Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
£30,000 Compensation for Mechanic’s Eye Injury at Work
30th May 2012
We recently acted on behalf of a mechanic who suffered a serious eye injury in an accident at work. His personal injury claim was successful and he received compensation.
Unsafe Work Equipment
Our client was a vehicle mechanic and he was asked by his employer to take a look at a machine. It had a high-pressure hose, which was attached to an open wheel with no hook or guard to hold it in place. The maintenance and repair of the machine was usually taken care of by another company, so he had no formal training for the task.
There were two buttons, one to turn the machine on and another to start the flow of water into the hose. He pressed the first button and the machine was not functioning, so he was about to turn it off when the hose suddenly flew up into his face. It should not have been able to do this without the second button turned on and it was later discovered that the wiring was faulty.
The hose struck our client’s eye with force, causing significant damage. He had to have a lot of hospital treatment, including surgery, and was unable to return to work for a number of months. During his recovery he required a lot of help from family members.
Unfortunately there was some permanent damage to his vision and he now has to wear sunglasses every day because the injury caused his eye to become sensitive to light.
Workplace Accident Claim
The injured employee approached our specialist personal injury lawyers for help with a compensation claim. We pursued a case against his employer, on the basis that they failed to take sufficient measures to protect his safety. If the machine was in safe condition and the hose was properly held in place, his injury would not have occurred.
Our client’s employer denied responsibility for the accident and refused to offer compensation, so we began Court proceedings. An offer was then made, but it was low in light of the extent of our client’s personal injury, so we advised him to reject it. We were able to negotiate an increased sum before the case went to trial however and he received £30,000 in damages.
Personal Injury Solicitors
If you have been injured in a workplace accident and someone else was to blame, you may be entitled to compensation.
At The Legal Line our solicitors are experts in all areas of personal injury, including industrial accidents, and we can provide you with specialist advice on a cost-free basis. Contact us on 0800 0328511, or complete a claim enquiry form online.
Contact us
Testimonials
"It wasn't realistic for me to work any more and the loss of my income placed an additional strain on us."
Jane Evans
Mother of Rebecca
Personal Injury News
