Man injured in workplace accident secures settlement

A man injured at work when a large fridge freezer he was moving on a small trolley fell on him, injuring his ankle, has been supported in securing a settlement by law firm Sintons.

The incident happened when the man, who had not been adequately trained in manual handling or provide with suitable work equipment, was using a small sack truck to move a large American-style fridge freezer in a warehouse – the trolley being far too small to move such a large item.

While attempting to move the fridge freezer, it fell off the trolley onto the his right foot and ankle, leading to a fractured ankle, soft tissue injury to his knee and psychological injuries.

Having undergone medical assessment after the incident, in April 2018, medical experts concluded that he would be left with intermittent but permanent right ankle symptoms, which would be aggravated by movement. There was also a risk of degenerative disease in future.

In addition to his physical symptoms, the psychological impact has been severe, and led to him being diagnoses with a major depressive disorder and a generalised anxiety disorder.

The man turned to serious injury specialists at Sintons for support with making a claim against his employer, who denied liability throughout the process.

With the support of associate David Knipe, who has over 20 years of personal injury experience, a favourable settlement was reached.

“I contacted Sintons after I had my accident at work and they were there to help me pick up the pieces,” said the claimant.

“They listened to my concerns, believed in me and helped me to get the justice and compensation I deserved. They explained everything in great detail and helped through every step of my fight for justice.

“The most important thing for me was that they believed in me, and fully supported me even though I was being told by my employer that I was the one at fault. They helped me through a low point at that time in my life.

“I would personally like to thank David Knipe, with his expertise and understanding, he explained everything so I could easily understand.”

David Knipe added: “This was a needless incident, where our client was moving a large item with unsuitable equipment, and without the necessary manual handling training to do so. He sustained an injury with permanent consequences that he has to live with each day.

“We are very pleased to have been able to support him to an outcome which will enable him to look to the future positively. This was a very distressing incident for our client, amplified by the denial of any responsibility by his employer, but now we hope he will be able to move on with his life. We wish him the very best for the future and it was a pleasure to be able to bring him the justice he so deserved.”