Today a jury found Bingham Davis and Bowmer and Kirkland Ltd guilty of breaching health and safety laws after a 200-tonne crane toppled on to an apartment block at Chandlers Wharf in Liverpool city centre in July 2009.

Iain Gilham, from Merseyside, was paralysed from the waist down when he was thrown from the crane. His injuries included a brain haemorrhage, fractured skull, spine fractures and a broken shoulder.

More than 100 people had to be moved from their homes following the incident.

Mr Gilham’s solicitor Adrian Denson of Fletcher’s Solicitors, in Southport, said: “This is a very sad case involving my Client, Mr Iain Gilham. On 6 July 2009 he suffered catastrophic and life changing injuries through no fault of his own whilst carrying out a job that he loved, and in which he was highly skilled and experienced. It is a great relief to my Client that the criminal prosecution is now at an end. I and the rest of Mr Gilham’s legal team representing him in his civil claim for damages arising from his injuries will continue in our efforts to finalise his claim on the best possible terms, to ensure that he receives the compensation to which he is entitled so that all of his needs are met for the rest of his life. We hope that the HSE has now put in place promised safeguards to monitor the use of these very heavy cranes”.

Mr Gilham said: “It has been a long time since my accident and I am pleased that the criminal prosecution is now over. I am coming to terms with my changed circumstances and I am getting on with my life as best as I can. I would like to thank all of my family, friends, doctors, my legal team, and all of the people who have helped me through such a difficult and traumatic time”.

To complete the legal team, on behalf of Mr Gilham, Fletchers have retained the services of Gerard McDermott QC, Lead Counsel specialising in catastrophic injury cases.

For more information and interviews please contact Melissa Davis on 0203 4022132 or melissa.davis@mdcomms.co.uk

Scenes from the accident in 2009

Using a variety of cycling equipment, patients and staff will cycle around 874 miles in a simulated ride to raise the much needed money. The money hopes to provide a chin controlled powered wheelchair and Functional Electrical Simulation (FES) bike to the unit.

Acknowledging the importance of spinal rehabilitation, Fletchers Solicitors’ Director Ed Fletcher has already been down to complete a mile and as a company we will be sponsoring our local spinal unit.

With an understanding for what can often be a difficult and lengthy rehabilitation process, it’s hoped that the money will provide this much needed equipment to help spinal recovery.

Lynsey is a 33 year old lady from Southport. She is the Mother of 3 children aged 14, 9 and 5. In January 2011 she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and listed for a hysterectomy. She was given a diagnostic laparoscopy before her open surgery and was advised that her ovaries also ‘looked suspicious’. She therefore asked for them to be removed during her hysterectomy.

The operation took place in March 2011. She was told that they decided not to remove her ovaries due to her age. She was given the all clear from cancer in April 2011.

Lynsey continued to suffer with a lot of pain and requested another scan. In July 2011 a scan was taken which showed a mass on her ovary. She had further surgery at the end of that month and was told that her left ovary was cancerous and the tumour had strangulated her ureter and vital organs meaning they could no longer remove it. She was given 12 months to live.

Lynsey and I are starting a campaign about choice. Did you know that in the UK you cannot request a cervical smear if your last test was in the last 3 years? You cannot request a smear if you are under 25. Lynsey’s last smear test was undertaken less than 3 years prior to her diagnosis. We believe that If such tests were recommended every one or two years many lives would be saved. Shocking new research shows that 92 per cent of women diagniosed with cervical cancer through a smear test were able to be cured, compared to just 66 pe cent of those who were found to have it after developing symptoms.

Lynsey has a wish list of things she would like to do with her family whilst she is still well enough to do so. She wants to create happy memories for her children and family before she leaves them. They are humble requests, such as a weekend at Alton Towers with the children, a night at the theatre and a day out at Cadbury’s world. We would like to raise some money to help Lynsey and her family enjoy this time together.

We have organised a 3 course dinner at The Vincent with a glass of fizz on arrival. Entertainment is being provided by David Marshall, a tenor who will start his show with some well know West end songs and will finish on some modern pop and rock. There will be an auction (prizes include a 4 ball at Hillside Golf Club worth £400, Golf for 2 at Royal Birkdale with a local celebrity, a night at The Vincent and many more). There will also be a raffle and disco.

Your support will be very much appreciated.

Best Regards

Jeanette Slater

REIGNING British Superbike champion Tommy Hill and the team at Fletchers

REIGNING British Superbike champion Tommy Hill knows only too well how important it is for young and aspiring bikers to attract sponsorship when they are first starting out in the sport.

Spiralling costs of keeping machines on the track, equipment and travelling expenses mean that it is not a cheap pastime anymore ” even more so if you are looking to take up motorbike racing professionally.

And so Hill was delighted to go back to his roots and say “thank you” to the company that helped to put him on the road to success when he started out.

