A Kent panel beater who suffered a serious wrist injury whilst repairing a fire engine has been awarded compensation of £135,000 in an out-of-court settlement with his former employer, Kent County Council.
The accident, which took place in December 2003, left Mr Michael Homan, 62 and of Courtfield Avenue, Lordswood, unable to return to his job in the council’s Aylesford vehicle repair shop. He had worked as a panel beater for 42 years.
Mr Homan, was repairing a fire engine shutter when his left hand was pulled into the shutter and crushed. He was treated in hospital for a scapho-lunate ligament injury and eventually had to undergo surgery to fuse his wrist, leaving him with permanent loss of movement.
According to Mr Homan’s solicitor, Niamh O’Brady of national law firm Pattinson & Brewer, the accident should never have happened:-
"Mr Homan had almost no experience of working on fire engines and was not given any training before he started the repair. Worse still, he was not provided with a tool specially designed to make such repair work safe."
Mr Homan adds:-
"The accident has had a huge impact on my life. It’s been very difficult to come to terms with the idea that I may never work again. I can’t even take part in my old hobbies of coarse fishing and bowling and am now very dependent on my wife for help with simple daily tasks."
Kevin Whiffen from Unite the Union said:-
"It is a disgrace that basic health and safety shortcomings in failing to provide training and proper equipment have shortened Michael Homan’s working career by years."
The case was listed for a two day assessment of damages hearing for 28th November 2007 and only settled one week before the trial when the defendants agreed to increase their offer of damages by 50%.
NOTE
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