Call back for new
personal injury claims only
Leave your details to request a call back.
You are in: Home Page |
News Desk | News Story
17th September 2009
Injured fitter forced to retire early
Accident at Work
A fitter who was forced to give up his job following an accident at work has received a substantial sum in compensation.Stanley Gibbons, 66, from Dagenham in Essex, was left with a damaged left shoulder after being forced to carry out heavy manual work despite warning his employers that he suffered from a frozen shoulder, a condition which leaves the shoulder painful and stiff.
After the warnings Mr Gibbons damaged his shoulder during two separate incidents in May and June 2005 when he was involved in working with heavy machinery in his job for European Metal Recycling Ltd (EMRL) in Dagenham.
Since the second accident Mr Gibbons has been forced to retire on medical grounds and has undergone several courses of intensive physiotherapy. He can no longer play golf or do anything that needs the use of both his arms.
Decided to make claim for compensation
Following the accident he contacted his union, Unite, which instructed Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim for compensation.
Thompsons successfully argued that Mr Gibbons should have been placed on light duties after suffering from a frozen shoulder in 2004.
EMRL admitted liability and settled the claim out of court.
Mr Gibbons said: “I had hoped to work right up to retirement age but this accident meant I had to give up the job three years earlier than planned. I had told my employer about my frozen shoulder but I was never given the option of working on light duties. My workload remained the same as it always had been but my shoulder wasn’t up to it.
“I decided to pursue compensation because I had missed out on three years of income and pension.”
Injury could have been prevented
Unite regional secretary Steve Hart said: “Employers need to make sure that where heavy lifting work is involved that their employees are physically fit enough to cope with the demands of the job. Mr Gibbon's frozen shoulder meant he wasn't up to the job and when he told his employer about his injury he should have been given a role that was less demanding but, in fact he was ignored.”
Andrew Hutson from Thompsons Solicitors added: “Mr Gibbons has been forced to give up his job much earlier than he had planned. And even his retirement has been marred by the fact that he can no longer enjoy his hobbies because of the pain in his shoulder. This could have been avoided had some sense prevailed.”
Compensation Claim Advice
If you or anyone you know has suffered personal injuries 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.
Contact us about your accident or injury
Call us for free on 08000 224 224 Call us from your mobile on 0330 123 123 0 (charged at local number and free when covered by inclusive minutes) Request a call back Text CLAIM to 82010 (standard network rates apply)
