£1,900 for injury due to inadequate protective equipment

A 59 year-old yardman was awarded £1,900 as a result of injuries sustained due to inadequate protective equipment at work.

See also:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) injury claims

Circumstances

The claimant was working for the defendants as a yardman. He was provided with protective gloves as part of his work equipment by the defendants. Whilst carrying out his duties he came into contact with a heavy-duty solvent.

The solvent burned through the gloves.

The claimant suffered contact dermatitis (chemical burns and irritation) to the back of both of his hands. This was mainly between the base of the fingers.

See also:

Chemical burn injury claims

Injuries and Progression

The claimant started experiencing redness to the backs of his hands as well as a burning feeling. This began within half and hour of coming into contact with the solvent. The claimant went to see the works' first aider. It was recommended that he use a special dermatological cream to ease the irritation to his skin.

The claimant's symptoms persisted so he went to his GP surgery. The nurse there recommended he continue to use the dermatological cream. The areas of irritation had now blistered.

The claimant's injuries were at their worst for 3 weeks before they began to improve. During this time the claimant avoided where possible contact with hot water. This was because this caused further irritation and pain.

Liability

Liability for the claimant's injuries was admitted by the defendant. The solicitors for the claimant and defendant entered into negotiations to try agree compensation. Negotiations broke down. The claimant therefore issued court proceedings. The claimant's case was heard by a court 4 years after the injuries were sustained.

Settlement

When the court heard the claimant's case it was simply to assessed how much compensation to award him. This was because the defendant had admitted liability.

Medical evidence confirmed that in total it took 3 months for the claimant's symptoms to completely resolve. During this time the claimant's marital relations were affected. He could not go swimming during this time. Because of the injuries to his hands he had to rely on his wife to cook all meals.

The Judge awarded the claimant £1,900 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.

Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher

Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher