... What they offer you is an insurance contract - you are not obliged to accept their nomination of solicitor at the point of issuing proceedings (see below). Indeed, the "pre-action" stuff they can insist on running past their solicitors. However, at the point of "issuing" proceedings the insurance ombudsman says that you have the right to choose your own brief. What they try and do is "hook you" pre-issue and at the earliest stage. They will offer free advice / reviews etc under the policy to hook you early - once you send them all the bumpf, fill out their forms and get glued into their processes you will be less inclined to go anywhere else. Some might say they mislead their policy holders..... Remember, they want you to use their panel firm because those firms are the cheapest (and would have tendered for the contract) or it's because they are owned / part owned by the insurance company. I also bet the person dealing with this day to day is not a solicitor. I would want a solicitor "down the road" that I could pop in and see at 10 mins notice, and with a local reputation that the solicitor will want to protect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Well they have it now and have for about 10 months now. Apparently we are waiting for a verdict from an independant orthopedic surgeon on his opinion, (its a clinical negligence case) The guy im dealing with is actually a solicitor, who over the phone seems to be interested but as you say, i would have rather had someone i could see face to face rather than over the phone. Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gloker Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 My missus slipped on diesel on a tesco forecourt, spectacular ***** over apex fall, arm out to stop her fall, broken wrist, fingers and loss of little fingernail, reported spill to cashier, whilst crying and bleeding. He was an ignoramus so she is currently suing tesco. They have viewed CCTV and have admitted liability, just waiting out now. She admits if he had been more caring/concerned she wouldn't have sued. Hell hath no fury.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 The guy im dealing with is actually a solicitor, who over the phone seems to be interested but as you say, i would have rather had someone i could see face to face rather than over the phone. That surprises me. Have you stuck his name into >this<? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Einstein also said "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new" that is thee sweetest comebacks ive heard for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 He was,nt trying anything new,Highseas,he had allready tried it once and realised that a problem existed-despite this he tried again and then got hurt-thats what a court would hear from the garage defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 As Mungler says - start recording everything. What you did, dates, times expenses, hospital, who you saw, prognosis, symptoms etc. Also record how you are feeling - twice daily recommended. I am on my third accident claim. I am not a serial claimer. First time - garage took wheel nuts off my Discovery at MOT (God only knows why).Put them back on one thread - forgot to tighten them. Left garage and wheel came off at first bad bend - big crash. Second time - car got shunted very hard from rear. Third time - idiot in 4 x 4 reversed, at speed, in to side of my car. Trapped inside - Fire Brigade had to cut me out. I await my third payout. Money is okay, but it doesn't even begin to address the grief and pain they caused me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 A family member had a bad accident at work and got involved with one of these no win no fee outfits. After a year and a half he ended up with a payout that wasn't even a quarter of his lost wages. The incompetence was breathtaking, especially as the accident report filled out at the time by the H&S officer admitted liability and referred to previous identical accidents! They are like pimps, and you are their hooker. They don't care about you, they only care about how much cash you can make them. If you go that route, go in with your eyes wide open and remember they are not your friends, no matter what the glossy brochures tell you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I wondered if anyone could help, i have a dual fuel vehicle for work, i finished work at 03:30 Wednesday morning and had to fill up at a BP station on the A2, i filled up my petrol tank then went onto fill the lpg up, i put the nossle on turned the collar then pulled the lever to lock it on ready to fill, the first time i did it i pulled the lever and it sprayed gas out for a fraction of a second so took it off then tryed again, the second time it sprayed out again but all up my left arm, at this point i gave up and went into pay, i mentioned that the pump wasn`t working properly but he didn`t care and at that time my arm was fine, after leaving the petrol station it started to feel funny, then the burning started and oh my god the pain, i then thought a trip to the hospital would be in order so i set the sat nav to the maritime hospital chatham, after nearly passing out twice with pain i got there and pretty much went straight in, was then told to keep it under water for 20 mins which eventually turned out to be 40 mins, was told to take pain killers and keep putting gel on it and keep an eye on it. people keep telling me i should call one of these personal injury places to take it further, i`m not sure how these places work or if it`s something they will take on, does anyone have advice experience etc i`m still in alot of pain and it is very red, luckily no blistering. I really hate ambulance chasing... we just don't need a litigous society like the Americans but with every little incident like this more and more 'no win no fee' companies will crawl out from under their squalid little rocks with pound signs rolling round in their eyes... Did it occur to you after this petrochemical liquid was sprayed up your arm to go and wash it off? It's certainly the first thing I would do! What exactly are you thinking about claiming for? loss of earnings? inability to work? Are you ABSOLUTELY sure it was their equipment at fault and not yours??? Accidents