Accident at work

A Unite member from Leeds has secured more than £32,000 in compensation with the help of his union and Thompsons Solicitors, after an accident at work left him disfigured for life and unable to care for his newborn child.

Mark Duffy, 32, was employed as a production operative by a company that built modular homes from 2018 to 2020. He was part of a team working in a large warehouse where the houses are constructed on two production lines.

Mark said: “The houses are built in four separate parts and moved along the lines to be pieced together. On the day of the accident, I was working on the line as normal when my manager asked me to help move part of a house. Even though I wasn’t trained to use the vehicle, called a bogey, which moves the houses, I didn’t hesitate. I’ve always been one to do as the boss says and we were a team who worked well together to get a job done.”

During the move, the bogey ran over Mark’s left hand as he kneeled down to unlock one of its wheels. He shouted to the operator to stop, but by that point it had already crushed his hand.

Mr Duffy was rushed to Pinderfields Hospital where he required surgery to repair the damage to his hand. He had to have the tip of his little finger amputated and he has been left with significant scarring and ongoing pain, which impacts on his quality of life both at work and at home.

For Mr Duffy, and his now fiancée Shannon, the accident couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Mr Duffy said: “We had just welcomed our second child into the world and there was no way I could even hold a new-born baby safely, never mind help my partner with caring for him. I couldn’t even drive for several months so all the pressure was on Shannon to keep everything together.”

As a member of Unite, Mr Duffy was entitled to free legal help from Thompsons Solicitors. He said: “My solicitor, Phil, was really helpful. He explained the process in such a way that I found it all very straightforward. If I ever had any concerns, he’d just ring and talk me through it.

“Although my injuries will affect my life forever, the compensation has helped me look forward and begin to move on with my life, and I can’t thank Thompsons and Unite enough for that.”

Phil Kyte, specialist at Thompsons Solicitors, said: “This accident should never have happened. Mr Duffy was put in a difficult position when he was asked by his boss to do something he wasn’t trained in. Using heavy, specialist equipment can be fraught with danger and that’s exactly why employers need to make sure the right health and safety systems are in place. While Mr Duffy is making the best of things now, the injuries to his hand will affect him for life.”