March 4th, 2009
A man who injured his heel after slipping on a wet ladder has been awarded £120,000 in compensation.
The unnamed 60-year-old from Gateshead was using a ladder to access his van’s roof rack in February 2007. However, the ladder was slippery and he fell off it, breaking his heel.
He was in a plaster cast for four months after the accident and took legal action against his employer with help from the trade union Unite.
The Newcastle-based company admitted liability for failing to provide safe access to their vehicles in wet weather and agreed to the out-of-court settlement.
A Unite spokesperson said: "If the ladder had been fitted with anti-slip runs then this accident may have been avoidable."
All workers have a right to work in places where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. The primary responsibility for this is down to the employer.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents claims it has the responsibility for reducing the 36 million working days lost to work-related accidents and ill health each year.
Tags: Court Settlement, Employee Compensation, Four Months, Health And Safety, Ill Health, Ladder, Newcastle, Plaster Cast, Prevention, Roof Rack, Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents, Spokesperson, Wet Weather
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February 19th, 2009
A woman is seeking damages of up to £300,000 after her husband was killed in a car crash while working for the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Paul Jennings, 50, was an engineering contractor for the organisation in Germany in June 2006, the Derby Evening Telegraph attests.
He had been on his way to a barracks in Monchengladbach with two other men when the vehicle they were in was hit by a lorry at a junction where the traffic lights were out of order.
Mr Jennings was killed and his colleagues were seriously hurt. However, the MoD did not take fingerprints from the car, did not test seatbelts and failed to take blood samples in the subsequent investigation.
"I don’t believe they took my husband’s death very seriously and I don’t think they carried out the investigation very thoroughly," said Beverley Jennings.
She took legal action against the MoD, which states that it has admitted liability and is now working towards a settlement with Ms Jennings.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, established in 2005, provides compensation for all injuries, ill health and deaths that occur mostly during service.
Tags: Armed Forces, Blood Samples, Car Crash, Colleagues, Compensation Scheme, Damages, Deaths, Derby Evening Telegraph, Fingerprints, Germany, Ill Health, Lorry, Ministry Of Defence, Monchengladbach, Mr Jennings, Paul Jennings, Subsequent Investigation, Traffic Lights, Woman
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September 1st, 2008
A former RAF technician is to claim compensation from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after he sustained an injury during a health education fun day.
Robert Uren was playing a game in which he had to dive into an inflatable pool to collect plastic fruit, but he slipped as he ran up to take part.
He fell into the pool, fracturing three vertebrae, reports the Mirror.
Mr Uren is now confined to a wheelchair and suffers from severe pain in his neck. He may also be unable to get a job in the future after being medically discharged from the armed forces.
"I feel both the MoD and event organisers were to blame for the way in which they encouraged me and others to take part in what proved to be a very dangerous game," said Mr Urens.
He is now claiming £6 million compensation from the MoD and Corporate Leisure (UK), the firm which provided the inflatable games, after arguing that the £201,250 he received from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is insufficient.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, established in 2005, provides compensation for all injuries, ill health and deaths that occur mostly during service.
Tags: 6 Million, Armed Forces, Compensation Scheme, Dangerous Game, Deaths, Event Organisers, Fun Day, Health Education, Ill Health, Inflatable Games, Inflatable Pool, Ministry Of Defence, Plastic Fruit, Playing A Game, Raf Technician, Severe Pain, Uren, Vertebrae, Wheelchair
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July 23rd, 2008
A group of pensioners who fought to get access to sight-saving drugs have won their High Court battle.
The victory by the three OAPs could now pave the way for further legal challenges by those who need restricted medication, reports the BBC.
Warwickshire primary care trust (PCT) has said it will now fund the drug after manufacturer Novartis agreed to commence a "cost-sharing" deal earlier than expected.
Steve Winyard of the Royal National Institute for the Blind: "For other PCTs currently denying sight-saving treatment to patients in their care, our message is clear – change your policy now."
Draft guidance from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) recommends that the drug ranizumab is used as long as it costs no more than £21,000.
Nice is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidelines for promoting good health, in addition to the prevention and treatment of ill health.
Tags: Bbc, Clinical Excellence, Draft Guidance, Ill Health, Independent Organisation, Institute Of Health, Legal Challenges, Medication, National Institute Of Health, Novartis, Oaps, Pct, Pcts, Pensioners, Primary Care Trust, Promoting Good Health, Ranizumab, Warwickshire, Winyard
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July 15th, 2008
More than 11 million people in the UK have been injured in the workplace, new research has revealed.
Stress was responsible for most workplace illnesses, with nearly a quarter (26 per cent) being affected.
Almost one in five (17 per cent) of people who have been injured or become ill while at work had to take between one and six months off to recover.
In 2006 and 2007, 30 million working days were lost to work-related ill health, while six million were lost due to an injury in the workplace.
Colin Bradbury, underwriting director at insurer RSA, said: "These figures show a significant number of injuries and illnesses are being incurred in the workplace … This highlights the importance of risk management in safeguarding employees’ health and ensuring a productive workplace."
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, there are around 350 work-related deaths a year.
Tags: 30 Million, Colin Bradbury, Deaths, Employees Health, Ill Health, Insurer, Lost, People, Prevention, Productive Workplace, Risk Management, Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents, Rsa, Six Months, Stress, Work Health, Workplace Illnesses
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