Baker compensated after fall
A woman who was employed as a baker has won tens of thousands of pounds in a compensation claim, after she sustained personal injury as a result of a work place accident.
The woman who is a member of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), received the large sum after a visit to the supermarket forced her to give up work.
On the day of the incident the woman had popped into a popular supermarket in Darlington to pick up some groceries. While she in the car park, she tripped and fell on a damaged paving stone, in March 2007.
She sustained personal injuries as a result of the fall, which left her with a broken left elbow and needed surgery to repair it. She needed a second operation a year later to remove a metal plate.
The injury has left the woman, who is in her mid-sixties, unable to fully straighten her arm or carry heavy objects. Additionally a nasty six inch scar has left her feeling no longer able to wear short sleeved tops.
Forced into early retirement
As a result of the accident, the former assistant manager who works for a local bakery, was unable to return to work and was forced to take retirement four years earlier than planned.
She said: "I was only popping to the shops for some bits and bobs and the next thing I knew I was in agony on the ground. It's difficult to believe that this accident has resulted in me having to give up work. I had hoped to continue working until I was 65 but that is just not possible now."
She added: "I decided to claim compensation after I discovered that there had been previous complaints about the state of the paving stones in the car park. I didn't want anyone else to go through what I have."
Following the accident she contacted her union which instructed personal injury lawyers to pursue a claim for compensation.
Pavements should be kept in good condition
The personal injury lawyer argued that the supermarket should have kept it's pavements in a state of good repair. The franchise admitted public liability and settled the claim out-of-court a week before it was set for trial. The woman was awarded with £45,000 in compensation for her personal injuries.
Joe Marino from the BFAWU union, said: "This case shows just how important our free legal services are to members. This member was forced to give up work as a result of an accident which was no fault of her own. The compensation received will make up for the years of earnings she has lost out on."
Jane Gulliford, who is a spokesperson from the personal injury lawyers firm, said that: "Hundreds of people visit this supermarket on a daily basis."
She added: "A lack of basic health and safety and a disregard of previous complaints meant that this member has had to give up work early. It was an accident waiting to happen to any visitor to the store and yet could so easily have been avoided."
Updated on 29/05/2010