You are in: Home Page | News Desk | News Story

12th August 2008

Indesit forced to pay £12,000 compensation to injured factory worker in Wales

Accident at Work

Indesit, the leading kitchen appliance manufacturer, has been forced to pay £12,000 compensation to a factory worker injured at the firm’s factory in Denbighshire, North Wales. The damages were secured with the support of his trade union Unite and their personal injury specialists Thompsons Solicitors.

Richard Williams, from Gwynedd, North Wales, worked as an operator at the Indesit factory in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire. He had been employed there for around 34 years.

On the day of his accident, Richard Williams was attempting to manually pull down a metal panel to secure it in place on a washing machine but the panel didn’t move because it hadn’t been positioned correctly. As a result he badly injured his left shoulder and his thumb.

Injured Worker took voluntary redundancy after accident

Mr Williams, aged 60, explains: “I still suffer from pain in my shoulder and my thumb, even from simple tasks like carrying a mug, opening jars or bottles, fastening buttons and driving the car for more than 45 minutes. I’m angry because I’ve had to sell my motorbike – a hobby I loved - because it was too painful to operate the clutch. All said and done, I’m relieved that I was a member of a trade union; without their support I wouldn’t have secured a penny from Indesit.”

Andy Richards, Wales Regional Secretary said: “Indesit is a leading UK employer and should be fully aware of its responsibilities with regard to the manual handling and work equipment regulations. Clearly Mr Williams’ injuries could have been avoided if the panel had been fitted correctly.”

Representing Mr Williams, Ken Jones from Thompsons Solicitors in Liverpool comments: “After the accident, Richard Williams took voluntary redundancy. We hope that this settlement will help to secure his retirement.”

How to start a Compensation Claim

If you or anyone you know has suffered a personal injury at work after lifting a heavy object, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.

There are strict time limits in place to make any 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 manual handling compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a manual handling 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 compensation claim forms.