Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Compensation for Employee Injured by Electric Shock at Work
21st February 2007
Our lawyers recently recovered £2,250 compensation on behalf of a man employed by Gateshead Council, who suffered an electric shock in a workplace accident and suffered personal injuries.
Accident at Work
At the time of his accident the claimant, who is a lighting operative, was digging a hole for a new light column. In accordance with procedures he scanned the area with a CAT scanner to locate the cables below the ground’s surface.
After digging far enough to locate a cable that was situated 18 inches below the surface, he avoided it and continued to dig. As the CAT scanner could not distinguish between that cable and any further cables, he did not use it again.
Unfortunately the claimant dug into a 1100 volt power cable and, as a result, suffered singing to his eyebrows and hair and exacerbated a pre-existing problem with his neck and back.
Employer’s Liability
No plans of the area had been provided for the claimant to detail where the electricity cables were located, nor were there any warning tiles or tape in place above the power cable to alert him to the hazard.
Initially the defendants, Gateshead Council and Northern Electric Distribution Limited, denied liability for the incident. Our lawyers took them to court however and won at trial, making a successful compensation claim in respect of the claimant’s personal injury.
Compensation Claim Advice
If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident at work, our specialist personal injury solicitors may be able to assist you in claiming compensation.
Contact The Legal Line for cost free advice and assistance on 0800 0328511 or by completing an online compensation claim enquiry form.
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