happen and I'm sorry, but unless this has somehow affected your ability to function as you did before or earn the living you did before I think you are way off the mark even considering claiming.. it's things like this that are dragging this country somewhere it really doesn't want to be.... I really do dispair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsm1968 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) A family member had a bad accident at work and got involved with one of these no win no fee outfits. After a year and a half he ended up with a payout that wasn't even a quarter of his lost wages. The incompetence was breathtaking, especially as the accident report filled out at the time by the H&S officer admitted liability and referred to previous identical accidents! They are like pimps, and you are their hooker. They don't care about you, they only care about how much cash you can make them. If you go that route, go in with your eyes wide open and remember they are not your friends, no matter what the glossy brochures tell you. I met a bloke who lost a no win no fee and had to pay the solicitor £800. Turned out the fee was insured and in the small print he was liable for the premium. What exactly are you thinking about claiming for? loss of earnings? inability to work? Are you ABSOLUTELY sure it was their equipment at fault and not yours??? My thoughts exactly. How long have you had the vehicle? Also were you trained by the company who did your conversion? Is your system regularly checked and inspected by qualified people? It sounds to me that you are about to go on a learning curve where you will find out how slow the courts are, and how the insurance companies have a strategy to "Starve you out!" Edited January 27, 2011 by gsm1968 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I really hate ambulance chasing... we just don't need a litigous society like the Americans but with every little incident like this more and more 'no win no fee' companies will crawl out from under their squalid little rocks with pound signs rolling round in their eyes... Did it occur to you after this petrochemical liquid was sprayed up your arm to go and wash it off? It's certainly the first thing I would do! What exactly are you thinking about claiming for? loss of earnings? inability to work? Are you ABSOLUTELY sure it was their equipment at fault and not yours??? Accidents happen and I'm sorry, but unless this has somehow affected your ability to function as you did before or earn the living you did before I think you are way off the mark even considering claiming.. it's things like this that are dragging this country somewhere it really doesn't want to be.... I really do dispair I did indeed try washing it off with the bottle of sterile water i carry in my van, however as it`s LPG this liquid is cold damn cold so it wasn`t the "chemical" itself that did the damage it was the Freezer burn effect killing the skin. I work on the Railway at night as a Bridge Engineer, i`m not allowed to put a bandage on the burn as it needs to breath etc and covering it with something makes it even more painful and i need to keep putting this gel stuff on it to prevent drying out etc, also at the moment it is very cold at night about the 3c mark and basically would entail me working on the dirty railway at night in near freezing temps with bare arms and basically an open wound, not the best idea, also as i have to take painkillers and have a 90 minute drive each way strong painkillers and lot`s of driving isn`t the best idea and mean me being a danger to other road users. Now after all this i would say yes it has affected my ability to function and earn the living i had before the accident, i have filled my vehicle with LPG on literally hundreds of occasions as my Fuel card will show, i also drive a personal dual fuel vehicle which i have filled hundreds of times before without incident. I do hope i have justified myself to you in that i have a reason for looking at claiming from a company that had defective equipment on their forecort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsm1968 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 i have filled my vehicle with LPG on literally hundreds of occasions as my Fuel card will show, i also drive a personal dual fuel vehicle which i have filled hundreds of times before without incident. So this was your works vehicle? I think that may change it all. The liability will surely lie partly with your employer as well, as you were "at work". Have to see what the professionals say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I met a bloke who lost a no win no fee and had to pay the solicitor £800. Turned out the fee was insured and in the small print he was liable for the premium. My thoughts exactly. How long have you had the vehicle? Also were you trained by the company who did your conversion? Is your system regularly checked and inspected by qualified people? It sounds to me that you are about to go on a learning curve where you will find out how slow the courts are, and how the insurance companies have a strategy to "Starve you out!" A- Had the vehicle since September 2010, had my personal LPG vehicle since Feb 2010. B- We were given full instructions how to connect the 2 main pump variations available in this country when we collected the vans and i have used the variation of pump that i had the accident with hundreds of times, i was physically shown how to use LPG when i purchased my personal LPG vehicle. C- My Vauxhall Astra van is a 60 plate and delivered from the lease company brand new in Sept 2010 so not due for any attention until Sept 2011. Hope this answers all your questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddan Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 That surprises me. Have you stuck his name into >this<? I put Mungler in, no results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 That surprises me. Have you stuck his name into >this<? Yup... he is a director of the company and has the letters LLB after his name. although i did have to google what that meant...lol I can pm you the company name and his if you wish.... shaun....sean.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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