Personal injury solicitors are those who represent clients who have been injured, or whose injuries have been worsened, by others being negligent. These include injuries that could have been prevented and where doctors or other medical practitioners have not done their job as they should have. In these cases medical negligence solicitors may be needed. This article looks at some examples of where there may be possible personal injury cases.
Some of the most common personal injury cases come from car accidents. There can be a claim where someone has been seriously injured after a car accident that is deemed the fault of another driver. This can be to pay for medical help or a loss of their quality of life in serious situations, such as where the victim has been paralysed. Normally this will not be paid for by the at-fault driver, but by his or her insurance company. Were the driver uninsured or driving illegally then they may have to pay any compensation themselves. Compensation can be either on-going (if regular, indefinite, medical assistance is required) or a one-off lump sum.
Medical negligence is where a professional medical practitioner is held legally responsible due to a mistake or lack of foresight. Below are a couple of examples:
Someone might go to the doctor due to some chest pain. If the doctor does not investigate, perhaps saying it must just be temporary chest pain or indigestion, and it turns out to be a serious heart condition, then he or she could be held legally responsible. It could be deemed that the doctor could have dealt with the problem effectively had it been investigated.
Another example is if someone is having an operation and a mistake is made. Doctors will not be held responsible for genuine mistakes, but if it is due to not following procedure properly, they could be.
The outcome of clinical negligence cases can vary massively. It depends on the circumstances of the mistake and the problems it has caused.
Accidents or illness suffered at work can also lead to personal injury cases. If someone has an accident due to a lack of protection it could lead to legal proceedings. Below are three examples:
Someone who works in a music venue is not given earplugs or other protection and suffers a loss of hearing.
Someone whose job involves heavy lifting suffers back problems having not been trained to lift correctly.
A builder who has not been given a safety helmet suffers a serious head injury after something falls from above.
Assault is another area that can lead to a legal case. If someone has been attacked in the street for no reason they could sue the attacker. This is also the case if attacked by a burglar in your home, or any number of other cases where there has been an assault.
Manufacturers can end up in court if they are to blame for injuries. For example, if someone gets a neck injury using a bouncy castle, a faulty car or bike causes an injury, or someone is electrocuted due to a manufacturing fault while listening to their personal stereo.
As well as physical injuries, people can seek damages if they have suffered psychologically due to the fault of someone else. This is the case if someone has been psychologically impacted by a road accident, perhaps leaving them unable to drive due to the trauma.
Andrew Marshall (c)
Penningtons are Medical Negligence Solicitors London.
Related articles
- The History Of Medical Negligence (healthadel.com)
- Different Types of Personal Injury Attorneys (socyberty.com)
Medical negligence is the name given when a medical professional has been negligent and this has caused a patient’s injury or death. This means they have failed to provide the expected level of care which has specifically caused the injury or death. Medical negligence legal cases can result in the prosecution of those guilty of negligence and compensation being paid to the effected person or persons.
Criticisms
There have often been criticisms of medical negligence and medical negligence solicitors. They have been criticised for benefitting from mistakes made by others, especially so-called ‘ambulance chasers’, a term used to describe unethical lawyers who encourage victims to sue for damages caused. This type of thing has been blamed for much of the ‘blame culture’ and ‘suing culture’ that some claim has taken over society in recent years – with people always looking for someone to blame and looking to sue for anything they can.
The Reality
The reality is that you cannot sue for anything. For a successful legal case there must be genuine blame and genuine malpractice; we are not talking about innocent mistakes being made. Those who can be held legally responsible for medical malpractice are those who have failed to follow rules and regulations or taken unnecessary short cuts that have put others in danger. It is those who have deliberately ignored their responsibilities which has risked lives or the health of others.
Accountability
Where medical negligence has taken place it is important that those responsible are held accountable. Yes mistakes happen – but negligence cannot be accepted. Genuine mistakes are acceptable – everyone makes mistakes, including health professionals. However, there is a difference between this and taking actions that cause a greater than necessary risk of health problems for patience. Negligence is not carrying out the correct duty of care and correct procedures, and that is not acceptable. Therefore, those guilty must be dealt with by the law and prevented from doing the same again.
Compensation for Victims
People who gain compensation in the event of suffering due to negligence are not being rewarded; they are being compensated for something that has negatively impacted their lives. Examples of this include people who have lost loved ones, those who are forced to give up work, those no longer able to walk, and those who have lost their hearing or eyesight. Compensation in some cases is needed so victims can get the healthcare they require or to compensate for a loss of earnings.
