Mr L was a trainee forgeman at a metal forging company. He had worked there for about a year at the time of the accident. He was part of a crew of six men who made steel rings.
The accident happened towards the end of his shift when a machine weighing about 40 tonnes was driven over his foot. Mr L was in a designated walking area and there were no audible warnings that the machine was there.
In immediate agonising pain, Mr L screamed and was attended to by colleagues and first aiders who called an ambulance that took him to A & E.
Mr L remained in hospital for three days. X-rays showed multiple fractures on his toes and foot. He was first fitted with a plaster cast, then a walker boot after four weeks. He had to use crutches for over a year.
CT scans showed that the fractures had healed after around nine months, but Mr L was still in pain and discomfort. A year after the accident, Mr L could still only walk about 30 minutes using a walker.
Unfortunately, around two years after the accident, Mr L had to have a toe amputated and has been left with permanent scarring. He will now have to wear orthotic support for the rest of his life.
His recovery has meant years of pain killers, physiotherapy and rehabilitation treatment, but he still cannot live as he used to. He cannot drive a manual car any longer and has not been able to retake up hobbies such as football and the gym. He has been left with permanent pain and altered sensation, including an area of hypersensitivity over the top of his foot.
The accident has left him unable to take up the job he previously had at the forge, but he has been able to move into an administration role, which he took up about 14 months after the accident. He will not be able to wear safety shoes so cannot return to work in a similar environment to the one he worked in at the time of the accident. But for the accident, Mr L hoped to have a long and successful career in the pre-accident environment, but he has had to rethink and retrain for a career in desk jobs.
Mr L contacted Graysons to find out if he could claim compensation for his accident and Jane took on his case.
Jane contacted the employer who admitted liability but did not agree the medical evidence that Jane had secured, so she issued court proceedings. The claim proceeded through the court, but the employer decided to settle just before the scheduled trial and Jane was able to negotiate a very substantial six-figure sum of money for Mr L, representing his life-changing injuries and his disadvantage in finding work in the future.
Mr L said:
“I can’t recommend Graysons enough. Throughout my whole injury claim it has been hassle-free. A special thank you to Jane Cooper, who guided me through the claim. I couldn’t have done any of this or have got the treatment I needed without her help. She worked incredibly hard from start to finish and made me feel at ease during a really difficult time.”
If you have had an accident at work and wish to find out whether you might be entitled to compensation, contact our experience team now. We will offer you an interview, free of charge, and if we can take on your case, we will offer you a no win – no fee service.
You can find out all about compensation for accidents at work on our web pages.
Author: Jane Cooper, partner and head of Graysons’ personal injury team.