In a recent news story, a £500,000 payout was awarded to a nurse who has been left disabled for life after a chair collapsed under him at work, after West London Mental Health NHS Trust admitted liability for the accident.
The Nurse was working, when he sat down on a ‘defective’ hydraulic chair, which collapsed beneath him and suddenly dropped to the lowest setting.
He sustained a minor injury to the base of his spine. However, after a period of time, he developed chronic pain syndrome, and as a result, he can no longer work or walk more than 20 metres without the aid of a wheeled walking frame.
Lawyers for the NHS accused the nurse of exaggerating his condition and was ‘malingering.’ The trial had a window of five days. However, on the second day the NHS agreed to pay £500,000 to the Nurse to settle the claim, cutting the trial short.
What responsibility do employers have?
Each employer should have a designated health and safety person in the workplace. This person will be responsible for meeting the health and safety requirements set by the law and for the safety of all the members of staff. If an employer is the owner of a small business they should take on the role of health and safety executive themselves as all employers have a duty of care towards their employees to keep them safe.
If, however, your employer ignores the faulty and defective equipment in the workplace and you are injured as a result, you may be entitled to compensation. Oakwood Solicitors in Leeds will be able to offer you advice about your case.
All employers, as stated by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, have a duty of care towards all their members of staff to keep them safe. This involves providing them with machinery that is in good working order, providing them an environment that is free from hazards and is safe to work in, and to provide them with all the necessary personal protective equipment needed to do their job without risk to their health.
If an employer neglects this duty and an employee sustains an injury as a result, then they are liable for any injuries that an employee sustains.
No matter how minor or serious your injury is if it is the fault of a third party we can help you pursue compensation. If you have had to have time off work or you have incurred any other additional costs relating to your injury, we can help you get reimbursed for these by the third-party responsible for your accident.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
For any legal queries about Employer Liability or an accident in the workplace, get in touch today for a free initial consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
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