School worker secures settlement with support from Sintons

A school cook was left with permanent injuries sustained in an incident whilst serving food.

The incident happened when she was using a new dinner trolley, which, unbeknown to the catering team, was too wide to fit through the door hatch from the kitchen into the dinner hall.

Working under significant time pressures and against staff shortages, the team were required to lift the trolley over the countertop to ensure the children could have their lunch.

While doing so, one of the dinner staff knocked the hatch door, causing her to briefly drop her side of the trolley resulting in her having to take the full weight of the trolley.

The woman sustained an injury to her left hand and arm rapidly developed pins and needles, numbness and pain from elbow to wrist, exacerbating existing underlying Carpel Tunnel Syndrome symptoms to significantly impact on all aspects of her life and work.

She has since undergone surgery, and has been left with permanent symptoms and restrictions which have forced her to leave her job.

The woman turned to serious injury specialists at law firm Sintons for support, after the council which ran the school denied liability for the incident.

David Knipe, a personal injury specialist with over 20 years’ experience, supported the woman through her long-running claim, which was denied throughout the process until settling shortly before trial.

“The advice I was given from Mr Knipe and Sintons was brilliant from start to finish,” said the claimant.

“My case was drawn out over a few years but Mr Knipe kept me updated regularly with emails and telephone calls, everything was explained to me so that I could understand what was going on through every step.

“I felt comfortable discussing all aspects of my case and was never made to feel stupid if I did have questions.

“I would highly recommend Sintons and especially Mr Knipe, thank you again for all the support and, of course, for winning my case.”

Associate David Knipe said: “While trying to ensure the children could receive their lunch despite being supplied with unsuitable work equipment, our client was left with a serious injury which has sadly meant she had to leave the job she loved. This was a very avoidable incident and one which has lasting consequences for our client.

“We were very pleased to step in and support her in her claim, persisting despite lengthy denials from the defendant and securing a settlement which we hope will help her in moving on with her life.

“At Sintons, we have a well-deserved reputation for fighting hard on behalf of our clients to secure the very best outcome for them and their families, during what are often very difficult and distressing times, and it gives us great pleasure to know that our intervention has brought justice to our client in this case. We wish her the very best for the future.”