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6th March 2009

Unsuitable work tools leads to surgery

Fall at work injured neck

Richard Nichols, 38, from Peterlee in County Durham had the operation to remove two vertebrae from his neck after the rubber coating on a pair of pincers he was using slid off causing him to fall.

Mr Nichols was on top of a crane when the accident happened and as he fell back onto the platform he cracked the back of his head against a metal barrier crushing the bones in his neck.

Mr Nichols has two young children and has been off work for 18 months. The accident happened as he was fitting a new conveyor belt at a quarry.

It is understood Mr Taylor had pre-existing problems with his neck and the accident brought forward the need for surgery by seven years.

Shoulder also damaged in accident

The two hour operation involved removing a piece of bone from his hip and placing it in his neck. During the accident Mr Nichols also damaged his right shoulder and now suffers from a crushed nerve.

Mr Nichols, who still works for the company but is on long term sick leave said he decided to contact Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim for accident compensation as he wanted to warn people about the dangers of working with unsafe equipment.

He said: “It is hard to believe how much my life has changed. It sounds like a simple accident but the consequence is I can no longer do the things I used to do and I have been off work for 18 months.

“I contacted Thompsons Solicitors as I wanted to highlight the dangers involved with working with unsafe tools.”

Clair Wilson from Thompsons Solicitors, added: “Mr Taylor was provided with unsuitable equipment to undertake his job and as a result is now suffering from the consequences. Employers have a duty of care to ensure they provide staff with safe and suitable equipment and to provide their employees with full training in the tools they use.”

Compensation Claim Advice

If you or anyone you know has suffered an injury at work after falling from a height, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.

There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim including claims relating to falls from a height. 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 personal injury compensation claim forms.