Jane Cooper
Ms J’s accident at work happened when she was employed as an operational support guard (OSG) at the prison. On the day in question, Ms J was on duty at the front gate. She was asked by a prison officer to search a concrete mixing lorry that was waiting to leave the prison. This was not one of Ms J’s duties. However, she had no choice but to do it as no other OSGs were available and she was required to comply with the direct request of the prison officer.
No training or instruction had been provided to Ms J in relation to vehicle searches, apart from shadowing other OSG. She wasn’t provided with any equipment to enable her to access the cab, which was above her head height. She was wearing standard-issue safety shoes and a hi-vis jacket. No hard hat was provided.
Our client recalls there being perhaps two steps up to the cab at considerable height from the ground. She conducted the search, but when attempting to exit, she slipped and fell, landing heavily on her back. She hit her head on the concrete/tarmac surface of the yard below.
Ms J lost consciousness after the fall, so only has a patchy recollection of the accident. An ambulance was called but due to the long waiting time, she was taken directly to hospital by a colleague . She remained there for three nights, undergoing a CT scan as a result of a bleed on the brain.
As a result of the accident at work, Ms J suffered a lower back injury, sensory symptoms in the left thigh, left arm weakness, speech difficulties and cognitive difficulties. She also developed symptoms including nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, headaches, memory impairment and confusion.
Jane makes a claim against HM Prison and Probation Service
Jane made a claim against HM Prison and Probation Service. It maintained a pragmatic approach to the claim and admitted liability. She was able to negotiate a high five-figure settlement for Ms J.
Experience of dealing with traumatic brain injuries and Jane’s ability to interpret and understand complex medical evidence helped her to explain issues to Ms J, who was delighted with the outcome. Her personal approach meant that Jane could take the time to explain each step of the case to the Ms J, who suffered from poor memory and cognitive issues as a result of the accident.
If you have had an accident at work and want to know if you can make a claim against your employer, contact our personal injury experts now. We will invite you for a free interview in which we can assess your case and if we can take it on, we will offer you a no-win, no-fee arrangement. You can also read more about comepensation for accidents at work on our website.
Author: Jane Cooper
