Beer delivery man wins compensation in public liability case
A South Shields beer delivery man was awarded £3500 compensation from his employer after his finger was crushed in an accident.
The 42-year-old was injured attempting to deliver kegs of beer to a Newcastle pub, but his delivery wagon was overloaded with stock, rendering it dangerous.
In his struggle to remove the kegs, the man was thrown off balance, as a result of which, one of the 50-kilogram kegs landed on his finger. As a result of the injury, he found himself having to take eight weeks off work on reduced pay. The general discomfort has also forced him to restrict his active outdoor lifestyle.
He comments: “Prior to the accident I used to do a lot of shooting and fishing, but I just don’t have the same grip after the accident. The loss of grip and discomfort means I can’t cast a line or feel confident using a gun.”
In court, it was found that his employer had failed in its duty to ensure that the wagon was properly loaded. The company also failed to give staff time in the morning to perform safety checks on their wagons before leaving the depot.
The Legal expert in this case comments: “If Tradeteam had ensured its wagons were loaded with safe levels of stock as well as suitable locator boards then Paul would still have the full use of his finger today.”
Those who have suffered similar accidents in cases that could be considered to fall under public liability claims are advised to seek out legal help for their compensation case.
Updated on 10/28/2010