Sheffield Man Receives Compensation After Accident at Work

Crushed Fingers

11/09/2008

A Sheffield man has agreed a six-figure settlement after an accident at work left him with severe injuries.

Mr X suffered the accident at work in September 2005, whilst assisting two colleagues to move a heavy piece of equipment at his employer's premises. The equipment was hanging from a fork of a forklift and Mr X was stood to one side to steady the equipment when one of the forks became detached and fell hitting his left hand.

The accident caused severe crush injuries to his left ring and little fingers and Mr X has had to have a number of surgical procedures, involving grafting to revascularise the fingers, the insertion of wires, application of an external fixator and finally surgical amputation of the little finger. He suffers continuing pain and has suffered anxiety and depression as a result of the accident and his injuries.

He was off work for seven months until April 2006 and then again since October 2006. He had occupational therapy until this summer and he is unable to return to his previous work and is seeking alternative work.

Louise Morgan of Irwin Mitchell's specialist Accident at Work Team who represent Mr X, said: "It is essential that employers carry out regular checks to ensure that work equipment is fit for the tasks that it is to be used for and that appropriate risk assessments are carried out to ensure tasks are carried out as safely as possible.

"In this instance the equipment was clearly not suitable for the work that Mr X was carrying out and it is extremely unfortunate that this accident has been allowed to happen."