£41,385 for fake rape claim & 1.2m Euros for Madeleine McCann's parents

NCD News: Insurance News in Brief: Fake Rape and the McCanns - 25.09.09

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£41,385 for fake rape claim & 1.2m Euros for Madeleine McCann's parents: >>>> An eight year study conducted by the Imperial College of London has found that deaths in hospitals are 6% more likely to occur on the 1st Wednesday in August than in the previous week. This date happens to coincide with when newly qualified doctors take up their new positions in hospitals. The study which looked at the records of 299,741 patients between 2000 and 2008 found that the figure rose to 8% when cancer and surgery deaths were not taken into account. This leaves medical and emergency problems.

The Department of Health's Director of Medical Education has said that the report should not be viewed in isolation and that other research has failed to show a link between new doctors and patient deaths. It is also pointed out that new doctors are closely monitored - often on a one to one basis.

>>>> The Motor Insurance Bureau have released figures today which show the countrywide spread of uninsured cars. It was found that Greater London was the worst city with 13% uninsured. This figure was closely followed by Merseyside and Greater Manchester. One area of Bradford, Barkerend, has an amazing 50% of cars uninsured. The study found that more than 1.7 million people drove their cars without insurance last year. 232,000 were convicted and 74,000 cars were crushed or sold. They also discovered that a quarter of these offences are committed by 40-70 year old males.

>>>> In further motor insurance news, Lloyds TSB have done a study which shows that more than 100,000 crashes were caused by out of practise drivers last year. They found that drivers who haven't driven in the last 6 months make 4 times as many errors as regular drivers. The total cost to insurance companies was £200m. They recommend that those returning to driving after a break should take some lessons to update their skills.

>>>> With the London Fashion week nearly over, Hiscox Home Insurance have been warning clothes shoppers to make sure their clothes are properly insured. A study by the insurer discovered that people in the UK spend more than £1,000 a year on clothes, while some may spend as much as £3,600. 56% of these shoppers haven't cut back due to the recession and they will buy an average of 3 designer items each year which could cost several hundred pounds each. 69% of us have no idea what the value of our wardrobe is and many will under insure for replacement.

Sainsbury insurance have also warned people to make sure their sports equipment is fully insured, as the cost of replacement is higher than many might think.

>>>> A senior council official has received a £25,000 compensation payout for wrongful dismissal and a £16,385 payment for sexual discrimination following his dismissal for an alleged rape of a colleague. The woman involved had refused to press charges and had not made a statement. However, based on the woman's complaint, the council dismissed the man on the spot with any option of appeal. The council said that he would only refute the allegations and as they believed the woman, any hearing would be pointless. He was therefore dismissed. The judge in his case said that refusal of a disciplinary hearing was unforgivable and he awarded the compensation.

>>>> The parents of Madeleine McCann have returned to Portugal today to meet lawyers and legal advisers and to hold a briefing with journalists. The couple are planning on seeking compensation of 1.2m Euro against former police detective, Goncalo Amaral who has published a book in which he questions the account of their daughters disappearance. They have already managed to get an injunction banning further sales and will increase their claim if it proves that substantial profit has been made from the book. †