Legal firm Fletchers have moved into new offices in Southport and Hill was more than happy to go along to cut the ribbon and declare the company’s new home well and truly open – nearly ten years after they sponsored him when he was just settling into the saddle.

Hill said: “I have known Fletchers since the beginning of my career. This can be a difficult sport to get into. My little brother Jimmy is also starting out and I hope he too can find a firm like Fletchers to help him the way they supported me.”

Fletchers sponsored Hill for a number of years from 2003, at the beginning of his career, when he was just 18 and first starting out in British Superbikes.

The firm sponsored him mainly because of the rapport built up between their own Julia Eyton, a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives and a self-confessed “bike nut,” and Hill when they met.

Fletchers specialise in personal injuries and Eyton and her team have won over £13.5m in claims for people who have suffered catastrophic injuries.

Hill, now 27, knows only too well how important firms like Fletchers are as his early racing life included a near-fatal moto-cross accident in which he lost a kidney and his spleen.

Fletchers’ own chief executive officer, Ed Fletcher, is in a wheelchair himself because of a motorbike accident he suffered ten years ago which ruptured his spine.

Mr Fletcher said: “Biking has long been this firm’s passion and main area of work and we have been specialising in motorcycle claims for the last 25 years and have worked with a number of the largest motorcycle insurers in the UK.

“We were delighted that Tommy agreed to come and open our new offices.”

Hill said: “Fletchers helped kick start my career into gear. Sometimes without sponsorship riders may not be able to afford the best and right kit. That can be the difference between first and second place. It is harder now for young riders trying to break into the sport because of the state of the economy. I couldn’t have done it without the nurturing and financial backing that Fletchers gave me back then. I will never forget the people who were there for me right at the beginning and never stop being grateful for their support ” sponsorship helps you to train, to rest and to be your best.”

And Mr Fletcher added: “Tommy is a great example of a grass roots rider and we are proud that we helped him get on in the sport. Biking is in this company’s DNA; we work with numerous biking charities and many of our staff are keen bikers.”

Robert Fletcher presenting Jimmy Hall (Corey's Grandfather) with the cheque

Corey Ashcroft lives in Eccleston and up until a couple of months ago he was a very happy and healthy 2 year old boy. Three months ago Corey was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma; a high risk childhood cancer.

Corey has been receiving treatment for his illness such as chemotherapy but unfortunately Corey is not guaranteed to receive the best treatment available in the UK. Instead he would need to rely on a randomised trial which will only be decided at the penultimate stage of his treatment. As we can all appreciate this is not a risk Corey’s parents are willing to take.

Corey’s family have spent the last couple of months fighting to raise the money needed to send Corey to the States to undergo proven immunotherapy treatment that he might not receive in the UK. When the staff at Fletchers heard about Corey and his family’s cause we all agreed that we wanted to do what we could to help Corey and his family. It was therefore decided that July would be Corey Ashcroft Month.

In total the staff at Fletchers managed to raise a staggering £1,550 and took on many challenges to do so. Throughout July there were mufti days, cake sales and raffles. Staff also donated £5 to have their car washed or a lunchtime manicure.

Fletchers Solicitors would like to thank all those who donated to this worthwhile cause.

Special thanks to Fuego’s Restaurant, Radiant Living and our local North St Post Office for donating raffle prizes and a big thank you to Tri Star for donating an iPad 2.

Follow Corey’s story at www.coreyashcroft.co.uk

The team recently competed in their first European Tournament which was held in Amsterdam. Through a valiant effort the team where able to secure 5th place overall and only lost one of their games by 1 goal a mere 2 seconds from the end.

We would like to wish all the guys at West Coast Crash all the best for the upcoming nationals in Sheffield. Please check back for updates on the team s progress or visit www.gbwr.org.uk for the full results and to find out more about the sport.

Read more about how you can support him.

The two women from Merseyside both died of asbestos related cancer (Mesothelioma) after being exposed to small amounts of asbestos dust. At present there is medically no specific minimum amount of asbestos exposure that is deemed to put you at risk and the decision as to where the law stands needed to be answered.

An employer is now deemed liable for an employee’s exposure to asbestos even in small amounts unless the employer can provide sufficient evidence that all necessary steps were taken to safeguard the employee from risk. This decision should strengthen future cases for people who have developed Mesothelioma after being exposed to small amounts of asbestos and reduce the ability of the insurers to dispute Mesothelioma cases.

Workers were encouraged to turn up for work in thier ragular office wear topped off with some outrageous headgear to rais cash for Headway.

It was organised by members of the Serious Injuries Department – Craig Oliver and Sarah Green – who are also involved with Headway’s Preston committee.

Hats on show varied from a wedding veil to the more unusual sight of a saucpan. Staff member Jay Fletcher said: “Wearing office clothes with something out of the ordinary like a silly hat was a fun way to highlight an important organisation.”