I WAS a bus passenger and was thrown from my seat when the driver swerved.

He said a child had nearly run off the pavement into his path and he had no choice.

Thankfully there was no-one knocked down, but I banged my head on the seat across the aisle when I was swung off my own seat.

I have tried to make a claim but the bus company's insurance says it was not his fault.

BUS drivers have a duty to drive with due care and attention for all affected by their driving including you, and it is reasonably foreseeable that sharp braking or swerving will cause passengers to lose balance if there are no seat belts. It would be up to you to prove negligence by the driver. I assume you didn't get the names and addresses of passengers as witnesses, so you will have difficulty establishing liability.

MY mother bought her council house, the title being in both her name and mine, with the survivor inheriting when one of us dies.

If nature takes its course it would be my mum, but you never know. If she had to be taken into care could we be forced to sell the house? Would it matter if I currently stayed in the property or not?

IT does make a difference if you reside in the house as your main residence. The house cannot be taken into calculation for assessing your mother if you are over 60 or under 16, or incapacitated or disabled.

At worst only half of the value (or possibly less if you have agreed that your share will be greater for a greater contribution to the purchase) will be taken into assessment, and you cannot be legally forced to sell the house - but if your mum is refused benefit because of her capital, home fees have to be met from some resources of hers.

MY will is eight years old and some of the beneficiaries have moved house, one of the nominated executors has now died. Do I need to go through the expense of changing my will each time something happens?

NOT if the will is drawn up properly. A will should anticipate several scenarios, and give alternatives if any beneficiaries have died, so that their share does not then fall into intestacy.

And don't worry about addresses. As long as they were right at the time, and the person is identified, it does not matter that they have now moved.

MY employer is making noises about sacking me due to long-term absence. I have been ill for nearly a year. But this is not my fault, surely the work cannot sack me for this?

EMPLOYERS have a right to expect workers to come to work, and if that is not practical, to dismiss - eventually. The employer must not act impulsively, and must make enquiry as to whether the employee will recover in reasonable time, if there is any alternative work they can do, and that proper medical evidence is available to help a fair decision being reached.