£6,549 awarded to waitress with back injury | Case Study

A 22 year-old woman received compensation of £6,549 for injuries sustained while working in catering. The claimant sustained a back injury in a fall after slipping on wet steps at her workplace.

Injury details

The claimant was working as a waitress in a restaurant. During the course of her shift she slipped on a set of wet steps while returning to the kitchen area. The steps had standing water on them. She fell and jarred her lower back.

The claimant felt immediate pain in her back. She went home after work and self-medicated with ibuprofen. The claimant was unable to work as a result of the pain as she could not stand for long periods or lift heavy items.

Household tasks became difficult for the claimant, she was away from work for a few weeks after the accident and required help with her home life for two to three months.

The claimant's back injuries required treatment. A course of osteopathy was taken. Her back recovered gradually. Eighteen months after the accident the injuries resolved completely.

Allegation

It was alleged the defendant was negligent insofar as they failed to provide a safe place of work.

The claimant maintained the defendant breached their duty under the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare Regulations 1992) and under the management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992.

The accident led to injuries to her back. With treatment the injuries resolved 18 months after the accident.

Conclusion and settlement

Liability was admitted and the matter did not progress to a Court hearing.

Compensation of £6,549 was accepted by way of an out of Court settlement.

£5,000 of the damages was attributed to "pain, suffering and loss of amenity."

The remaining compensation consisted of miscellaneous expenses and interest.

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.