£14,000 compensation to man for warehouse accident

Compensation of £14,500 was awarded in 2001 to a 20 year-old man who suffered severe injuries to his right-hand following an accident in a warehouse involving machinery in the workplace.

See also:

Warehouse injury claims

Forklift injury claims

Manchester Personal Injury Solicitors

Injury Details

The claimant, aged 17 at the time of the injury, was employed by the defendant company as a forklift truck driver.

He had been operating the truck in a company warehouse when a part of it fell on top of his hand and caused serious crush injuries.

He required immediate medical attention and was transported to a hospital where he underwent a lengthy procedure to repair bone fractures, tendon and joint injuries.

Medical experts deemed the use of two of his fingers to have been severely impaired and considered there to be a possibility of the complete loss of function in the claimant's hand.

He was forced to undergo a second procedure to correct the positioning of his little finger, which left prevalent and unsightly scarring.

It was also thought to be possible that the claimant would have to undergo a third operation in future years given the degenerative nature of his condition.

Prior to the accident he had been a keen sportsman but was unable to continue to play racket sports as a result of his injuries. He struggled to clasp his hand into a fist and this restricted his ability to carry out day-to-day tasks both at home and at work.

Award

At the time at which the injury was sustained, the claimant was studying for a qualification in computer maintenance and therefore worked part-time for the defendant.

Whilst he was able to continue to perform well in his studies, his ability to type had been severely hampered.

Th case was heard at Manchester County Court. The judge considered that as he was at such an early stage in his career, he was at a high risk of losing his job and there were many jobs that his injury would prevent him from obtaining.

General damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity totalling £14,500 were awarded to the claimant.

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.