Eye Injury claim – Case study: Welder awarded £14,500

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Oakwood Solicitors has successfully claimed £14,500 for a client who sustained a permanent eye injury while at work.

The Claimant, aged 20 at the time, was instructed to cut a piece of metal with a grinder. On the day of the incident, the Claimant was wearing safety goggles but unfortunately they were not suitable and did not offer enough protection. The insufficient protection resulted in damage to claimant’s eyes.

Eye Injury claim

The Claimant first sought medical treatment from his employer, who removed segments of metal from his right eye. Due to the nature of the Claimant’s job, he believed that the eye irritation in his left eye was due to a welder’s flash, being a temporary form of burn sustained when being exposed to UV light.

However, when the Claimant awoke two days later and was unable to see, he sought hospital treatment, where it was discovered that metal had penetrated his left eye in addition.

Medical professionals removed further metal segments from the Claimant’s eyes and he was provided with eye drops but as his symptoms did not improve he returned to the hospital where he was discovered that metal still remained in his eye and this was then removed on a third occasion.

Oakwood Solicitors were instructed by the Claimant in respect of a personal injury claim due to a lack of adequate safety equipment and a failure to assess the risks by his employers, as it was understood that after the incident the Claimant was provided with a protective visor.

The claim was submitted to the Defendants but as no response was received an application to the Court was made which was then vacated following a liability admission. The Defendant’s insurers did however allege that an assault some years prior had contributed to the Claimant’s injury and ongoing symptoms.

A medical report was then obtained from an ophthalmologist which confirmed that the Claimant had sustained corneal scars to both eyes, with the right eye being free from symptoms but damage to the left eye had caused the Claimant to experience glare on bright days or when underneath lights at work.

It was also understood that the Claimant’s ability to judge distances had been reduced by 9% in the left eye and an astigmatic spectacle error was noted. All symptoms were described as permanent but would not deteriorate any further and it was noted that the Claimant’s previous assault had no bearing on his injury or symptoms.

Following this, negotiations subsequently commenced and Oakwood Solicitors successfully obtained £14,500 for the Claimant, an increase of £4500 on the Defendant’s insurer’s initial offer.

Conclusion

The above case demonstrates how a legal representative can ensure that you receive the best outcome in your claim for compensation, addressing any points of dispute and maximising the amount you can claim, which can be difficult to know if you do not seek representation.

Eye Injury claim – Case study: Welder awarded £14,500

Oakwood Solicitors has successfully claimed £14,500 for a client who sustained a permanent eye injury while at work.

Conclusion

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