A hard working Unite Member, who had two jobs, working at Sainsbury’s and a Care Home suffered a serious and life changing accident at work. Tragically, the accident caused such a devastating injury to her neck, that she became Tetraplegic.
Paralysed, from the neck down, our client’s life was changed overnight. She was unable to work or care for her two young children and her family had to become carers for her.
The accident happened when our client was struggling to push a wheelchair into an old fashioned lift. It had no automatic opening/closing mechanism. The door had to be held open with one hand and push the wheelchair into the lift with the other. This caused our client to suffer a severe jerking injury to her neck. It could have been avoided if the Care Home had provided a door stopper or another Member of staff to hold the door open. Nevertheless, the Owners of the Home were not prepared to accept any liability. The Union supported Beecham Peacock Solicitors in bringing Court Proceedings to fight for compensation.
Shortly before the case came to Trial the Defendants agreed a settlement for our client and her family.
Karen Reay, Regional Secretary, commented that “the Union is here to support people when they suffer the most serious and devastating trauma in their lives. Compensation cannot turn the clock back for our Member but will make her life easier”.
