What Can You Claim For Accident, Injury or Death At a Concert, Stadium or Plane Crash?

 Compensation Claims

Whenever I read of an event, a disaster, I wonder if the victims or families are all entitled to refund of their concert or football tickets or the air fare in a plane crash. If you have travel insurance, this might exclude hooliganism and terrorism - as I noted when we were in Prague one New Year's Even and our hotel warned us to get our car into a covered and gated car park and off the street, away from drunks, hooligans and falling fireworks. 

After the loss of life in Russia at the Crocus Stadium, I went online to read about compensation claims.

Online Lists of Compansation

I found a website from lawyers who represent accident victims, such as falls in stadiums. THeir list of compensation amounts was interesting. For example, if you injure different parts of your body, different aounts. 

Car Accident Injuries

In the past I have had car injuries. Apart from whether the vehicle drivers ere responsible, the claims are usually dealth with by competing insurance companies. 

Closing A Glaim

What are the factors affecting the claim? Why does it matter.? Can you just move on?. You are often asked to accept a certain sum of money but must sign an agreement that you will not make any later claim. 

Recurring Aches

All very well, but you can find the pain comes back later. 

WW2

Wartime Claims

I was amazed and appalled to find that my father in law could claim for hearing loss, which was in part due to injuries in world war 2, affecting his hearing many years later in old age. 

Reminder Aches

Minor aches and pain are one thing. ut a real reminder.

Car Accident Reminders - Pedestrians

I feel an itch in my leg and rub it. Then I recall that was where I was hit by the car bumper when I was knocked down by a car in Corsica back in 1984.

Stepping On Nails

 I feel a niggle under my foot. I remember I trop on a nail (left by carpet replacment of the flat above ours - sending me into hospital I had just come out of with my new baby, I ws wearing platform slippers). That was 1979. 

Paving Stone Injuries

But that was just minor niggles. I may feel that I am recovering from a fall over a raised paving stone in Brixton, London, this year. But what if the pain recurs, and I am unable to work, or keep waing at night as I turn onto the damaged part, or lose a tooth because I can't brush y teeth because of the numb gum.

Compensation Lists

In addition to claims for pain, the claimant might have claims for loss of earnings. If you cannot work. Or your empolyer takes away your job because of your short or long absence.

Useful Websites

https://www.legalexpert.co.uk/peronsal-injury-compensation/guide-football-stadium-accident-claims/

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook or LinkedIn or inreal life and have any information  please send it to me. 

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Drunken Escapades - don't do it - here's why

Problem
On holiday people get drunk. Celebrating, people get drunk. Then, alone or in a group, they do things which seemed like a good idea at the time, not so good a day or two later.

Drunk or sober, before taking any actions, ask yourself:
1 HOW DO RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE & HEROES ACT?
Would this action be done by any responsible person such as, (choose your favourites) my parents, my school teachers, the head of my school, my country or state, the HM The Queen?
Don't be an anti-hero if you can be a hero.

2 DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY
Would I be happy if somebody else did this to me?

3 NEWSPAPER REPORTS
It used to be said, 'a lady should get her name in the newspapers only when she is born, when she marries and when she dies'. How will I feel if this is reported in the papers or on the internet and known to the next person giving out honours or jobs?

4 NO HONOUR AMONGST THIEVES?
If somebody else did this and I allowed them to do it, do I risk them claiming that I did it, in order to save themselves from loss of status, being put in prison or worse?

5 PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Can I safely suggest to somebody else that they might refrain from this action, to protect them from regrets and punishment and to protect an innocent third party?

6 YOU ARE A REPRESENTATIVE
Do I owe it to my family, friends, colleagues, sponsors, bystanders, members of the same sex, race, religion, nationality, to protect our reputation?

7 CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES
Actions have consequences. For you, your family, your colleagues, nearby acquaintances, people at a distance. Like stepping on a butterfly in the short story, everything has consequences. Consider the consequences.

8 HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS
Instead of' it seemed like a good idea at the time', you might find that 'on second thoughts, it did not seem such a good idea'. You would then save yourself and lots of other people lots of trouble.

9 FAMILY FIRST, LAWYERS LAST
Your family come first, not the people looking for work or a story or entertainment. You can entertain with your successes and skills. Believe me, if you refrain from a bad action, the lawyers won't go hungry. And journalists will be able to find something else to write about.

10 WRITE YOUR OWN EULOGY
Set a good example to others. Everything you do, even running across the road when the light is red, can inspire children and adults to copy you, at the time, immedately afterwards, or later. What do you want on your obituary? Not errors of judgement! Only good things!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5434151/Canadian-athlete-coach-fined-taking-car-Olympics.html#comments

Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Using your languages overseas

Language Problems
1 You want to learn a language fast.
2 You want to maintain your languages.
3 You want a job using your languages.

Answers
If you want to
1 Learn Languages: Enrol in a class in person; enrol online (Duolingo is free); audio discs for home or car, Earworms from Berlitz, teach a language such as English for foreigners in a language school overseas and you often get a reduction if you sign up to learn another language such as German or Mandarin. (I taught English in several private schools in Singapore, created a course for other teachers, and as a volunteer introduced and helped run an English enrichment programme at weekends for those who failed their English O level mock in a state school and the pupils all (except one in hospital) re-took and passed.
2 Take holidays in foreign countries speaking your second language. Whilst there look for job opportunities. Go to job agencies. Attend a bilingual Toastmasters International speakers club as a guest. Go to a sports club which has local or expat members. Employ a nanny or au pair from the country whose language you wish to learn or maintain. Set up a system in which you teach them or they teach you for an hour, even half an hour, even 15 minutes, every week or every day.
3 Go to the German / Italian / other language embassy (or website) and find their trade department. Write or phone and say (in German and English) that you want to help German businesses with German exports into your area. Ask for a list of companies doing business in your area. In addition or instead check the phone book and the internet in both countries.

