Our expert workplace accident lawyers have agreed an out-of-court settlement for an 82-year-old grandmother who was severely injured in an accident at work.
Jean Ashley, from Sheffield’s Norfolk Park area, had worked part-time at a B&Q DIY store for twelve years before the accident took place. “I started working at B&Q in 2002 on the checkouts to keep busy and active and I loved it,” Jean said.
Towards the end of her checkout shift on Sunday 14th September 2014, Jean was asked to clear boxes from an aisle. As she was flattening the boxes, another employee asked her to swap jobs and go back to the tills. Jean was on her way back when something hit her right foot and knocked her to the ground.
She had been hit by a WAVE machine – a vehicle like a forklift truck that’s used to move goods around the store.
“I heard a crack and I think I lost consciousness because I can’t remember what happened next, but when I woke up I was lying on the ground with my back on the floor, “Jean said. “All I remember was I needed to be sick and I was taken by ambulance to the Northern General Hospital.”
Jean was told that she had suffered an acute brain injury. She regularly felt dizzy and needed a frame to walk. She saw a physiotherapist to help with her balance and an occupational therapist to help with her brain injury.
Jean stayed with a relative for a while after she was discharged from the hospital in October 2014. She eventually managed to move back home but continued to need regular visits from family members to help with everyday chores.
She said: "The accident has completely taken my independence really as alongside working I used to love baking and gardening but I sometimes struggle now to do simple chores. I still suffer pain at the top of my head and my senses are not as strong as before.”
Jean didn’t want to fully retire yet but her brain injury means she isn’t able to return to work at all. She asked our specialised serious injury solicitors to recover a settlement from B&Q and help her regain some of her independence. B&Q Plc admitted liability for Jean’s injuries and agreed to pay out an undisclosed sum.
A number of our other teams were also able to help Jean during her case, including Court of Protection; Wills, Trust and Probate; Asset Management; and employment lawyers.
Rachel Cox is a solicitor that worked on Jean’s case. She said:
“Jean’s case highlights the impact that work accidents and brain injuries in particular can have on people who were previously fiercely independent. She now needs help to do things she would previously be able to do on her own and finds this incredibly frustrating.
“We hope that all employers will take note of this case and ensure that their workers are properly protected from risks in the workplace to reduce the risk of similar incidents in future.”
If you have suffered a head injury at work, our workplace accident solicitors may be able to help you make a head injury at work claim. Call us free today on 0370 1500 100 for more information.
Back to Client Stories
