An accident at work

A few years ago when I worked for a well known supermarket I was injured after a colleague accidentally lowered a pallet of carrier bags on my feet.

I didn’t think much about it at the time and hobbled away thinking how silly I was.  I am not even sure if we put it in the accident book, although as I was a first aider at the time I am sure we did.

It wasn’t until sometime later that I realised I had done some serious damage which led to fallen arches and the development of arthritis in my feet which causes me some serious pain at times and involves me having steroid injections every few months to try and alleviate the pain.

I was hugely loyal to my work place at the time and would never have thought about putting a accident at work claim in, however looking back it is something I wish I had done as the damage to my feet was a huge part of why I left my job with them as I physically couldn’t walk the miles that the job involved and I am still affected over ten years on.

I have to wear orthortics in my shoes, although since the discovery of fitflops they have now been relegated to the back of the wardrobe and all this costs money and it is money we just don’t have at the moment.

I have to admit I don’t like this blame culture we live in at the moment, but by the same token this should never have happened.  The pallet of carrier bags was on the shop floor and in a raised position on a pallet trolley and should never have been left like.  My employer was under a legal duty to ensure my safety and security within the workplace and if they ignore that duty and it has led to anyone suffering injury then you are entitled to make a claim for compensation. The same principle applies to working practices and equipment as you have the right to have adequate safety equipment and training to protect you against injury as much as possible.

Have you had an accident at work and would you claim compensation?

It’s too late for me now, but if something happened in similar circumstances I would definitely consider it.

 

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