£24,000 awarded to farm labourer for tractor accident

A 31 year-old farm labourer received compensation now worth over £24,000 following injury sustained in a tractor accident.

Circumstances

The claimant who was aged 31 at the time of the accident was a farm labourer and sustained injuries during the course of his employment.

The injuries were sustained when the claimant fell from a tractor. The claimant suffered a double fracture to his leg. As a result the claimant had to be hospitalised and underwent surgery to have his leg pinned.

There was a long recovery period. The claimant was not able to use the injured leg for a period of three months which left him immobile and unable to work. Once he was able to put weight on the leg he then had a further 4 months on crutches or a walking stick.

The claimant continued to suffer with pain despite the fact that he was mobile once again. Almost two years after the accident he was again admitted to hospital to have the pin removed. The first operation was unsuccessful and the claimant then had to wait another four months for a second operation which removed the pin but with some difficulty.

Medical report

For the purpose of litigation the claimant was examined by an expert. The examination was three and a half years after the date of the accident. Despite the passage of time the claimant still complained of pain around his knee and leg.

The claimant was unable to return to farm labouring but instead had been forced to take work in a factory which was unsatisfactory from his perspective.

Outcome

The claimant instructed solicitors to bring a claim for personal injury.

The case was dealt with by the Norwich County Court where the claimant was awarded a total equivalent to £17,500 in compensation which is equivalent to £24,00 today.

Included in the total award, the Judge awarded the claimant £5,000 to reflect the fact that his injuries had forced him to give up work in the open air as a farm worker where he had been working all his life until the accident.