A BUS company that failed to grit its car park has paid out £130,000 in compensation after a bus driver slipped on ice.
The Unite Member was a bus driver employed by Go North East, working from their Gateshead Depot.
In the harsh winter of 2010, he slipped on ice in the work’s carpark. Go North East accepted that they failed to keep the car park safe, as they hadn’t gritted it in readiness for their bus drivers arriving at work.
The driver suffered a serious injury to his right elbow when he fell. Over the past 3 years he has undergone two operations and had an experimental prosthesis implanted into his elbow.
He was determined to continue his work as a bus driver as he loved his job. Unfortunately, in May 2013, he had to accept that he just could not continue driving buses any longer.
His claim for compensation was due to come before Newcastle County Court in October 2013, but Go North East have now settled his claim for a payment of £130,000. This will go some way towards compensating him for the injury to his elbow and for his lost earnings.
Ever since the accident, the bus driver has had the support of his Union, Unite. The Union has a large membership of bus drivers who benefit from free legal advice and assistance. He has been looked after by the Union Solicitors Beecham Peacock LLP.
Kirsten Scott of Beecham Peacock said: “the simple failure to put down grit led to this driver suffering an injury which has devastated his life. Fortunately, Go North East accepted responsibility and recognised that having failed in their duty of care to their driver, they needed to compensate him for the consequences.
Karen Reay, Regional Secretary of Unite, said: “I am pleased that Unite were able to provide support to one of our bus drivers in his time of need. Accidents in the workplace like this can have such a long term impact and could have so easily have been avoided, if the employer had put in place safety procedures.”
Contact details:
Kirsten Scott – Beecham Peacock LLP – kascott@beechampeacock.co.uk
Telephone number – 0191 232 4038