There are bad apples in the medical negligence industry including some who encourage others to sue when there aren’t the right circumstances for legal proceedings. However, the majority of medical negligence solicitors are looking to help those in need; to improve the lives of victims and hold responsible those who have caused patient’s problems through negligence. There is an important distinction between genuine mistakes and negligence. Mistakes are acceptable while negligence is not, making it important to have the legal system to correctly deal with these issues when they occur.
Andrew Marshall ©
Medical Negligence Solicitors play an important part in making sure victims get the compensation they deserve in instances of medical malpractice
Related articles
- The History Of Medical Negligence (healthadel.com)
Medical negligence is where those who have been unreasonably impacted due to unacceptable medical errors are awarded compensation. There are many types of medical negligence with some of the most common ones below.
Birth Injury
There are, unfortunately, times when a child suffers due to medical negligence immediately after their birth. This can be due to errors prior to birth or during the birth. For example, a Mother-to-be could be given medication that has a negative impact on her child or the birth could be dealt with incorrectly by those who are supposed to be caring for the Mother and Child. There can even be instances where the immediate after-birth care is not sufficient or is handled incorrectly.
Hospital Negligence
All sorts of mistakes can happen during a hospital visit. This can be related to the condition you are in hospital with or be something else that occurs due to the visit, for example during treatment. Hospital negligence covers a wide array of areas.
Misdiagnosis
There are times when there is a misdiagnosis due to negligence. This may be diagnosing the wrong condition, or even failing to diagnose anything at all. This can lead to the incorrect treatment meaning further problems can occur. Being treated for something you don’t have can have negative consequences and, obviously, so can not being treated for something you do have.
Unrequired Surgery
There have been occasions when someone has been operated on unnecessarily, either when a more simple form of treatment could have been carried out instead, or when no treatment at all was required.
Incorrect Medication
Patient’s being given the wrong medication is a fairly common problem. As well as not acting as an effective treatment it can cause other problems too. Many medicines have side effects and giving patient’s these side effects without actually helping them to improve their health is obviously not a pleasant experience.
Anaesthesia Error
Administering the wrong strength of anaesthetic can have dire consequences. An anaesthetic that is too strong has the potential to cause serious medical problems and in some cases can be fatal. If a weaker the necessary dose is administered then it won’t do the job sufficiently and the patient won’t be anaesthetised. During an operation, for example, this can lead to great pain and intense physical suffering.
Medical Products and Devices
A patient may have a negligence case if a device used by medical practitioners to treat them is faulty or doesn’t do the job it is intended to do. This is not usually the fault of the doctor or nurse (unless being misused or not maintained properly) but the fault of the manufacturer. In these cases it is the manufacturer who is responsible and may have to pay out after a negligence claim.
Dental Negligence
Dental health is part of the medical industry and negligence by dentists can mean a potential medical negligence case. This can include misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment being given, any infections contracted during treatment, and a host of other things.
Andrew Marshall ©
The overwhelming majority of healthcare professionals aim to do the best job they can, for our health, all of the time and for the most part are successful in their work. However, it is unavoidable that occasionally human error will arise and mistakes will be made, particularly when staff are subjected to substantial pressures due to factors such as targets and time restraints. When mistakes occur this is defined as medical negligence and if a patient suffers either injury or loss as a result of the negligence they may be entitled to compensation.
Medical negligence cases can arise from errors made by any healthcare professional, including doctors, nurses, surgeons and dentists, whether they work within the National Health Service or the private sector.
By definition each case is different with its own unique set of circumstances however there are a few common areas in which things can go wrong. Issues can arise from a delay in diagnosing a serious ailment, particularly an ailment such as cancer where the most effective treatments occur if the disease is caught in its earliest stages. Failure to diagnose a condition when there is sufficient evidence to do so can not only allow a condition to worsen unnecessarily but also mean that the required treatment, if and when the condition is finally diagnosed, may carry greater risk and consequently is more likely to lead to injury.
For example, there is the potential with cardiac issues for the misinterpretation of symptoms as initially minor and benign. This may lead to more serious injuries occurring when the underlying cardiac issue progresses, but in addition, the misdiagnosis can result in the need for a patient to undergo more severe surgery and treatment during the later stages of the disease, risking more profound complications.
Moreover, incorrect diagnoses can result in a patient not only missing out on the required treatment for their condition but also receiving treatment intended for an unrelated condition, which may in fact cause further harm.
