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News Desk | News Story
19th April 2010
Factory worker receives damages for broken wrist
Slipped and fell at Work
A factory worker who was forced to take almost six months off work after a serious fall has received £20,000 in compensation.
Brent Songhurst, 59, from Bridgend was left with a broken wrist and severe shoulder pain after he slipped on dust created by shot blast while working at medical instruments manufacturer, Biomet UK Ltd in Bridgend.
He was unloading a barrel of acid in the walkway area outside of the blasting room when he lost his footing on debris that had come from the cleaning of blast machinery within the room.
Brent, who works as a laser etcher for the manufacturer, needed surgery to mend his left wrist and was off work for 22 weeks. Fortunately he has now been able to return to his job and is expected to ultimately regain full use of his wrist.
His injury also brought on a painful impingement syndrome in his left shoulder which may need surgery. Medical experts said his fall accelerated the problem by five years. The condition, sometimes known as swimmer’s shoulder, means he suffers from pain and restricted movement.
Thompsons Solicitors made claim for compensation
Following the accident he contacted his union, Unite, which instructed its lawyers, Thompsons Solicitors, to pursue a claim for compensation.
Thompsons argued that Biomet should have implemented basic health and safety procedures to ensure blasting debris didn’t escape from the designated area.
Biomet did not admit liability but settled the claim out of court. They have also changed their working procedures to make sure the area outside the blasting room is kept safe.
Brent said: “I decided to claim compensation because I ended up with 22 weeks off work. I still suffer from pain in my wrist and I have problems with my shoulder five years earlier than I should have done. I know that my accident could easily have been avoided had more care been taken to ensure the floor was kept clean.”
Andy Richards, regional secretary at Unite said: “We are pleased we have been able to support Mr Songhurst in his claim for compensation. Working with Thompsons Solicitors we have been able to highlight an important health and safety issue with Biomet and ensure there are safer working practices for our members.
Eamonn McDonough from Thompsons Solicitors added: “Keeping a workplace safe should be paramount for employers. Good housekeeping is simple and ignoring it carries a real risk of serious injury as Mr Songhurst found to his cost.”
Compensation Claim Advice
If you or anyone you know has suffered an injury at work, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any personal injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
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