Work accident in Fife secures compensation after court proceedings

Mrs P. was injured after a fall at work and came to Digby Brown’s Kirkcaldy office for help making a work accident claim for compensation.

How did the work accident happen?

Mrs P. worked in a local factory in Fife.  She was responsible for packaging products to allow them to be dispatched to various locations across Scotland. 

However, when she was carrying a tray of products, she slipped on a greasy substance that had been leaking from one of the machines close to her work station.

Impact of work accident injuries

“I walked around the corner and the next minute I was on the floor. I didn’t notice the pain in my ankle and hip straight away, I think because of the embarrassment.

“As the days went on I struggled at work. My ankle was black and blue and my hip was getting more painful. In the end, it got worse and I had to call a doctor.”

Severe exacerbation of back injury requiring time off work

Mrs P. suffered from pre-existing back problems which were exacerbated to a severe level as a result of the accident.

“I was worried I would be left without a job after the accident due to the time I had to take off. Before the accident I never struggled with my back and was always at work.”

Employer responsible for work accident

Mrs P.’s employer did not have a cleaning policy or mats in place to absorb the substance or to allow it to pass through to the floor beneath. 

Had this been implemented, Mrs P.’s accident at work could have been prevented.

Work accident claim with Digby Brown

Mrs P. contacted Digby Brown’s Kirkcaldy office 2-3 months after her work accident.

“I was scared of making a claim against my employer as they are a small company and we worked alongside the bosses and knew them so I felt really uneasy about it.

“I was bucking up the courage to make a claim for months. In the end, I went ahead as they didn’t care about what happened. When I told them about the accident, their attitude was ‘what do you want me to do about it?’

“When I was declared unfit to work as a result of the fall at work, it helped clear my conscience.”

Personal injury solicitors at Digby Brown Kirkcaldy

Digby Brown’s personal injury solicitors in Kirkcaldy met with Mrs P. to get a statement about what happened and collected further medical evidence to prove the impact of her injuries from the accident.

“My solicitor was very, very good. He didn’t rush me when I first met him, and I was there for well over an hour. He was really thorough and was drawing diagrams of where I worked and everything – he didn’t leave anything unturned.

“Everyone I dealt with was really nice. I knew from the first meeting that Digby Brown were on my side, and they didn’t put obstacles in the way.

“Throughout the whole process, he kept me up to date with EVERYTHING that happened, sending me letters or giving me a call.”

Employer’s insurers admitted fault for work accident but made no compensation offers

Although the insurance company acting on behalf of Mrs P.’s employer admitted liability for the accident, they failed to make any offers to settle her work accident claim.

This was despite the fact they knew she was unfit to work and was in receipt of statutory sick pay which did not cover her basic monthly outlays.

Court proceedings raised against employer

Our personal injury solicitors raised court proceedings and were able to recover £14,300 on behalf of Mrs P.

“I was more delighted when I knew I had won the case, than the money I received as it proved I was right to pursue a claim for negligence and they were in the wrong.”

Work accident compensation for Mrs P.

“Digby Brown did very well to get me the compensation they did.

“The case settled more quickly than I thought and it was much more than what I expected – I was very surprised with what I received.

“I’ve kept the compensation tucked away and it has given me some security, especially now I am unable to work.

“My daughter is getting married and I will use some of the funds to help with her wedding which I would have done if I was able to work.”