What’s my claim worth have recently settled a claim where a shop worker fell from a stool and injured his head and neck.
Our client was employed by a major retail chain as a shop assistant.
At regular intervals our client and his colleagues had to change large posters hung in the window of the shop which advertised the latest promotions.
The top of the posters was over seven feet high and it was not possible for our client to put the posters up without standing on something.
Employers have to provide suitable equipment, such as step ladders or a suitable footstool, to allow their employees to carry out this sort of task safely.
In this case, as no proper equipment had been provided, our client and his colleagues had adopted a practice of using a stool from the staffroom which was intended for the staff to sit on when eating their lunch.
This stool was inadequate in that it was not very safe and it wobbled.
The store management were aware that the staff used the staffroom stool to put up posters and they had ignored requests for a proper footstool or step ladder to be provided.
When our client’s accident occurred he was reaching to put up a poster when the stool wobbled, he overbalanced and fell hitting his head on the ground.
Our client suffered soft tissue neck injuries and headaches for a short period.
Liability was ultimately admitted for our client’s accident although the Defendant did allege that our client should be considered partly liable.
The employer’s argument that our client should be held partly liable for the accident were very weak and we were able to successfully persuade their insurers that our client was not at all at fault for his accident.
We were able to negotiate a settlement in the sum of £2,300