These missing, incorrect or delayed diagnoses can be defined as medical negligence when the healthcare professional failed to carry out the appropriate investigations or correctly interpret the results of those investigations and therefore missed the correct diagnosis when the evidence was reasonably within their reach. In turn, these errors may be caused by a lack of training or a failure to follow correct procedures.
Medical negligence can still be witnessed, however, when a correct and timely diagnosis is achieved, if the subsequent treatment is not carried out appropriately. Treatment may be missed due to a failure to act on a diagnosis or a delay in referral to the appropriate clinicians. Errors can be made during the treatment itself if the risks are not recognised and managed appropriately or if healthcare professionals don’t posses the adequate training or expertise to successfully perform the treatment.
Negligence by healthcare professionals can occur of course in any scenario within the healthcare system, however, there are some circumstances which carry with them a particular set of risks.
Accident and Emergency departments are often hectic and demanding environments to work in. They are subjected to a high turnover of patients, tight timescales, tough targets and a variety of unknown variables that healthcare professional have to manage, such as the faculties of the incoming patients. As a result there is a risk, if procedures are not followed or corners cut, that correct diagnoses can be missed leading to inappropriate handling of patients and even the discharge of seriously ill individuals.
As with A&E, GPs are often the first point of contact for patients and therefore there is the potential for negligence in misdiagnosis and referral, whilst there is also the risk of the mistreatment of apparently minor ailments such as infections which are allowed to worsen unnecessarily.
Childbirth (Obstetrics) also carries a unique set of risks which affect both the mother and child. Inadequate care and management of the birth can result in injuries to the child such as brain damage (including cerebral palsy) from lack of oxygen, or in worst case scenarios stillbirth, but can also harm the mother with the threat of haemorrhaging or damage to reproductive and urinal systems.
In the case of surgery – whether it be medical or cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery or testicular surgery – expertise and risk management are the principle areas of potential negligence with the need for healthcare professionals to reduce the likelihood of infections, complications and side effects. When mistakes occur surgeons, anaesthetists etc, may have either failed to treat the relevant problem sufficiently or caused harm to otherwise healthy parts of the body. Negligence may also be encountered if the post-operative care is not carried out properly.
Whether you have suffered financial loss, physical or mental harm, or in the worse cases when negligence has led to the death of loved one, it is vital that you seek out the best advice you can find to ensure that your Medical Negligence Solicitors get you the compensation you deserve and ensure that the chances of mistakes being made in the future are minimised.
Resource:
© Stuart Mitchell 2011
As the New Year dawns we often turn our thoughts to our finances and sorting out our planning for the years ahead. If you are thinking of putting money away for your children it is worth thinking about which style of account you want and what sort of access you need to the money that is being saved.
You also need to think about tax on the interest when opening an account for your children. Most people believe that children don’t pay tax at all but this isn’t true. Children pay tax at the same rate as adults it is just that the vast majority of children never reach their personal tax threshold of £7,475. There is a caveat to this tax position. A child can only have tax free interest of over £100 on any amount given to them directly for saving by a parent or step parent. This tax doesn’t apply to the junior ISA.
There are four main types of accounts that are tailored for children. These are regular savings accounts, fixed savings accounts, easy access accounts and the Junior ISA. Each type of accounts has both positive and negative aspects. I will now outline each type of account in a little more detail.
The Junior ISA is a new product released to the market in November 2009 and replaced the old child trust fund. The major difference from the old child trust fund and other children savings accounts is the amount of money you can save tax free. The old limit on a child trust fund was £1,200 a year. For a Junior ISA you can invest up to £3,000 a year. The allowance for the new junior ISA is more than double the current total allowed for the child trust fund. Taken at the basic level with no the total investment in the old child trust fund was £21,600 over the 18 years for the Junior ISA it is £54,000. The amount that you can invest each year will be linked to inflation and will increase as inflation increases.
The Junior ISA offers a solid way to invest for your child but the money is locked away until the child reaches the age of 18. This really is a long term invest option and one worth considering if you have the cash to spare over such a long time.
If you do not want your cash locked away for so long you could chose a fixed style savings account. These accounts tend to offer a slightly higher rate of interest than standard saving account but as with the Junior ISA the cash is placed in an account that is locked and the money can only be withdrawn after a set period of time. These fixed term accounts tend to work on 5 year cycles. If you are after a higher interest rate, have a decent lump sum to invest and you don’t need access to the cash then these types of account might suit you.