Story
A Magazine Article
I met somebody from a travel magazine at the World Travel Market in London. I told him I was a specialist in books and articles on weddings, wedding etiquette and honeymoon hotels and asked if he wanted any articles. He said he did not need any writing because he had the editor or features editor of a Bridal magazine doing his articles. I asked him to keep my card and remember my name in case the situation ever changed. I forgot all about it, once in a while found his card in my pile of cards, shrugged.
Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, an urgent voice on the phone wanted to know if I remembered him and whether I was available - at very short notice, to complete an article and text half done. His writer had had an accident (nothing serious, a limb (for anybody reading this in a second language, that means an arm or a leg) and she could not complete the work.

He said, "I can send a courier over straight away, collect the stuff from her and transport it to you."
"Yes, of course," I said. "Just send me an email confirming the time you need it, the length of the article, and what you will pay, and when, and I'll reply confirming I have understood and agree to the terms. Tell me if you will pay automatically on receipt or if I need to enclose an invoice and if so which person, department and company name I should invoice. A one line sentence from you is enough. How soon can you do that?"

A Book
If you have no luck with a business proposal such as a book, simply try again a year later.
Somebody who had recently worked in the book buying department of a major supermarket (think Marks and Spencer) told me that if I had a book rejected I should send a slightly different version, or even exactly the same one, a year later.

Why? Firstly, because the staff my have changed and a new person may think differently. Secondly the competition may have changed. Maybe last year they had two cookery books offered but only one on gardening but this year it's the other way around.

Secondly, the staff could be the same but the policy could have changed. Maybe last year company policy was to focus on women and cookery, but this year it's on men and gardening.

You can schedule one phone call or email per week or month through the year. Add seasonal greetings. Change dates. Update your current experience.

Tips
3 Where Can You Use Languages?
1 Teaching Languages: primary schools, bilingual schools, secondary schools, adult education, business schools, in house training.
2 Websites.
3 Packaging. Instructions. Instruction books.
4 Book translation.
5 Magazine translation.
6 Encyclopaedia translation
7 Online translation service for business letter.
8 Wedding speeches. Wedding Services.
9 Funeral speeches. Funeral services, prayers and memorials.
10 Poetry and songs.
11 Greetings cards.
12 Advertising and marketing letters.
13 Conferences. Translating written speeches in advance for printing. (I did this for a Belgian delegate at a lawyers' conference in Delhi. It takes hours!) Simultaneous translation. (I did this from French into English at a motoring and tourism event in France.)
14 Thank you speeches from delegations to host country. (I did this for groups of travel writers in France.)
15 Political speeches; and religious sermons.
16 Conference presentations.
17 International contests.
18 Radio and TV.
19 Foreign Language newspapers, own language newspapers overseas.
20 Annual reports.
21 Law courts.
22 Hospitals.
23 Government publications.
24 Police stations.
25 Hotel registration forms. Hotel websites. Travel brochures. Hotel receptionists.
26 Airport security, offices, sign writing.
27 Bilingual magazines on airlines and trains.
28 Nannies, babysitters and home schooling in bilingual families.
29 Cleaning, gardening, DIY, secretary/PA for expats.
30 New business and start-up associations.
Good luck. Enjoy using your skills.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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More thoughts on Harrow Arts Centre, two cinemas, club meeting rooms, are they affordable?

Postscript

After talking to 16 other people about the development of Harrow Arts Centre (see my previous post), I found they raised the following questions:

Where is Harrow Arts Centre?

Behind Morrisons, on the slip road by the roundabout as you drive or take the bus into Hatch End along the Uxbridge Road, just before the road rises to go over Hatch End railway station on the Euston-Watford line.

Who is doing the plan?

Cultura, an organisation set up by but independent of Harrow Council. A member of Harrow council is apparently on the board, if I understand right. Only one of three? I am not sure whether that is reassuring or worrying. Should there be more or fewer members of the council involved in the plan?

Small Meeting Rooms For Societies

1 How many of the existing rooms will be removed to provide a cinema? 

2 Will the library still be in place in the new building?

3 How many rooms will still exist for the community societies which currently meet in the building?

4 If the Harrow civic centre and Harrow Arts Centre are lost or remodelled, how many rooms, and at what cost, will exit for meetings held by the present Harrow residents' and workers' societies?

For example, Harrow Writers' Circle, the French speaking group?

5 We lost the Gilbert's bar to remodelling. What will be done to maintain or restore the history of the area? 

6 What do members of the public want? I would like the added on parts of the building to be in harmony with the shapes and fabric of the present building.

History

(What happened to the bust and paintings of Gilbert and his era from Gilbert's bar? What happened to the items stored by the societies. For example, historical records of Harrow Writers' Circle? Whose property were they? Were they sold off, put into storage, or sent to a tip? Can we now retrieve any property which might be lost in renovations?)

Lawyers

If the redevelopment is a not for profit organisation, how does this differ from a charity? If lawyers in many companies are willing to act for free on a pro bono (Latin for the good) basis, have free lawyers been sought? If not, why not? Can they be used for such projects in future?

What happens if the Cultura plan is not funded? Will the arts centre, which is a listed building, have a change of use, such as a block of flats? Or must it be retained as an arts centre, and/or for use by the public?

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.