A defective slab caused the member to lose balance and injure his knee
A Southampton man who was unable to work for more than two months after dislocating his knee has received compensation with the support of Unite Legal Services and Thompsons Solicitors.
“Having the support of Unite Legal Services was very useful – without it I wouldn’t have had the confidence to make a compensation claim. Thompsons Solicitors helped me understand my rights and fought my case when the council was disputing that it was at fault for my injury.”Thompsons Solicitors’ personal injury client
The member dislocated his right knee as he lost his balance stepping off a loose pavement slab onto the road.
As a result of his injuries, he couldn’t work for nine weeks, after which he made a phased return. During his recovery, he struggled with daily activities, such as showering, getting dressed and exercising.
Southampton City Council, who were meant to maintain the area, claimed that it had inspected the pavement two days prior to the accident and no defect was noted. However, witness reports and other evidence found that the slab had been loose for several months. The defective slab was fixed 24 hours after the Unite member’s accident.
He contacted Unite Legal Services and instructed Thompsons Solicitors to make a personal injury compensation claim.
He said: “Having the support of Unite Legal Services was very useful – without it I wouldn’t have had the confidence to make a compensation claim. Thompsons Solicitors helped me understand my rights and fought my case when the council was disputing that it was at fault for my injury.
“Even when I returned to work I had to do so on a part-time basis, so the few months after my accident were tough financially. Thankfully, the compensation helped me during this period.
“I would urge anyone who isn’t already a member to join a trade union, as it made the legal process a lot easier for me.”
Jennie Formby, South East Regional Secretary at Unite the union, said: “Cases such as this highlight the importance of having expert union legal guidance, as court hearings can be very complex and costly procedures.
“This was a non-work accident but, as a member of Unite the union, he was able to start his personal injury claims process through our legal service and secure 100 per cent of the compensation, without any deductions.”
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