Advising with empathy and experience

£70,000 award for head and facial injuries.

 
A man who suffered serious head and shoulder injuries when he was trapped by a metal beam during the construction of a feed store at a farm in the North of England has been awarded £70,000.00 in compensation after a negotiated settlement of his claim.
 
The Claimant underwent emergency surgery to treat the serious wounds that he had sustained. He then required subsequent surgery to treat the shoulder injury.
 
Although the treatment resulted in a reasonable cosmetic result the Claimant was left with significant ongoing problems including head and facial pain; difficulty sleeping; visual disturbances and hypersensitivity.
 
The Claimant’s injuries were so serious and his ongoing problems so significant that he was never in a position to return to his pre-accident work. He has since reached state retirement age.
 
Liability was initially denied on behalf of the farmers who owned and managed the site. Court proceedings were commenced on behalf of the Claimant and medical evidence was obtained from a Trauma Consultant; a Consultant Ophthalmologist and a Consultant in Maxillofacial Surgery. Consideration was given to obtaining a report from a Consultant Neurosurgeon.
 
Notwithstanding the denial of liability the Defendant’s solicitors expressed a willingness to enter into settlement negotiations.  The claim was concluded by agreement in late 2013. The Claimant accepted the sum of £70,000.00 in settlement of his claim for damages.
 
Speaking of the settlement Kim Daniells said “This was not a straightforward claim. There were directly conflicting accounts of how the accident occurred. There was also some confusion as to the nature of the Claimant’s employment status. Nevertheless the Claimant was adamant throughout that he was injured through no fault of his own. We were pleased to be able to conclude this matter without a final Court Hearing and are delighted to have been able to provide the Claimant with some degree of financial stability as he entered retirement”.