A regular saving account is tied to a money savings plan. For these types of accounts you pay in on a month basis for a fixed term and can then withdraw the cas
h at the end. If you want to save on a regular basis then these types of savings accounts are fine. The issue is that if you miss and payment of wish to back out of the plan you will lose your interest and have penalties applied for withdrawing the money.
The last type of account that you can have is a standard easy access account. This account allows you to save at your own rate and many can be opened with as little as £1.00. You can add and withdraw money as you wish but the interest rates tend to be really poor for this sort of account.
When deciding on a child savings account you need to think about the amount of money you can save and the ease with which you need access to that cash. If you are aiming for a long term investment then it is worth looking at the junior ISA.
Tony Heywood ©
Today is Cyber Monday, the busiest online shopping day of the year. Are you sure that you are shopping safely? If you own a website is it secure? Below I have rounded up my favourite five security blogs with a little description of each. The blogs cover all aspects of online security from business VPN to iPhone security and most points in between. There is no ranking in order of preference for these blogs, they are just the five that I read the most and use the most.
The Internet Storm Centre
What is there not to love about The Internet Storm centre. From its wonderful name to the tools, news and resources on the site this is a must read for anyone interest in online security issues. It has been online since 2001. It analyses and collects data on a 24 hour basis from millions on internet security problems.
On Cyber Monday it was carrying blog posts about Cyber Monday Spam, VoIP security and recent VMWare security issues. It also has a threat level monitor at the top of the page that shows the current level of online threat. Today it was on Green, the lowest level.
They carry security based podcasts, videos and have links through to a useful suite of free security tools.
Visit the Internet Storm Centre here – http://isc.sans.edu/
Naked Security
The security blog from Sophos won the internet security blog of the year and it’s easy to understand why. It breaks the topics down into really useful sections on topics such as malware, spam, social networks, data loss and even Apple related security issues. They carry podcasts and videos and are very active on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Linkedin. The posts are very well written and not too technical and carry links to videos and other resources that are useful.
Recent blog posts include Spam on Cyber Monday, Blogging and Identity issues and the UK Government Cyber Security plan.
Visit Naked Security here – http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/
F Secure Blog
The Security Blog from F-Secure has been running since 2004 and is regulary updated with the latest news on a wide variety of security issues. It covers computer viruses, phising, spyware and spam attacks. Each of the writers has their own Twitter account so you can be kept updated about breaking issues.
Once again the articles are well written, useful and explain in just the right amount of detail the latest security threats to your online journey.
Visits F-Secure here – http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/
RSA Blog
RSA are the security arm of EMC Corp and the blog is focussed on a wide range of online security related issues. The blog posts are written by a wide range of technical experts and cover a huge range of topics. Blog topics include cloud security, cybercrime, data loss and mobile security.
The blog writers are active on a wide range of social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Reddit and Google Plus. You can sign up for the latest podcasts and security updates via email and this is something I would strongly suggest that you do.
The podcast are of great quality and are very informative. On Cyber Monday there were blog post on Safe online shopping, online safety for kids, underground forums on credit card fraud and government policy on cybercrime.
Visit the RSA Blog here – http://blogs.rsa.com/
McKeay Net
McKeay Net is slightly different to the other blogs I have listed here as it is the work of one man. This is not a corporate blog but the musings of Martin about the wide variety of security issues online. I like Martin’s informal writing style, very personal but always highly readable. You can sign up for the Podcasts, which I suggest that you do. The podcasts are well produced and just the right length for listening to in one sitting.
On the day I visited the blog was carrying new posts PCI Risks, Google Wifi mapping, the latest and the latest Podcast (number 259!!). Other categories include blogging, cloud, firewalls and humour (which is good to see).
You can also follow the blog on Twitter.
Visit Mckeay.net here – http://www.mckeay.net/
If you are interested in online safety and internet security then it really is worth visit these blogs regularly, listening to the podcasts and following these blogs on Twitter.
Tony Heywood 2011©
Family Mediation is a process that couples can enter into when attempting to solve disputes about a separation or divorce. It stands outside of the court proceedings and is the main difference is that mediation is carried out by one mediator who works for both parties. This impartiality means that the parties work toward as resolution that is agreed by both of them and not imposed on them by the other party.
What Does Family Mediation Cover?
