Accident at Work: Back Injury Compensation Claim
The importance of work colleagues paying attention when operating machinery was highlighted in a recent claim for an accident at work dealt with by GA Solicitors’ experienced personal injury team.
Our client, Mr X, was working in a busy warehouse. He was in the process of dealing with packing customer orders when he was struck hard in the back by a pallet truck. The truck was being operated by a colleague who not paying full attention at the time.
Due to this accident at work, our client suffered an exacerbation of a pre-existing back injury due to the impact of the pallet truck. He suffered from both shock and depression following the accident and was signed off work for more than a month due to the pain. Even after his return to work, he could only work for short periods without making the pain worse.
The client instructed us to pursue his claim for compensation for an accident at work in early 2023. We sent the details of the claim to his employer’s insurer and, after completing their investigation, they admitted liability subject to medical evidence showing the injuries were caused by the accident.
Following this, GA Solicitors’ personal injury team arranged for the client to have an examination with a medical expert, in this case, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. The client was sent a detailed questionnaire by the medical expert and also took part in a physical examination to allow the expert to determine the extent of the injuries, the impact this had on our client’s work and home life and to present thorough and accurate findings.
The medical expert was able to conclude that the injuries incurred by the client were linked to the accident at work and this report was sent to the employer’s insurer as part of the ongoing evidence and negotiations.
A few months after the report was submitted and chased, the employer’s insurer offered to settle the claim.
The team then undertook a detailed review of the offer, the client’s medical records and the entirety of the evidence. It was considered that the initial offer was not sufficient and so negotiations continued. We made a counteroffer to include future treatment as well as an increased sum for our client’s pain and suffering. This provided a much fairer valuation of Mr X’s claim.
This counteroffer GA put forward was accepted. The accident at work compensation claim was settled at £13,000.
This settlement brought the claim to a swift resolution within just 11 months of the initial instructions without the need to issue court proceedings. Some personal injury and accident at work cases can continue for several years so this was considered a successful conclusion for all parties involved.
Due to adopting a collaborative and pragmatic approach in the dealings with the employer’s insurer not only did we achieve a very good settlement for our client; this also meant that claim was settled within months rather than years which will enable our client to continue with their recovery without the added stress of dealing with any court proceedings.
If you are dealing with a personal injury, either through an accident at work or any other type of claim, then GA Solicitors in Plymouth can offer a no obligation to discuss your case. Accredited by APIL and ranked in both Chambers UK and The Legal 500, you can be assured of both the best possible legal advice and also the highest levels of client service.
Do also read some of our other case studies, including assault in the workplace and occupational dermatitis. If you have had an accident at work Plymouth, then GA Solicitors is by your side at every step.
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