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News Desk | News Story
28th October 2010
Yorkshire Water compensates injured employee after ignoring safety concerns
Injured at Work
Yorkshire Water Ltd has agreed to compensate a former employee for causing him injuries that forced him out of his job of nearly 30 years.The former employee, aged 60, sustained serious neck, back and shoulder injuries in December 2007 when his work vehicle hit a series of potholes that he and his workmates had repeatedly asked management to fix.
At the time of the accident he was driving his work vehicle along the heavily potholed track leading to the Bolsover Sewage Treatment Works.
Injury caused by pothole
When he hit one particularly deep pothole his entire body jolted and he realised his back had been injured. Over the next few days the pain spread through his neck and shoulders.
He attempted to carry on with his job after the accident, but the pain became unmanageable and was a key reason behind his decision to take voluntary redundancy.
Following the accident he sought advice from his union, the GMB, which instructed personal injury specialists Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim.
Employer agreed to pay compensation
Thompsons argued Yorkshire Water Ltd should have repaired the potholes as they were responsible for the maintenance of the road and it was a health and safety hazard. Thompsons also noted that employees had previously raised the issue with the company. Yorkshire Water admitted liability and agreed to a compensation settlement.
The GMB member says the accident should never have happened.
“My colleagues and I had complained to our manager about the state of the track months before the accident. We asked him to either fill in the holes or get some contractors to do it. We even offered to do it ourselves, but nothing ever happened.”
Employers owe a duty of care to their employees
Jeremy Hague from Thompsons Solicitors says the case shows how important it is for employers to take their duties to their employees seriously.
“Employers owe a duty of care to their employees both in the workplace and on company-managed access routes. The employer should have fixed the track at the time concerns were raised, it’s not good enough to wait around until someone gets injured.”
Tim Roache, GMB Yorkshire Regional Secretary, says the GMB is proud to support members in their fight for fair compensation.
“Yorkshire Water was warned repeatedly by its employees that the track was a health and safety risk but the company did nothing. This kind of negligence is inexcusable and it’s only fair our member has been compensated.”
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.
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)
