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7th December 2007

Wiltshire man secures £50,000 Compensation for Leg Injury

Injured at Work

A Wiltshire man received compensation of £50,000 when he was struck on the leg by a coupling hub.

Mr Earney, aged 53, was employed as a mechanical craft worker for Blue Circle Industries plc at their factory premises in Westbury, Wiltshire. He was asked to move a damaged coupling hub from the gearbox on the cement mill. He used a hydraulic jack as instructed by his employer, to get to the correct pressure.

Unfortunately, unknown to Mr Earney, the locking nut securing the hub had been undone too far. As a result, and under pressure from the hydraulic jack, the hub suddenly shot forward at great speed directly towards him. The hub, which weighed in excess of one tonne, struck him with force on his right leg.

Major Injury to Leg

Mr Earney explained: “I suffered a major injury to my right leg. I had a compound fracture which needed prolonged medical treatment. I was not able to work at all for a month and even when I returned to work I was only able to work for a couple of hours a day to start off with, carrying out light duties. In the end, I had to change my job because of my injuries.”

Andy Frampton from leading union, UNITE, said: “This case highlights the duties on employers to provide safe equipment at work and the need to ensure that other work colleagues are properly trained.”

Dan Poet from Thompsons Solicitors who represented Mr Earney said: “Mr Earney suffered from a distressing and serious injury as a result of his employment, as a result of which he is restricted on the job market in the future.”

Compensation Claim Advice

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

There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim, including claims for accidents at work. 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 compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a 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.