Our award-winning, nationally recognised personal injury team recovers compensation exceeding £100,000 in an electric shock at work claim.
The electric shock at work
We were contacted by a client who for confidentiality reasons we will refer to as ‘S’. S had been employed by an organisation that provided supported living facilities for adults with specific needs. One day, a fault was reported with the power in one of the flats. S went to take a look as she was worried about the resident not having light or heating.
S wondered if the fuses had “tripped” and lifted the flap covering the fuse box to see if that was the likely explanation for the power going off. But as she did so she suffered an electric shock.
The consequences of the electric shock
S immediately went to hospital as she was worried about the impact of the electric shock on her heart. She was examined and reassured. She went home but continued to suffer what she described as a heavy feeling in her chest. She also had pain in her arm, and over the following weeks this pain grew worse.
S struggled on at work for many months, being forced to reduce her hours and adapt what she was doing. Ultimately though, the pain was too severe for her to cope with her duties and she resigned.
The electric shock compensation claim
It was against this background that S got in touch with our team specialist injury lawyers for advice about claiming compensation for the electric shock at work and her subsequent ill health.
We took on her claim and agreed to work under a No Win, No Fee agreement.
We pursued the claim against a number of different defendants – the employer, the owner of the building, and the company that was in charge of servicing the electrics at the property. All defendants denied doing anything wrong.
Medical evidence indicated that S had suffered a pain condition directly related to the electric shock at work, possibly Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This condition arises when the injured person feels intense pain despite there being limited or no ongoing physical damage to the affected area. Understandably, the ongoing persistent pain also had a knock-on effect on S’s mental health.
Court proceedings
Because liability for the accident was disputed by all defendants we arranged for court proceedings to be issued.
The defendants all continued to deny that they had done anything wrong. And even if they had breached their duty of care, S would not have suffered the alleged injuries as a consequence.
The claim therefore continued and the case was listed for a week-long trial.
Out-of-court settlement
Fortunately, common sense ultimately prevailed with all of the defendants agreeing to attend a settlement meeting to explore whether the claim could be resolved without the expense of a formal trial. By the end of the meeting an out-of-court settlement in excess of £100,000 was reached, with all the defendants splitting the payment between them.
S was enormously relieved to have closure and feel that her suffering had been recognised.
How we can help you with your electric shock at work claim
Our personal injury team has a track-record of securing substantial settlements for clients who have been injured at work.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a workplace accident, our specialist team is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation and details of No Win, No Fee funding.
