£270,000 settlement for factory worker following serious injury at work
Claire Glasgow has secured a £270,000 settlement for a man who fell through an opening in the floor at work and permanently injured his shoulder.
Paul Rothery was a specialist production operative at the London site of an international metals firm and was delighted to have the type of job that "came around once in a blue moon". He loved the variety and pace of his work and at 54-years-old, was hopeful he would stay with the firm until he retired.
One day Paul was cleaning out the booth of a crushing machine, which was used to loosen up large amounts of waste material before it was shovelled into a furnace. The machine was situated in a pit, accessed from a mezzanine floor by a ladder. When Paul climbed up the ladder to exit the pit, he tripped over the hose of an industrial hoover and fell headfirst through a section of mezzanine floor which had been lifted open.
Paul was taken to North Middlesex Hospital and treated for injuries to his head, shoulder, and leg. After being discharged, he continued to have severe pain in his right shoulder and struggled with everyday tasks due to reduced mobility in the arm. Paul paid to be treated privately on several occasions due to long NHS waits.
Despite several surgeries and ongoing physiotherapy, Paul continued to have pain and limited movement in his shoulder and arm, which had a negative impact on his mood. He was told by a consultant that he would never return to his former job, as his shoulder would not recover sufficient strength.
The pain and weakness still impacts Paul, now 57, every day. He cannot lift heavy objects or reach up to put items on a shelf and he is cautious on the bus or in a crowd at a football game in case someone bumps into his shoulder. When his granddaughter asks him to sit and play with her on the floor, he struggles to put weight on his arms and shoulders to get back up.
Paul has had to consider taking an office job in Wales, where he now lives to be closer to his family, which will be lower paid and which won't utilise his considerable production skills from a lifetime in the industry.
Claire secured an admission of liability from Paul's employer and following a period of negotiations, a settlement was reached. The £270,000 settlement figure took into account Paul's reduction in earnings and the financial security he lost following the accident and will help to pay for the ongoing medical treatment he needs.
Paul said to Claire: "I would just like to say how grateful I am to you and your team for all the hard work which you have done over the course of the claim. I'm happy with the settlement... I would recommend you and Fieldfisher to anyone needing a dedicated trustworthy solicitor to represent them."
Contact us
For further information about work accident compensation claims and personal injury claims, please call Claire Glasgow on 0330 460 6747 or email claire.glasgow@fieldfisher.com.
Alternatively
- You can speak to our personal injury lawyers on freephone 0800 358 3848
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