Worker wins compensation claims for unsuitable boots
A Highways employee has received £3,600 in compensation after she sustained personal injury by wearing unsuitable footwear whilst working.
The Birmingham woman developed Achilles tendonitis when her eczema flared up due to the synthetic work boots.
She worked as a traffic officer for the Highways Authority Traffic Information Services and had to take three months off work due to the wounds.
Her job was responding to road traffic incidents. When she was recruited she told her employers that she suffered from eczema and that her footwear would make her condition worse.
She was forced to wear the work-issued boots for almost a year despite a letter from her GP explaining how serious her condition was.
Her employers refused to look into alternative safety requirements that would have prevented her from suffering further injuries.
Her injury lawyers said the Highways Authority Traffic Information Services should have listened to the medical advice she provided and acted upon it promptly. As a result, they were successful in settling the compensation claim out-of- court.
"Our client was placed in a difficult position. She felt compelled to wear safety boots which she knew would ultimately leave her unable to walk," said her injury lawyers.
Updated on 29/04/2010