£13k awarded to woman injured in hotel accident

The claimant sustained injury in a hotel accident as a result of a sink collapsing. The claimant sustained a number of significant cuts/lacerations as a result of coming into contact the sharp edges of the broken sink.

See also:

Holiday illness and injury claims

Circumstances

At the time of the accident the claimant was 36 years old. She badly lacerated her left buttock, forearm and left arm. She was left with permanent scarring.

She had heavy blood loss and was taken immediately to Hospital for treatment. Some of the wounds were more significant than others. Some simply required cleaning and dressings were applied.

The more significant lacerations were deep and required suturing in layers. The claimant was unfit to work as an Administrator for one month. The claimant had to rely on family and friends to provide care and assistance in the first 2 to 3 weeks following the accident.

Injuries and Progression

The claimant was left with significant scarring. She had a "Y" shaped scar which measured 19cm on her upper arm. The scar went all the way to her elbow. This was very noticeable. In parts the scar was 5mm wide. Part of the scar had begun to fade but other parts of it were still pink in colour. The claimant was very self conscious of the scar and tended to wear long sleeved clothing to hide the scar.

Further scars to the claimant's buttock and forearm were also unsightly. The scarring to the claimant's buttock had begun to fade and was expected to continue to do so. Initially the claimant had a tingling and burning sensation in the areas of the scars. With time this began to settle down.

Settlement

The claimant's and defendants solicitors entered into negotiations to try reach an amicable settlement for the claimant. Negotiations broke down. The claimant therefore commenced county court proceedings.

The matter reached Trial 3 years after the claimant's accident had taken place. The Judge considered all the evidence and submissions made by the parties Barristers, namely that the scars were permanent. The injuries could not be improved upon by plastic surgery.

The Judge also considered the JC Guidelines and previously reported cases with similar injuries.

The Judge awarded £13,000 for the claimant's pain suffering and loss of amenity.

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Disclaimer

Case studies are for informational purposes only and aim to help prospective claimants understand the injury claim process. They are based on cases handled by Quittance panel solicitors or sourced from public court records.