Accidents at work

Accident at work victim

A successful conclusion has been achieved for a client involved in an accident at work when working in a warehouse. An electric pump truck, driven by a colleague, collided with his own truck causing it to be shunted into our client crushing his foot between the racking and his pump truck. Our client was wearing safety footwear at the time of the accident but due to the angle of the impact the side of his foot was not protected. He suffered severe soft tissue injuries to his foot. We successfully argued that the employer had failed to take adequate care for his safety whilst at work. Compensation was claimed for the injury, loss of earnings and other expenses.

Mr O was awarded £6,000 in compensation.

Hidden danger in hotel workplace

This accident at work happened on the 10th August 2010 at a hotel.

Our client worked as a leisure club supervisor for a hotel and was taking towels to the linen room. In order to do so she needed to go through the main doors however, the main doors had not been working for a couple of months so our client had been told by her supervisor to use the side entrance. The side entrance led to a room which had no windows and was very dark as the lights were switched off. Our client had to walk across the room to get to the light switch and in doing so, tripped over a trolley which was partly blocking the walkway and sustained an injury to her arm.

Our clients employer has now admitted liability for the accident and we are currently negotiating the compensation figure.

Delivery driver injured due to accident at work

This accident at work occurred on 2nd June 2010.

Our client was employed by an employment agency and subcontracted to the work for another company as a delivery driver. He was making a delivery at a pub and was unloading the lorry. There was nobody from the pub there to operate the forklift truck so a colleague, also employed by the employment agency and subcontracted to the drinks supplier, took it upon himself to operate the forklift truck. He had started to lift the load, however, it started to slip and our client and another employee had to support the load to stop it tipping. The driver of the forklift truck then drove the lorry backwards and in doing so, trapped our client’s foot under the wheel of the forklift truck as a result of which he sustained damaged tendons to the left ankle.The claim was pursued against both the employment agency and the delivery company and after blaming each other for the responsibility of their employees.

The delivery company have now admitted liability for this accident.

Accident at work burns from hot water

This is an accident at work which occurred on 13th November 2009.

Our client was employed as an administrator and had gone to make a cup of tea in the kitchen. She pulled down the nozzle on the hot water boiler to release the hot water and upon returning the nozzle to the ‘off’ position, the hot water continued to come out which caught the client by surprise splashing her on her hand with the boiling water. Caught unaware she tipped her cup backwards and spilt the water, burning her stomach and leg, resulting in permanent scarring.

The claim was pursued against her employer who have admitted liability for the accident.

Lifting injury due to inadequate training

The accident happened on 26 January 2009.

Our client was working as an escort to disabled children on a bus. She injured her back lifting a child, out of their seat and off the bus. She had not been given any training on lifting or manual handling.

We organised for our client to undergo an independent medical assessment. The medical evidence showed she had significant degenerative problems with her back. The injuries she sustained exacerbated her medical symptoms but the medical expert expected the increased pain to last 3 months. As a result her compensation would be more than someone who had no pre-existing back complaint, as she was already in some pain before the accident.

She recovered compensation of £1,500, after the company she worked for admitted they were at fault.

Facial injury claim

This is an accident at work which occurred on 15th April 2010.

Our client was at work when she had to move a wire panel as it was blocking a door and a delivery had to be made. A piece of metal was sticking out from the panel and cut her face.

Liability was initially denied by the Defendant and Court proceedings were commenced but the claim was settled before trial. Our client received just under £5,000 compensation.

Crushed hand accident

This is an accident at work which occurred on 4th June 2009.

Our client was at work packing boxes into a trailer. He had been told to get as many boxes in the trailer as possible and that he should turn the boxes on their side in order to do this. As he turned one of the boxes on its side the box collapsed and crushed his hand.

He sustained a soft tissue injury to his hand.

Liability was initially denied by the defendant and court proceedings were commenced but the claim was settled before trial.

We recovered £3,000 compensation for our client.

Trip hazard at work

This is an accident which happened on 1st February 2010.

Our client was working in an opticians. The edge of the carpet in the store was sticking up and she tripped and fell, breaking her wrist.

After initially denying liability, the defendant admitted liability and we recovered £3,000 by way of compensation for our client.

Company fined after injury claim

This is an accident which happened on 1st May 2009.

Our client was working as a tree surgeon. He was using a hand winch to get a tree stump out of the ground. The wince was defective and he sustained an injury to his back which exacerbated an existing injury.

Liability was admitted and our client received £7,000 compensation.

Spinal trauma injury claim

This is an accident which happened on 10 June 2010.

Our client was at work and was lifting a pin from the centre bar of a trailer when suddenly and without warning, it sprung out very quickly hitting him in the chest, knocking him backwards. He required three days off work.

Our client sustained an injury to the thoracic spine and full recovery from his injuries was anticipated within 10 months from the date of the accident.

He recovered the sum of £2450 by way of compensation.

Road maintenance workers risk accident in the workplace

This is an accident which happened on 23rd April 2011.

This case involved a man who was working as a motorway maintenance worker. He was working on the motorways removing signs and cones.

On the day of the accident he was travelling in a truck and was standing in the back of the truck with a colleague reaching out to pick up the sign frames and cones and place them in the back of the truck.

As the truck was proceeding along the motorway there was an incident ahead and the driver of the truck slammed on his brakes suddenly which caused our client to be thrown to the floor of the truck and 15 or more sign frames, which were extremely heavy, fell on top of him, causing injury to his shoulder.

Our client reported the accident to work and it was recorded in the accident book.

Our client was in considerable pain in his shoulder due to the accident and attended hospital the following day where his shoulder was x-rayed. He was diagnosed with muscle strain to his shoulder.

We agreed to act for him in a claim for compensation for personal injury and other losses on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. This meant there would be no cost to him even if he was unsuccessful in the claim.

It also meant he would retain 100% of the compensation awarded to him if he was successful.

We sent a Letter of Claim to our client’s employer alleging they had breached their duty in providing our client with a safe place / equipment and safe system of work. We also alleged that they were vicariously liable for the actions of our client’s fellow employee.

We had our client medically examined by a Medical Expert and a Medical Report was sent to the Defendant’s insurers together with details of our client’s financial losses which included items such as travel expenses, telephone calls to his solicitors and the purchase of painkillers.

Mr R – recovered from his shoulder injury within 3 months and he was awarded compensation for his injury and other losses in the sum of £2,500.

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