Accident at Work Case Study: Mr Holland Receives Five-Figure Settlement

After suffering a significant injury at work, which threatened his ability to secure permanent employment, a Winn Solicitors client is getting his life back on track after being awarded £30,000 in damages.

Richard Holland, 51 years old, from Walker, had been employed as a HGV driver by a Newcastle-based firm when the accident occurred in 2011. He was coupling up a cab unit and trailer when the winding handle was met with resistance, bouncing back and striking his hand.

The accident left Richard with severe injuries to his left wrist and permanent damage to his thumb. As a result, his injuries prevented him from taking up work in his trade as a qualified scaffolder.

Richard’s employer denied responsibility for the accident, so he turned to Winn Solicitors for advice.

Alix Walker, a solicitor in the complex claims team at the firm, handled the case and said: “Whilst it was very clear that Mr Holland has indeed suffered a significant injury in undertaking a task at work, cases such as these present some very delicate and often complicated issues. With no admission of liability, consideration must be given to a range of potential factors such as faulty equipment, adequate training provision, operational issues and the working environment.”

“In a situation where an accident has occurred which is not the fault of the claimant, yet the defendant is adamant that they too were not at fault, it can be extremely difficult to achieve a satisfactory resolution. Indeed, due to the complexities of the matter, this particular case has taken a number of years to reach the settlement stage.”

Following extensive physiotherapy, Richard has now regained partial dexterity in his left thumb and he was able to return to work as a HGV driver, with a new employer.

Richard Holland said: “Following my accident, I was naturally concerned about the financial strain that I would be under whilst being out of work. However, the restricted use of my left hand was a huge barrier in my attempts to secure new employment and without the rehabilitation support and medical care that I received I would not be in the position that I am now and able to move forward with my life.

“Winn Solicitors was recommended to me as having the specialist expertise that I needed; I approached them immediately after my accident occurred and due to the nature of my case, the matter took quite a while to reach a conclusion. Throughout this time, the advice and support that I received from Winn Solicitors was second to none and they remained proactive and committed to achieving a positive outcome.”

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