Personal injury solicitor news
03/02/2009

Back injury compensation for chemist workers

Two workers from on the UK's largest chemists have secured work injury compensation after they both suffered back injuries while performing manual tasks in the workplace.

The two men, both aged over 50, won more than £8,300 work injury compensation between them and had their claims vindicated that they were provided with inadequate working equipment and no risk assessments.

A personal injury solicitor representing the two men successfully proved that neither of the claimants ever received training on the correct method for lifting heavy goods.

One claimant commented, "I have a bad back, shoulder and knee problems as a result of working in poor conditions for a number of years. I had no training whatsoever.

"I was at my wit's end with them and I felt the only option I had was to pursue compensation."

While the other said, "The work was extremely physical. I have never had back problems before but I still suffer from pain now. I found the total lack of any manual handling assistance, safe working procedures and risk assessments extremely frustrating and depressing."

The personal injury solicitor who represented the two men's claim said that the back injury settlement decision should serve as a deterrent to other employers who employ a similarly laissez-faire approach to health and safety training. "Employers have a duty of care to undertake a risk assessment to ensure their employees are safe in the workplace. Where heavy objects must be moved the correct machinery must be provided to reduce the amount of manual handling and the correct training must be given," said the personal injury solicitor.