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Compensation of £13,000 Awarded for Failure in Equipment

10th January 2008

A Council worker injured by faulty work equipment has accepted compensation from Swindon Borough Council for the injuries and losses she suffered.

Accident at Work

Mary Sturgess, aged 64, from Wroughton was working as a housekeeper at the Council’s premises at Langton House when the incident happened in May 2005. She was using a water-based vacuum cleaner, known as a “rotowasher” to shampoo the carpets in the bedrooms of a house. It had developed a problem with the mechanism which turned the machine off. The handle on the side of the machine had become very stiff.

As Mrs Sturgess tried to turn off the machine and in doing so suffered a tear of the soft tissues in her shoulder.

Compensation Claim

She has now accepted £13,000 in compensation from Swindon Borough Council who accepted responsibility for causing this personal injury to Mrs Sturgess.

Mrs Sturgess explained: “As a result of this accident I had to give up my cleaning job. I could no longer cope with the physical demands of the work. At home, I had to employ someone to tend to my garden and clean the windows because I was in too much pain to continue with these tasks.”

Representing Mrs Sturgess, Jeremy Thompson from Thompsons Solicitors, lawyers for The Legal Line, said: “This is a case where an employer did not look after the work equipment that Mrs Sturgess was being asked to use. Her employer accepted responsibility for causing these injuries and an out of court settlement was reached.”

Injury Claim Advice

If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident at work, or any other accident where someone else was to blame, you may be entitled to claim damages. 

Contact The Legal Line for expert, cost free, accident claim advice from our specialist personal injury lawyers on 0800 0328511.  Alternatively, complete a compensation claim enquiry form online and we will contact you.