News Desk September to December 2010

Company's failure to heed GP advice results in successful claim

The failure to act on the advice of a doctor has cost a Wigton company £9,500 in damages to a former employee.

Compensation received after repetitive work causes injury

A Deparment for Work and Pensions employee has received £7,850 compensation for a shoulder injury and hernia which she received due to her employer’s negligence.

MG Rover - Powertrain Group Litigation

Following a 7 year legal battle, 79 claimants who brought claims for compensation following the largest known outbreak of occupational lung disease have settled their claims in an out of court settlement.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Settles Negligence Claim For Delayed Diagnosis

A hospital’s delay in diagnosing lung cancer that led to the death of a Leeds woman has finally resulted in an out of court settlement with her husband

Compensation for nursery officer crushed by falling metal door

A children’s nursery officer, Beverley Hampshire, who was crushed under a falling metal door has been awarded a substantial sum in compensation by Sheffield City Council’s First Start Children’s Centre.

Thompsons' solicitor elected to UKABIF Executive Committee

Congratulations to Paul Brown on his election to the position of Secretary on the Executive Committee of the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF).

UNISON Wins £210,000 compensation for head injury sufferer

A Doncaster man has received £210,000 in compensation, with help from UNISON, after he was left with blurred vision, severe anxiety and personality changes from being hit in the head with an iron bar.

North East Woman receives substantial damages following office injury

A 49-year-old woman from Trimdon Grange in County Durham has received substantial damages from her former employer after she wrenched her shoulder whilst lifting heavy boxes at work

Tragic death in machine after health and safety failures

The daughter of a printworker who was crushed to death at work has welcomed the findings of an inquest that there were a catalogue of breaches of health and safety procedures

Equality Act 2010: the public sector equality duty consultation

Response from Thompsons Solicitor

UPS driver wins claim for unfair dismissal

Despite 33 years of driving experience and good conduct, an employee of UPS Ltd was dismissed in January 2010 after having three minor accidents within 12 months.

Rolls Royce employee compensated for dermatitis

Rolls Royce has agreed to pay £5,500 compensation to an employee who developed painful dermatitis after he was exposed to a corrosive coolant at work.

Dangers of riding bikes without wearing a helmet

Andrew McDonald, Specialist Serious Injuries Solicitor at Thompsons Solicitors, has been involved in a local school project to help educate students as to the dangers of riding bikes without wearing a helmet

Construction company found guilty of blacklisting prominent trade unionist

A major construction contractor has been found guilty by an employment tribunal of blacklisting a prominent trade unionist

Launch of new Headway branch

Thompsons would like to extend their congratulations to the new local Headway for Preston and Chorley after their successful launch on 15th October 2010.

Unite to take asbestos victims’ fight to Supreme Court

Unite the Union has today confirmed it will go to the Supreme Court to challenge a Court of Appeal ruling that threatens to deprive thousands of asbestos cancer victims and their families of their rightful compensation

Yorkshire Water compensates injured employee after ignoring safety concerns

Yorkshire Water Ltd has agreed to compensate a former employee for causing him injuries that forced him out of his job of nearly 30 years.

CE Electric UK compensates employee for hand arm vibration syndrome

Electricity network operator CE Electric UK has agreed to pay an employee £8750 compensation after he developed hand arm vibration syndrome as a result of his work.

Grieving parents call for answers after Police admit fault for daughter’s death

The grieving parents of a young woman who was killed by a speeding police van only hours after she announced her engagement have welcomed Cleveland Police’s admission of liability, but say the police now need to come clean about the failures that led to her death

Unite member wins sexual discrimination case

An experienced process operator has received £200,000 in compensation after she was sexually discriminated against by her employer.

Sheet metal worker compensated for vibration white finger

A Sheffield sheet metal worker who developed vibration white finger as a result of his employer’s negligence has received £7000 compensation.

Asbestos victims face compensation uncertainty

A Court of Appeal decision today leaves dying people and their families unsure whether they will be entitled to compensation after insurance companies were partly successful in a test case about who picks up the bill in claims for the fatal asbestos illness, mesothelioma

Compensation for Deafened Sheet Metal Worker

Eight years of hammering out and spot welding insulation blankets for aeroplane jet engines, without ear protection, has left sheet metal worker, Mr S, 40, needing hearing aids.

Whistleblower compensated for being forced to ignore flawed university finances

UNISON helped a whistleblower win compensation from the University of Gloucestershire after she was sidelined for exposing suspected financial mismanagement

RMT says Network Rail must be held to account for employee’s death

The RMT union says it will look to the Office of Rail Regulation to prosecute Network Rail after the Chelmsford Coroner’s Court today ruled the horrific death of RMT member Malcolm Slater in June 2008 was ‘accidental’.

Cancer victim calls on former workmates to come forward over asbestos exposure at Inland Revenue

A former civil servant is considering taking legal action against Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs, formerly Inland Revenue, after she developed the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma.

Beer delivery man wins compensation for crushed finger

A beer delivery man from South Shields has received £3500 compensation from his employer after his finger was crushed and left deformed in an easily preventable work accident

Leicester City Council compensates asbestos victim’s widow

Leicester City Council has agreed to pay substantial compensation to the widow of a former employee who died as a result of his exposure to asbestos while working for the Council.

Faulty Ladder Injures School Caretaker

A school caretaker has received £30,000 compensation after damaging his knee when he fell from a ladder at work.

UNITE Wins Protective Award payments for Redundant Workers

Sacked Unite members in Nortel Networks UK Limited (In Administration) in Monkstown and J& G Engineering (NI) Limited (In Liquidation) in Belfast were recently awarded the maximum 90 days award in two separate cases brought by the union represented by Thompsons McClure.

Pleural Plaques Compensation Scheme

A support group for victims of asbestos and their families in the North East is urging people not to become victims of law firms trying to take a cut of their compensation.

Prison officer charged by inmate wins compensation

A prison officer at HM Prison Dorchester who was injured after being charged by an inmate has received £47,500 compensation from the Ministry of Justice.

‘He was my life’, says Widow whose Husband died from Asbestos Cancer

A Bedford widow, who described her husband as her soul mate, received £300,000 compensation after he died, aged 67, in May 2009 from mesothelioma – an incurable cancer caused by asbestos.

Woman injured in car crash receives £4200 compensation

A Deeside woman has received £4200 compensation after she was injured in a car accident while driving home from mother’s house during the new year break.

Factory worker compensated £3000 for repetitive strain injury

A factory worker who developed a repetitive strain injury after his employer failed to put proper risk assessment and work rotation in place has been awarded £3000 compensation for his injuries.

Widow of asbestos victim receives six figure compensation

The widow of a Swindon man, Mr J, who died, aged only 65, from the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma has received six figure compensation from his former employer.

Crash victim receives over £6,000 settlement thanks to husband’s FBU membership

A woman who was injured when a careless driver smashed into her car has received a settlement worth £6,353 thanks to her husband’s membership of the Fire Brigades Union

Multiple arm injuries to Printer results in compensation

A member of the Unite union has received £90,000 compensation after he broke his forearm in two places and fractured his elbow when his arm was caught in a printing press