Carer Injured at Work by Insufficient Manual Handling Safety

23rd November 2007

Following an accident at work that left her with a shoulder injury, a home carer was recently awarded compensation with help from our specialist personal injury lawyers.

Accident at Work

At the time of her injury the claimant was working at a patient’s home. She and a colleague were using a hoist to move the patient, who was paralysed and very heavy, from his wheelchair into bed.

After they had fitted the straps for the hoist, the claimant’s colleague went out of the room to speak to the patient’s wife. The claimant therefore continued without her for 30 seconds or so, thinking that she would return to help her. When she did not however, the client decided to finish moving the patient herself, as he was becoming distressed.

She moved the hoist along the carpet towards the bed, but upon reaching it the legs of the hoist became caught on some wires hanging from the bed. As a result it stopped suddenly, jarring the claimant’s shoulder.

Compensation Claim

As the client was not properly trained in using the hoist, she was unaware that it should always be moved by two people. The distance between the wheelchair and the bed should also have been reduced to lessen the risk of personal injury.

The claimant appointed our expert lawyers to assist her in making a claim against her employer, whom she held responsible as they did not ensure that a safe manual handling risk assessment was implemented.

Personal Injury Advice

If you or someone close to you has suffered workplace accident, or any other type of accident that occurred due to the negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Contact The Legal Line for specialist accident claim advice on 0800 0328511, or by completing a compensation claim enquiry form online.

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