£1m for Claimant Blinded at Work

Dawn Humphries, partner in the personal injury department recovered £1m for a claimant who was seriously injured in an accident at work. The claimant, at the time of the accident, was installing lifts in a new building.

The lift cage was in place, but there were no doors fitted onto the lift. A switch was operated which caused the lift to move up the shaft at speed and crush the claimants face between the lift cage and one of the floors of the building, causing him to fall 20 feet down the lift shaft.

The claimant suffered severe facial injuries including anterior fractured mandible, left zygomatic arch fracture, left zygomatic root fracture, right zygomatic fracture, left and right malar fractures, avulsed comminuted fracture of the maxilla, shattered nasal bones, facial lacerations, avulsed left eye, ruptured right globe of eye, bleeding from both ear canals and fractures of both scapulae. The claimant was left totally blind with significant hearing loss and residual shoulder disability.

The claimant required major reconstructive surgery and extensive rehabilitation. The Serious Injury Claim settlement made provision for the fact the claimant suffered complete loss of earnings capacity and required care with his everyday life. He required aids, equipment, housing modifications, specialised transport and further extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. The claimant was 24 at the date of the accident