A warehouse operative, who suffered multiple injuries to his arms after a fall at work, has received an £11,000 payout thanks to the support of Thompsons Solicitors and his trade union, Unite.
The 59-year-old man from East Grinstead, West Sussex, was offloading goods from a lorry in a warehouse in Uckfield for his employer - Westminster Outdoor Living – in June 2021, when a large box fell and struck him.
The impact pushed him off the back of the lorry, causing him to fall five feet onto the concrete floor.
He was taken to Uckfield Community Hospital, before being transferred to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.
The Unite member sustained fractures to his left elbow and left wrist, requiring surgery. The fall forced him off work for three months.
The severity of his injuries made doing household tasks and much-loved activities, such as gardening, incredibly hard.
Following the incident, he turned to his union, Unite, and national law firm Thompsons Solicitors, to make a compensation claim. After detailed negotiations, a settlement was secured for the member.
The man said: “I’m happy with the outcome of my case. It means I can finally move on with my life after what has been a very stressful time.
“It’s taken me around 12 months to fully recover from my injuries. This ordeal was entirely avoidable. Unfortunately, before the incident, my employer did not take health and safety seriously enough – the boxes were meant to be strapped up, but were not.
“I had raised concerns about the boxes but was told that it was nothing to worry about and to carry on as normal. The only positive to come out of this episode is that my employer has finally addressed the issue. It’s just a pity that they didn’t act sooner.
“I’d like to thank my solicitor, Tracy, who was very supportive throughout my case. She kept me well-informed on legal proceedings and was always on hand to answer any questions.”
Tracy Datta, of Thompsons Solicitors, said: “We are pleased to have secured this settlement for our client. However, no amount of money can compensate for the physical distress from this incident.
“He was badly let down by his employer. Employers have a duty of care to their staff and must adhere to health and safety regulations. No worker should be exposed to unsafe working environments that don’t meet health and safety standards.”