Family mediation is used to solve family problems that normally centre around matters to do with children, property and finances. There is no limit to what can be discussed in family mediation it is down to the parties involved. So if there are issues over who gets the dog or the book collection then this can all be discussed. Although separating couples tend to be the focus of family mediation you can also use the process to deal with disputes between parents and children, elderly and ill relatives, and access of extended families to children and issues that might arise about living arrangements and homelessness post separation. There are no boundaries in terms of areas covered the mediator will discuss with both parties what issues they wish to resolve and these will then be discussed and placed into the process if both parties agree.
Is Family Mediation Legal Binding?
The simple answer is no. The conclusions drawn at the end of family mediation are not legal binding, they are simply an agreement that both parties believe is the best way forward. They can be used a basis of a legal agreement but this would involve get a solicitor to turn them into a binding court order and then to have the order agreed by a judge. The aim of family mediation is to avoid going to court to solve problems and those involved hope that both parties adhere to the agreement without the need for legal redress.
Are Family Mediators Solicitors?
Family mediators are trained to be mediators and not lawyers. They will have an in depth knowledge of the law regarding divorce, separation and children but are not there to provide legal advice. As the mediator is impartial they can clarify points of law but not advise you on what to accept and reject. It is important that you seek legal before during and after the mediation service to make sure that you are fully aware of decisions you are taking.
Is Family Mediation Confidential?
Anything discussed in family mediation with a few exceptions is confidential. Only if a child was thought to be a risk or criminal activity was discussed is the confidentially agreement void. If mediation fails and the case ends up in court details of the discussions in the family mediation process cannot be used unless both parties agree to it. This doesn’t apply to financial information which can be passed on to solicitors and used in the court.
How long does family mediation last?
The length of time involved in the process varies depending on the nature of the problems and how complex they are to resolve. Each session is between one hour and one and a half hours. The whole process is normally concluded between one and six meetings with the family mediator.
What happens at the end of the process?
If the parties reach an agreement over the issues involved then a written summary is produced outlining the basis of the solutions. As already mentioned this document is not legally binding by a framework by which to move forward.
Family mediation aims to remove the cost, stress and confrontation from a separation or divorce. It uses a mediator to improve communication between the parties and reduce conflict. If runs in conjunction with good legal advice and should be considered if you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a divorce.
Tony Heywood ©
For more information on Family Law.
What is an ISA?
An ISA stands for Individual Savings Account, and is a way of individuals being able to save without pay tax on interest that is gained. People can save up to £7,200 a year before they pay tax on interest. ISA’s were introduced by the government in 1999 to encourage saving and investment.
Types of ISA’s
There are two types of ISA; Cash ISA’s and Stocks and Shares ISA’s.
A Cash ISA is simply an account where savers can save their money without paying tax on any incurred interest. In many ways it is just like a normal savings account, with the account holder able to take money out whenever they choose. The benefit is that it allows easy access to the account and is often at a fixed rate, so customers know the interest they will receive before they open the account. It is only possible to save a maximum of £5,340 a year though; any more people want to save must be done so though a Stocks and Shares ISA.
Depending on the particular ISA, Stocks and Shares ISA’s can work in a variety of ways. The most common is it being invested through an Investment Trust, known as an ISA Trust. Here an investment company pools together ISA investments from a number of their customers and spreads around the investment for maximum potential returns. Stocks and Shares ISA’s are usually the better option for savers who don’t want to use their savings for several years. It isn’t possible to withdraw whenever the account holder pleases, with the terms depending on the provider. The main reason this suits long term investors is that stocks can rise significantly, although there is also the risk of it falling. In most cases, though, stock will rise long term. As well as not having to pay tax on interest, capital gains tax does not have to be paid either.
Savings Payments
With a Cash ISA, account holders can make savings whenever suits them. They may want to pay a set amount monthly, they may make a yearly payment, or they might want to make payments occasionally depending on when they have some spare cash available. With Stocks and Shares ISA’s the terms can vary greatly. Some have specific payment schedules that must be adhered by while others offer more choice.
Increased Limits for those Born Before 6th April 1960
Those born before 6th April 1960 can save an extra £3,000 a year tax free in an ISA, so up to £10,200. A maximum of 50% of this can be saved in a Cash ISA, with the remaining half having to be paid into a Stocks and Shares ISA. If savers choose, though, they can put the whole amount into a Stocks and Shares ISA.
ISA’s are a great way of savings. They make it possible for individuals to save a certain amount without paying tax on the interest or any gains. If saved in regular savings accounts people would have to pay 20%, 40% or 50% tax on any gains depending on their income. ISA’s give added incentive for people to save.
