A Manchester man has received £940000 in compensation after taking his employer to court following a freak accident at work.  The accident, that initially seemed innocuous, left the employee with every bone in his wrist broken, rendering him unable to go back to work again.  The man in his forties decided to take his employer to court after his contract was terminated just weeks after the incident.  Having built up substantial skills over his working life, the claimant was able to earn a very good income.  After sustaining debilitating injuries following his fall at work, the claimant’s earning capacity has been dramatically reduced, causing significant hardship to both he and his wife.

Consideration was not given to long-term hardship

The claim was brought against the employer’s insurance company, who initially offered the claimant £70000 in 2012.  They then increased their offer to £500 thousand shortly after.  Solicitors acting on behalf of the claimant recognised that the offers seemed substantial on paper, but argued that consideration was not given to the long-term hardship that the claimant and his family would undergo.  The law firm secured expert reports confirming how severe the damage was to the claimant, significantly reducing his ability to work and earn and causing him to require extra care and support.  As a result, the solicitors were able to negotiate the settlement to just over £940,000.

The law firm reported that their client would gladly give up the compensation in return for the use of his right arm and to get his old life back.  They stated: “Nevertheless this substantial amount of damages will enable him to access support on a private basis that would not be available to him on the NHS, and investigate new avenues of rehabilitation to help rebuild his life”.

If you have suffered an injury at work, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.