£2,000 awarded to part-time worker due to injury

In February 1994 at the Portsmouth County Court a part-time bar worker compensation claim resulting from a road traffic accident was heard.

Circumstances

Two years earlier, the claimant was involved in a road traffic accident when another vehicle rear-ended the car she was traveling in, resulting in a whiplash injury to her neck. For two weeks after the accident, she experienced significant pain and had to wear a collar. Her doctor prescribed painkillers to manage the discomfort.

At the time, she was working part-time in a pub but had to take a week off due to the injury. When she returned to work, standing for extended periods during her shifts caused considerable pain. Gradually, her symptoms improved, and after five months, she only experienced discomfort in the second half of the day or after standing for long periods. She fully recovered after twelve months.

Outcome

The Court awarded the claimant £2,000 in general damages for pain and suffering, which, adjusted for inflation, would be valued at around £3,600 today.

Additionally, she received £1,546 in special damages, including compensation for loss of earnings. The Court accepted that even as a part-time worker, she was entitled to recover lost income. The calculation involved averaging her net weekly earnings from the 13 weeks before the accident and multiplying this by the number of weeks she was unable to work. Any sick pay received was deducted from the final amount.

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.