Andrew Marshall (c)
Why chose shutters? Well shutters add a real touch of class to any room in which you decide to hang them. Interior shutters come in a variety of styles and they all add something to a room. The different styles of interior shutters include plantation shutters, louvered shutters, wooden, vinyl or MDF shutters. The glorious thing about shutters is their ability they give you to control the flow of light into a room. They are much more versatile than curtains as shutter can provide light and privacy at the same time.
When you are choosing shutters there are some basics that you need to consider.
(1) – You should match the colour of your shutters to that of you windows and not the room they are going to be placed in. Rooms will be decorated a number of times but you will save time and money if you chose a neutral colour for your shutters. Most window frames and sills will be white or off white in colour. It is sensible then to pick shutters in this colour to avoid the difficult and time consuming process of repainting them.
(2) – If you are adding shutters to more than one room than you should chose the same design throughout the house. This is will add a real classy design feature to your home. It will look great from both the inside and outside of the property and will even add some value to your home.
(3) – Measure well. You need to ensure that you measure correctly before purchasing shutters. All your windows may look the same size but they should all be measured individually. Old houses will have shifted slightly over time and the result of this is different size windows. It is vital that you measure the whole window recess and not just the window frame. You need to take measurements of the width, the height and the depth of the window. Remember that interior shutters are installed inside the window recess. With sash windows, you need to measure the exact width and height of the architrave. Failure to measure correctly can result in a nightmare as your shutters don’t fit snugly into the space.
(4) – Chose the right style for your home and lifestyle. The different styles offer different ways to use light and offset the general feeling of a space. Full height shutters cover the whole window space and are great for Velux windows. This style offers flexibility as the panels are split into sections, with separate tilt rods, providing the highest levels of privacy and light control. Cafe style shutters cover the bottom half of the windows allowing light to flow through the top half, the top half can also have blinds fitted to give an effective touch of French style. Tier on Tier shutters offer two sets on shutters for maximum control over both privacy and light.
With some careful planning, measurement and thought shutters can really add to a room. They provide style and functionality in one beautiful object. Shutters are worth the time, money and investment they are a home improvement with staying power.
Tony Heywood (C)
The Blackpool Illuminations are the one of the highlight of the late autumn early winter in the north west of England. The annual festival of light takes place between early September for 66 nights in the seaside town of Blackpool on the Irish sea coast. Blackpool is a magnet for UK holiday makers and the population of the town increases in the months the lights are switched on.
It takes a massive twenty two weeks each year to install over a million lights, lampshades, wiring and rigs that produce the wonderful display. It then takes another nine weeks to take down the lights and store them away once the Illuminations have finished.
The origins of the Blackpool Illuminations reach back into the late 19th Century when the local council invested in the first electric street lights in England and maybe even the world. The “artificial sunshine” lights were first used on Blackpool promenade in September 1879. The eight arc lights emitted light that equalled 48,000 candles and the switching on of the lights was adverstised across the UK. The lights caused a national sensastion with somewhere between 60,000 to 100,000 vistors to the town to witness the new technology.
A royal visit that of Princess Louise in May 1912 is viewed as the birth of the modern day Illuminations. The Princess was visiting to open a new part of the seafront promenade and the local council strung up a garland of lamps to provide an extra touch of glamour to the opening. In comparsion to the modern displays the first Illuminations where fairly small. Only 10,000 lights were used in the show. The lights were a huge success and the Blackpool local chamber of commerce and a leading business people in the town lobbied the town council to run the lights again in September.
The lights were a huge success drawing visitors to the town from all over the UK. The Princess Parade as the lights were know a the time were deemed so successful that the council looked to stage the event in September every year. The lights in 1913 were another massive draw but sadly the outbreak of World War I,in 1914, meant that the lights were not put up again until 1925.
Once the Blackpool Illumnations returned the size and scale of the displays grew and grew. The lights were now much large and more complex in design and decoration. The length of the display also grew from the small scale display that had informed the first Princess Parade back in 1912. In that first display post the First World War the Illuminations ran the length of the seafront from Manchester Square to Cocker Square and in 1932 the first moving displays were added. The popularity of the yearly light show was increasing all the time but was again curtailed in 1939 by the outbreak of the Second World War. Although the lights were very briefly in place in 1939 they were soon replaced by a huge searchlight on top of Blackpool Tower.
The difficult economic climate after the end of the war meant that the lights didn’t return in all their bright eyed glory until 1949.
Louis Oliver (C)
For more information about lamp shades, lighting and bespoke lighting products visit lighting works based in Dorset UK.
