A man who lost three fingers following a traumatic accident at work has secured significant compensation.
Mr. Stewart was working as a HGV driver for a transport and logistics business in April 2014 when he was asked to deliver a load of pipes to a depot owned by a large shipping agent. When Mr. Stewart’s lorry was being reloaded with pipes by a forklift driver, the forks on the forklift were not long enough to deposit the final set of pipes in the space on the lorry. The driver asked Mr. Stewart to assist him in manually lifting these. Mr. Stewart cupped one end of a pipe and the forklift driver gripped the other. Unaware of how heavy the pipe was, it crushed Mr. Stewart’s fingers when they attempted to lift it.
From this life-changing accident, Mr. Stewart sustained terminal fractures to his right index, middle and ring fingers. Although his fingers were operated on, the tips were so badly damaged they required amputation. He has been left with altered sensation in his remaining fingers and now suffers from cold intolerance, meaning he often has to double-layer gloves, especially when working in winter. His favourite pastime used to be riding his motorcycle, but he now struggles to do this.
Mr. Stewart initially took the claim to another law firm in Scotland, but in spite of his injuries they did not rate his chances of successfully securing compensation and dropped the case after a few months. In late 2014, Mr. Stewart was involved in a car accident and he and his wife secured compensation through our personal injury specialists.
After this, Mr. Stewart mentioned his earlier accident at work and Watermans took up the case. In December 2017, we settled with his former employers and the depot owners on Mr. Stewart’s behalf.
Mr. Stewart said: “The level of service I received from Watermans, and in particular from solicitor Alison Birrell was excellent. They were understanding throughout my claim and worked hard to secure compensation I had long given up on, and I would not hesitate to recommend Watermans to anyone unfortunate enough to suffer a personal injury.”
If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident at work, you may find that you are entitled to compensation for your suffering. At Watermans, we offer straightforward legal advice, without the jargon. Speak with our dedicated personal injury team today using the form below, or contact us on 0131 555 7055.