HGV DRIVER SUCCEEDS IN RECOVERING PERSONAL INJURY COMPENSATION IN WORK ACCIDENT CLAIM AFTER INJURING HIS BACK DUE TO FAULTY HINGES ON CONTAINER DOORS

December 22nd, 2009 admin

Our client was delivering a large container while working as an HGV driver. When he arrived at the delivery destination he had to open the rear doors of the container, which were very stiff due to the hinges not working properly. He therefore had to apply more force to the doors than would have otherwise been required, and suffered an injury to his lower back. He had a history of lower back problems and the medical expert believed the symptoms had been made worse for a period of 3 months. We were able to recover personal injury compensation for him of £1,700.

A brief summary of events is set out below.

Date of Accident: 30.10.2008

Time between formal instruction and successful conclusion: 6 months

How the claim proceeded: Liability was admitted on behalf of his employer 4½ months after the letter of claim was sent.

Were Court proceedings necessary?: No

Was a trial necessary?: No – a settlement was agreed shortly after medical evidence was received.

Outcome: The client secured £1,650 for his injuries, together with £50 for his modest travel expenses.

Comment: This is a claim which could easily have been avoided by the employer if they had maintained the container properly. All that would have been required was regular oiling of the hinges and the accident would probably never have happened. Once our client was able to prove that the accident was caused by faulty work equipment, his claim was bound to succeed because of the stringent duties imposed by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.

PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM SOLICITORS:-

If you have suffered a similar accident, contact personal injury claims specialists Hinchliffes Solicitors for immediate legal advice, to find out if you are entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation. All cases are conducted on a Free No Win No Fee claims basis, where you keep 100% of the compensation recovered.

Call now on 0800 138 1348 to speak direct to one of our specialist claims solicitors or go to our Start Your Claim Now page to submit details of your accident compensation claim online.