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Home > Personal Injury News > Unsuitable Chair Causes Nurse's Accident at Work

Hospital Employee Suffers Personal Injury Due to Unsafe Work Facilities

In a recent personal injury case our expert lawyers assisted a nurse, who suffered an accident at work, to recover compensation.

Accident Caused by Unsuitable Equipment

At the time of her accident, our client was sitting on a wheeled chair at the hospital where she worked. She reached forward to retrieve something from a desk and, when she momentarily left her seat, it moved away from her. She did not realise this had happened and fell heavily to the floor when she attempted to sit back down.

The unit had recently undergone a full refurbishment and the chair had hard castors, even though it was on a hard floor surface.

Our client sustained injuries to her back, knees, shoulders and arms and was immediately in a lot of pain. She received treatment but was ultimately unable to return to work at all and had to give up a much-loved job.

Claim for Compensation

The injured nurse felt that her employer was responsible for her workplace accident, as the facilities they provided were not sufficiently safe. We therefore pursued a personal injury claim against her employer on her behalf.

According to the British Standard, chairs which have wheels with a soft tread should be used on hard floor surfaces and those with hard castors are suitable for use on softer surfaces, such as carpet. It also states that a test of rolling resistance should be carried out when chairs are installed. The defendant admitted that they had not carried out a risk assessment in relation to the chairs and their suitability.

The Judge agreed with our evidence and found that the hospital trust were in breach of regulations and awarded damages to our client in respect of her personal injury.

Accident Claim Advice

If you suffer an injury at work, caused by the negligence of your employer or a colleague, you may be entitled to make an injury claim.

At The Legal Line, our specialist personal injury lawyers are experts in recovering compensation for the victims of accidents. Contact us on 0800 0328511, or by completing a claim enquiry form online, for cost-free accident claim advice.