Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Claim Made Against Waste Company for Fatal Accident
4th April 2011
We recently acted for the family of a man who was tragically killed in an accident at a waste site. Our specialist personal injury lawyers pursued a case against the waste company responsible for the accident on their behalf and recovered compensation.
Lack of Health and Safety Measures
Our client was visiting a local recycling centre to dispose of some garden waste. He was crushed against a wall by the shovel of a large vehicle, which an employee at the centre was operating nearby to clear some waste, and suffered fatal injuries to his chest and spine. This happened because the driver failed to see him and misjudged the position of the shovel.
He left behind a wife and daughter, who were devastated by what happened. His wife felt that the waste company responsible for the site could have prevented the accident if proper care had been taken over health and safety.
Compensation Claim
Following the accident, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the waste company for failing to carry out an appropriate risk assessment and failing to operate the vehicle in a way that would reduce the risk of injury to members of the public. They admitted these failures and were ordered to pay a six-figure fine.
The victim’s family appointed our lawyers, who have extensive experience in serious injury and fatal accident cases, to assist them in making a personal injury claim. We pursued a case against the waste company, as they did not take steps to ensure that vehicles and pedestrians could move safely around the site. There had also been a similar incident previously at another of their sites.
An inquest into the incident found that there were several factors that contributed to the incident, including a lack of signage for members of the public, insufficient staff on site and an absence of formal safety procedures for the use of the digger.
Liability was admitted and we secured a substantial sum of damages for our clients, including an interim payment which we obtained to help them with expenses while the case was in progress. This sum included an amount of bereavement damages, compensation for the loss of income to the victim’s family and an amount to cover the costs of services he would have continued to provide if the accident had not occurred (home improvements, car maintenance, gardening etc.).
No amount of money can ever make up for the loss of a beloved family member, however compensation can help to support those left behind and avoid the additional stress and strain of unexpected financial difficulties.
Accident Claim Advice
If you have suffered a personal injury as the result of an accident in a public place, or you have lost a loved one in an avoidable accident, you may be in a position to pursue a compensation claim.
Contact The Legal Line on 0800 0328511, or by completing a claim enquiry form online, for specialist accident claim advice on a cost-free basis.
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