“Every eight hours someone is told they may never walk again” - Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) Day on Friday 17 May aims to raise awareness of the reality of those affected by spinal injuries. Here at Spencers Solicitors we are supporting the everyeighthours.com campaign and its calls for:

• Further medical research to develop more reliable treatments

• Better medical care and support for those people and families affected

• Guidance and support for those affected by spinal injuries to lead independent lives

Our work with those affected by spinal cord injuries has highlighted the important issues of treatment, expectations and improvements to the care system, which we've presented along with some further SCI facts on our Spinal Injuries in the UK page.

Please support the campaign by visiting everyeighthours.com and sharing on facebook and twitter (#Every8Hours).

Asbestos victims are set to be denied the right to receive the compensation they fully deserve on the Mesothelioma Bill outlined in the Queen's Speech yesterday. It was announced that sufferers of mesothelioma, only one type of asbestos-related cancer, will receive compensation where no liable employer or insurer can be traced. This means that those suffering from other forms of asbestos-related cancer, such as asbestosis, will be excluded from receiving similar compensation.

Commenting on the Bill John Spencer, Director of Spencers Solicitors said:

"All victims of asbestos related disease should receive the urgent compensation they deserve. It appears that the future fund announced in yesterday's Queen's speech will not go anywhere near far enough in ensuring justice for all victims of asbestos.

"Support for mesothelioma victims is long overdue, but it is not right that those who suffer other lung cancers or conditions caused by asbestos may get nothing under the proposed legislation. We urge MPs and Peers to amend the legislation to tackle this injustice."

Unfortunately the injustice does not stop there.  For those that can claim under the new legislation, only those who are diagnosed with mesothelioma from 25 July 2012 can make a claim.  This denies compensation to the thousands of people who have already been diagnosed with mesothelioma before summer last year. 

The Government estimates that more than 300 mesothelioma sufferers a year currently lose out on compensation because they are unable to trace a liable employer or employers' liability insurer.  The new scheme, funded by insurers, estimates that around 3,500 mesothelioma victims across the UK will be eligible to receive approximately £300 million in payments in the first 10 years of the fund.

John Spencer said of implementing the new legislation:

"It is of paramount importance that the Bill is introduced as early as possible and implemented speedily in order for inflicted victims to be given the compensation they urgently need.

"The sad reality is that any delay to implementing the legislation might mean that many of those applying to the fund might die before they receive any award."

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John Spencer is delighted to become the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) Vice President. The not-for-profit organisation has been campaigning for improvement in the services provided for victims of personal injury for over 20 years and its members are dedicated to changing the law to protect and enhance access to justice.

John who is director of Spencers Solicitors, will use his 30 years' experience of working within the legal sector to support APIL achieving its objectives of securing support and a fairer deal for the victims of all types of personal injury. He has a long association with the organisation having been an APIL member since 1995, a Fellow since 2006 and an elected member of its Executive Committee since 2011. Since April 2013 he has also been the APIL representative on the Law Society's Council.

John assumes his role from Thursday 18 April and on his appointment said: 

"I am honoured to become Vice President of APIL. Throughout my tenure I will support APIL in championing the rights of victims of personal injury and ensuring that they receive the best possible outcome."

For more information on John's appointment and other changes to the APIL executive committee please see their full press release.